Water change question

[Fishiefish125]

Hi. I haven't got a water test kit. Tank is 125 litre with small community fish. 5 neons, 5 white clouds, 5 glowlights, 10 plattys including fry, 2 danios, 2 small bronze corydoras, 3 small clown loach.Has been established over 3 months. Lots of live plants and bogwood. Aeration by high power fluval filter agitating surface. No airstones etc. Fish are happy, 3rd set of platty fry growing on well.
Water locally is very very hard!
How often should I change water and how much of it at a time? Have got aquasafe or similar to treat tap water.

Will be getting a much larger tank to grow fish on.. i know some shoals would prefer more fish but it is at capacity now with the fry surviving. We did have more danios but they didn't like the holiday food we put in when we went on honeymoon and we lost a variety of fish to stress and cotton wool fungus.

 

[Byron]

Welcome to TFF.

On the water change question, I would recommend 50-60% once a week. Use a water changer apparatus, and you can clean into the substrate each time to remove some of the detritus that will accumulate there. It is not all bad, but you don't want a lot of it, especially as you have some fish issues.

Now to those. Clown loaches are large fish, reaching 8 inches fairly quickly (if they are healthy) and then growing up to 12 inches. They should have a group of five or more. But as you have three in much too small a space--and this does affect their continual growth from now on--and unless you intend getting at least a 6-foot tank soon, I would re-home the clown loaches. Hopefully a fish store will take them, or another hobbyist with a suitable tank.

Depending upon the hardness, the tetras may or may not last too long. Can you post the GH (general hardness) of the source water? You should be able to find this out from the water authority, likely on their website. I would rather not suggest fish species without knowing the GH. And while there, find the KH (carbonate hardness or Alkalinity) and pH too. The GH is the more crucial, but all three are relevant.

A test kit would be advisable. API makes a Master Combo liquid test kit (liquid is more reliable than strips) that includes pH, ammonia, nitrite and nitrate. These are the most important long-term tests. Once we know the GH/KH it is unlikely to alter much in the aquarium.

Byron.

 

[NickAu]

I wish fish places would stop selling Clown Loaches and Black ghost knives without finding out how big a tank the customer has first.

These fish look so cute and small in the LFS tanks yet grow huge, I now have 7 Clown's, I rescued 2 from a friends 10 gallon tank because LFS told my friend they are fine in a small tank and it will be 2 or more years before they need to be re housed, No kidding.

Even in a 100 gallon 6 foot tank I am pushing it with 7 clowns, but I have excellent filtration with canister filters.

This is an older video of when I had 5, They are begging for food, I am doing a water change and the water conditioner I use turns the water milky for a few hours.

 

[SnailPocalypse]

Its even worse when I go to walmart and see kids begging to get sick clown loaches for there small 1 gallon death traps.

 

[ShinySideUp]

I too have seven Clown loaches in a six footer. All are the same age (from three then four from different sources) and I'm lucky in that only four of them are reaching epic proportions. For reasons unknown, thee of them have stayed small at no more than 3", strange.

As Byron says regarding water changes (and as I do) half or more once a week or sooner if the water appears 'off'. I have no idea what' off' means but sometimes I look at the tank and feel the need to do an early water change.

 

[luca1980]

I wish fish places would stop selling Clown Loaches and Black ghost knives without finding out how big a tank the customer has first. These fish look so cute and small in the LFS tanks yet grow huge, I now have 7 Clown's, I rescued 2 from a friends 10 gallon tank because LFS told my friend they are fine in a small tank and it will be 2 or more years before they need to be re housed, No kidding. Even in a 100 gallon 6 foot tank I am pushing it with 7 clowns, but I have excellent filtration with canister filters.

Agree with all above. The same should be said for axolotls. Pet shops etc often simply have no idea regarding their special needs and they inevitably end up suffering at the hands of misinformed (albeit well meaning) owners.

 

[Fishiefish125]

Thanks. None of the fish shops said we needed 5 clown loaches...some tried to sell us just one....all did warn us they get to about 6 inches but said this was fine as they are so peaceful. Ours are thick little bricks and quite shy. They dont like the overhead light which is a special one for the live plants. We have three but they can disappear for a couple of days at a time and startle easily if youmove near the tank. Two are friends but the other is often by itself/braver. They eat well on snails, pellet food, bloodworm and brine shrimp. They came over to look at the cucumber slices but didn't know what to do with it.

 

[Fishiefish125]

 

[NickAu]

They came over to look at the cucumber slices but didn't know what to do with it.

Keep offering it to them they will get the idea.


Feeding time in my 6 footer.

 

[ShinySideUp]

You have Clown Loaches and Mollies in the same tank, how? Clowns need clean clear water and mollies do better in brackish water.

 

[NickAu]

Those Mollies were rehoused, When I decided to have Loaches and Tetras I tried catching the Live bearers the Mollies were too quick, They would take food out of my hand but as soon as they saw the net they vanished.

And no Mollies dont need brackish water.