What fish to add?

[janedee]

I have a 15g tank that is still cycling - with 4 zebra danios and 1 catfish. We are at nil amonia and managing to keep the nitrite to max of 2 with water changes every other day. This is a big improvement as just a week ago it was at 4 or 5 within 24 hours of a water change.

So now I am beginning to think about what sort of fish and what number I can add to my tank. I appreciate not yet, but have to do something with all this waiting around. Advice appreciated please.

Also, should I expect to see a rise in nitrate when the nitrite is lowering or does it have to get to nil first ? I am a bit worried as have never seen even a hint of nitrate when I do my daily readings.

Thanks - Jane

 

[corrosive]

Right... This will help people alot... What is the catfish? A Cory? Plec? Oto? etc

 

[Vegan Peaches]

If the catfish is of a species that gets longer then 8 inches, you may be at your limit for fish because the danios are 1.5 - 2 (I think, don't quote me on that )

As a general rule, 1 inch of fish per gallon

But to actually answer your question, saying your cat is a smaller one or the danios are small, livebearing fish are good to add to your tank because most species (Platies are my favorite) are very hardy and good community fish, and most are relatively small in size. Oh yea, and let's not forget colors - alot of livebearing fish are REALLY colorful - guppies are a good example, I love their tails ^^. All I've kept so far, aside from angelfish, which died quickly, have been live bearing fish, so my opinion is very bias. Another good idea would be to get another Cat of the same species as yours (once again, provided its a small one) because Catfish like to be in groups. Well, that's what my fish guy at Petco says.

Hope I helped ^^

 

[NinjaSmurf]

Well, you said catfish, not pleco, so I think I can be safe in saying that knowing what kind it is is super important, not just for size, but because most catfish also have this really funny and endearing habit of eating any fish it can get in its mouth.


I love the little suckers!

 

[janedee]

The catfish is a small one - I think it is unofficial name is a spotted catfish - doe sthat make sense? (sorry for being a bit thick ! lol)

BTW I did have 2 catfish but lost one along with a coulpe of others when I learned the hard way about cycling a tank

 

[clutterydrawer]

could you possibly get a pic for the catfish for us? catfish are a very varied species ranging from 1" up to several feet! so it would be useful to work out which one it is.

 

[NinjaSmurf]

I have a pictus, it has spots, and it also will grow somewhere from five to eight inches from what I hear, and it already has eaten a total of probably eleven feeder guppies, plus some fry that I probably don't know about.


Come to think of it, I really, really shouldn't get neons.... Need big tetras!!

 

[Dwarfs]

I have a pictus, it has spots, and it also will grow somewhere from five to eight inches from what I hear, and it already has eaten a total of probably eleven feeder guppies, plus some fry that I probably don't know about.


Come to think of it, I really, really shouldn't get neons.... Need big tetras!!

Pictus only stay at around six inches

 

[janedee]

Just to let u know that I am not ignoring your requerst for pics - went to use my digi camera and no batteries - so went to the battery stockpile and none ther either !! anyone want 2 teenagers ?? will post a pic of my (hopefully small) catfish tomorrow.

Jane

 

[a1wonder]

alright we can narrow it down this way
does it look like this:

or this:

 

[NinjaSmurf]

Or this?

Pictus



Dwarfs, I've had so many people tell (and actually get kinda mean about it too) me everything from three to 12 inches on the pictus that I'm about ready to scream. It's three inches now, if it gets to start being too big to move around the tank right I'll find it a new home, but for now he's staying put. You can quote me on that, all you people who say I should get rid of him because he'll be too big!!!


Sorry, not yelling at you Dwarf in any way, just all the evil people...

 

[willywonka099]

Well, you said catfish, not pleco, so I think I can be safe in saying that knowing what kind it is is super important, not just for size, but because most catfish also have this really funny and endearing habit of eating any fish it can get in its mouth.


I love the little suckers!

What did you mean by this a pleco IS a catfish and if he didn't know it was a pleco it would look like a catfish or have been sold as one ........... Well the size of the cat wont matter for the most part as long as it isn't a common plec ...lol if it IS a cory it iwll fit in there for it's life (with lmost all the COMMON species) It wont be crowded in it's territory (the bttm) I think the danios need removing

 

[clutterydrawer]

Oohh this is a fin game

jsut to eliminate the chance of it being a plec...does it have a "sucky" mouth, with which it sticks itself to the glass?

 

[NinjaSmurf]

Most people have a mental line that separates catfish from plecos, even if they are all really 'catfish'.


And you can't say that the size of the catfish won't matter much as long as it's not a common pleco when we are talking about a 15 gallon tank. Do you realize just how big a lot of catfish get? From different sources I've read pictus alone should be put in at least a thirty gallon. If it's a cory then it's an entirely different matter, but seriously, catfish, pleco or not, often get to be good sized fish. And they eat other fish.

So, lets hope we can find out what it is, and hope for the danios sake as well as janedee's that it is a cory or some small kind of pleco.

 

[janedee]

It looks like the second photo posted - assuming that the fish in the second photo has those long spindly things as well!!!! And my nitrite is at nil today for the very first time !! Champagne tonight !