My New Tank

[Stroker]

I scored a new tank at a yard sale for $20. It came with a hood, light with 4 plugs in the back, and an air pump/ filter. The hood was doodoo brown and the trim was cream but a little spray paint and it looks like a new black tank. Can't see a scratch one any where but on the bottom. The lid does need the glass between the water and the light but I have a peice of glass and a glass cutter. I think it is a 20 Gallon if I found a good converter. It's 12x16x24. I just need a heater and a bio wheel... some gravel and decorations and fish.

 

[iairj84]

Not a bad deal at all! I'm kind partial to the 20 gallons and have 2... The 20's are really a great size for most community fish... Any ideas on what you're keeping?

 

[Stroker]

Not a bad deal at all! I'm kind partial to the 20 gallons and have 2... The 20's are really a great size for most community fish... Any ideas on what you're keeping?

I have an overcrowded 10 gallon with some fish that need partners:

2 black neon tetras
4 neon tetras
1 glass fish
1 peppered cat
1 african darf frog
2 clown loaches

I have a 1/2 cycled 5 gallon waiting for the frog and her soon to be new boyfriend. I will put the clown loaches and the glass fish in the big tank along with another glass fish and some glass cats. That should allow me to get two more peppered cats and one mor black neon to give me a ballanced 10 gallon. Beyond that I don't know what to put in the big tank. I saw some black eel looking things with a soft looking dorsal fin along the entire back that I liked. But I'm going to hold off for a while because I will need to move the tank before long and dont want to many fish when I do that. For now I am just going to do what I have to to get the clown loaches into an apropriat sized tank and get some partners for my lonely fish.

 

[tamara]

Oh wow, I always thought clown loaches needed 30gal+ and were supposed to be in larger groups--not 100% on that though.
if you can get rid of the clown loaches and get 4 or 5 more peppered cory catfish...they LOVE to be in groups! [no joke] and they live happier&longer!
I don't know anything about glass fish--but from what is in my head, i thought they needed large tanks--no clue if that's even close to being right or not!

 

[tamara]

Whoops didn't read your paragraphe, i guess i missed that,
So what you're saying is having
7tetras, and 3peppered cory catfish in the 10 gallon
2glass fish, and some glass catfish and maybe some sort of eel in the 20 gallon tank
and then in the 5 gallon two dwarf frogs?
hmm well i'm not sure, maybe look up some compatible mates for the glass fish and go from there
I've just looked up glass fish, [please make sure they;re not PAINTED glass fish--they're horrible and animal cruelty] anyways for one glass fish you should have about 10 gallon..just for one.
For the glass catfish, you need about 6gallons for one, so i think your 20 gallon will be over stoked as it is with glass fish&catfish..
definetly don't get an eel too.
the 10gallon tank seems asthough it should be going to be good though!
good luck, and maybe some others will comment on this aswell.


Alright, i was wayyy off!
Clown loaches need a MINIMUM of 75gallons.
If you can return them to your store, and they prefer to be in larger groups..
definetly not a fish you a 10gallon or 20 gallon tank!
Return them before it's too late!

 

[iairj84]

I agree about the loaches... I really wish they made dwarf clown loaches, that would be awesome!! You can take a look at YoYo loaches if they have them in your store, they only get about 6 inches and would probably do fine in a 29 gallon setup. Loaches tend to prefer more substrate so the height wouldn't be too much of an issue for them....

I believe the long eel like things were possibly Kuhli Loaches? They're the closest resembling eel like things that I can think of off hand, at least that are carried around here..
http/www.loaches.com/species-index/pangio-kuhlii there's a picture of them.

They are pretty picky about water requirements and shouldn't be put in a new tank. They're pretty active too if they aren't fattened up too much. I used to have one that would burrow himself into the gravel and he would be missing for days only to be turned up with a grave vaccing... Funny fish for sure!

 

[Stroker]

No thats definatley not what I am thinking of. These were jet black. I might be misleeding by saying they look like an eel, they are long and skiny like an eel thats it. The dorsal fin looks kinda like I have seen refered to as a sail fin but it is the entire length of the fish. The clown loaches are still small so Hopefuly the 20 gallon will sufice till I can get that nice 90 I saw. (need to sell a few houses first) Where did you find that info about the glass fish? The one I have is only an inch long and has been that size since I bought him 5 months ago. Does the 1" per gallon rule not aply to them? He seems very healthy and active. I sure don't like that fish enough to waste 6 gallons on it, maybe I will trade him for something. Don't get me wrong I think they a re neet fish, but they're just to small to ocupy that much space. I want something I can watch.

 

[cuticom]

Do you mean the black ghost knife fish?
http/badmanstropicalfish.com/profiles/profile66.html

Those get like 2 feet long...

 

[Stroker]

Yea thats it. I guess it wasn't a dorsal fin after all. Wow 2 feet? Guess I better wait for the 90 for that dude.