My Fun Tank...

[molitor75]

Well after the events of today i'm just posting the photos of my new tank set up just this afternoon following the cracking of my tank overnight. What an awful day. This is in memory of my Botia who did not make it...

Anyway this really is just a fun colourful tank for us and is placed in our dining room. I want colourful and playful looking.

I'd like some ideas as to what other fish I should stock. This is what I have at present:

2 – Angel Fish
3 – Gourami
1 – Gold Severum
1 – Synodontis Alberti (Catfish)
1 – Blue/neon Rainbow fish
3 – Congo Tetra
2 – Yellow Lab
1 – Parrot
2 – Dwarf Gourami
1 – Blue Acara

 

[england]

how big is the tank? strange mix of fish you got there does it work agress wise

 

[guppy_man]

yes i agree with nelly, strange mix of fish, i dont think those labs should be in there either, what is your ph? and tank size?.

 

[molitor75]

The tank size is 68 gallon, i'm going to test the water today having just set the tank up and using water from a different tank set up.

The fish all get on really well, there's hardly any squabbling... The Gourami's are getting older now and i'm sure at some point soon i'll have some passing away of old age.

What do you suggest I replace them with as and when the time comes?

The yellow labs appear fine with the others, the fish store said they would be ok in my tank set up. BUT - if they don't get on then i've always go the option of taking them back.

Just checked up on dates and the Gourami's i've got are around 4 to 5 years old

The Severum is about a year old, the parrot is about a year and the congo tetra's about six months.

 

[MEePStER]

to be honest the fish should be ok, my friend has much more wacky arrangement of fish then you do the fish should be fine! i mean he has african cichlids with a green severum, walking catfish, angel fish, drangon fish, red finned sharks, clown loaches, a pictus cat, cory cats, and also with central and south american cichlids all in the same tank, btw this is a 75 gallon tank, and he has had all these fish together for about 3-7 months now with absoulutly no aggressiveness from any of his fish! like i said you should be fine and nice tank by the way! good job, and i forgot to mention that he has a blood parrot in the same tank also!

 

[bobross]

definitely a 'fun' looking tank - good job!

 

[molitor75]

Thanks for your comments.

Any comment is appreciated good or bad. Constructive criticism is what i'm looking for, any suggestions on stocking my tank further would be helpful aswell!

 

[Josiah]

In my oppinion and alot of other oppinions, the yellow labs need a ph of atleast 8.0 and the rest of your fish the most 7.8 not a good mix I would take the yellow labs back.

 

[DiscusKeeper403]

I also agree with Josiah, your tank is pretty much split up into Labyrinth(sp.) fish, New World Cichlids, African Cichlids, Tetras and Catfish. The set up would be okay but agian water chemistry for the Africans are completley diffrent. The chemistry should be 6.8-7.5Ph without africans and 5-15Dh (Dh is the scale?) hardness. This is soft, acidic-nutruel water. I'm not sure about Africans exact perimeters but it's hard and alkaline. That rock you got in the front will increase Ph, it will also leak Calcium into the water. Your fish will die except the Africans, I suggest taking out the rock and re homing the Africans.

 

[dthoffsett]

Normally I'm a purist when it comes to african cichlids, however, as long as they aren't attacking anything, the labs should be fine. As far as PH goes, as long as you avoid extremes (PH under 6.0 or over 7.8) and none of the fish are wild caught, all of the fish should be ok. Most captive bred fish are very adaptable to different PH levels, breeding may be inhibited though. And as far as diet goes, in the wild labs are primarily insectivores, and are more suited to a meatier diet than most african cichlids, although they like all fish do need some vegetation. A couple of things I would be concerned about: the labs natural aggressiveness once they reach sexual maturity, while considered easy-going, you have to remember that is by mbuna standards and not common community standards; another problem would be if you got one male and one female, labs like other mbuna are harem breeders, where the male will impregnate all available females, and will badger a single female to constantly breed, even if she isn't ready; or if you get two males who battle for dominance. So all in all, keep and eye on them, and if you see any bullying, remove them.

 

[molitor75]

Thanks for your comments, I noticed with the labs that they can be on the aggressive side on the odd occasion.

The rock in the tank isn't actually real, its a fake so hopefully it won't be leaking anything it shouldn't be.