Hi all
I bought a second hand tank from the paper classifeds about 2 weeks ago, which is 3 foot by 1 foot, and 1.5 feet tall. It's a tropical tank and the previous owner had been keeping 2 angelfish (a breeding pair - have seen the eggs), a goldfish(!), 3 glowlight tetras and what he described as 'a bottom feeder'. I've since been told that this is a catfish because he has a 'sucker' for a mouth. I haven't kept tropical fish before, only cold water as a child, but these guys seem very happy in their new home. Everything is as it should be, as per the books etc. What I need though is some advice about the catfish...
The tank was only 2 thirds full until a week and a half ago, just for a couple of days. During the few days it was like this the catfish was very docile, which is how it was described to me by the previous owner. Now that the tank has been topped up the catfish is darting around like a crazy thing, and is bothering the goldfish. He's also a lot more active in his feeding habits than I observed in the first few days - he's suckering like mad on the new plants (it only had one ragged one when I bought it, I've since added more which I was told in the local shop would be fine) and on the ornament that came with the tank! He's also swimming up and down the tank sides a lot, which the man who owned him before said he didn't do.
The tank underwent a complete water change when it was moved, but everything is the same in terms of temperature, water p.h etc. I'm wondering why he's suddenly a lot more animated?! And why he's bothering the poor goldfish (who's been in there with him for 2 years!). The guy has never fed him any special catfish food, he's lived off the regular fish food and the bottom, but I'm wondering if maybe he needs his own food? The other fish are all very content and seem very happy with their new plants... He's eating them...
Not sure what he is... Have taken some photos with my phone but don't have my cable with me so can't download straight away. He hasn't got long barbels, just 2 small stubs. He's about 9cm long (tiny in comparison to some of the stuff I've seen online!), mid-brown, has a darker brown line running along the length of his body, with slightly lighter brown vertical lines just through this line, not covering the width of his body, smaller... And dark dots along the top of his body. His dorsal fin is triangular in shape, straight edged. Any ideas as to what he is? And if I should feed him special pellets? The tank has gravel, not sand... Is this ok?
Any help will be greatly apprecaited - don't want the little guy suffering if all is not well... Maybe he's ok now, wasn't before... My friend said that fish behaviour can change if they're sick, but he looks fine... Please help!
Thanks!
I bought a second hand tank from the paper classifeds about 2 weeks ago, which is 3 foot by 1 foot, and 1.5 feet tall. It's a tropical tank and the previous owner had been keeping 2 angelfish (a breeding pair - have seen the eggs), a goldfish(!), 3 glowlight tetras and what he described as 'a bottom feeder'. I've since been told that this is a catfish because he has a 'sucker' for a mouth. I haven't kept tropical fish before, only cold water as a child, but these guys seem very happy in their new home. Everything is as it should be, as per the books etc. What I need though is some advice about the catfish...
The tank was only 2 thirds full until a week and a half ago, just for a couple of days. During the few days it was like this the catfish was very docile, which is how it was described to me by the previous owner. Now that the tank has been topped up the catfish is darting around like a crazy thing, and is bothering the goldfish. He's also a lot more active in his feeding habits than I observed in the first few days - he's suckering like mad on the new plants (it only had one ragged one when I bought it, I've since added more which I was told in the local shop would be fine) and on the ornament that came with the tank! He's also swimming up and down the tank sides a lot, which the man who owned him before said he didn't do.
The tank underwent a complete water change when it was moved, but everything is the same in terms of temperature, water p.h etc. I'm wondering why he's suddenly a lot more animated?! And why he's bothering the poor goldfish (who's been in there with him for 2 years!). The guy has never fed him any special catfish food, he's lived off the regular fish food and the bottom, but I'm wondering if maybe he needs his own food? The other fish are all very content and seem very happy with their new plants... He's eating them...
Not sure what he is... Have taken some photos with my phone but don't have my cable with me so can't download straight away. He hasn't got long barbels, just 2 small stubs. He's about 9cm long (tiny in comparison to some of the stuff I've seen online!), mid-brown, has a darker brown line running along the length of his body, with slightly lighter brown vertical lines just through this line, not covering the width of his body, smaller... And dark dots along the top of his body. His dorsal fin is triangular in shape, straight edged. Any ideas as to what he is? And if I should feed him special pellets? The tank has gravel, not sand... Is this ok?
Any help will be greatly apprecaited - don't want the little guy suffering if all is not well... Maybe he's ok now, wasn't before... My friend said that fish behaviour can change if they're sick, but he looks fine... Please help!
Thanks!
