New tank proposals, comments plz

**Colin** · 02-17-2008, 06:58 PM

Ok so the day of delivery is dawing for my new 55gall its 5'x18"highx12" wide.

I want to decommision my 31gall and use its gravel and internal filters filter media to kickstart the new tank. Also I will move over the Fluval 304 canniester from the existing 55g onto the new tank.

The 31g stock will just have to move when the new tank has run a week or so but with all the existing bacteria transfer going on I dont think I will have any problems.

I removed the carbon filters on my existing 55g canister and replaced with fluval biomax, effectivly preping it for the increase in load with the removal of the fluval 304.

So what do I do with my stock.

Here is the stocking lists

Loach Tank
1 Rainbow Shark 4" (max out at 5-6")
5 Buenos Aires Tetra
5 Silver Tipped Tetra
6 Black Widow Tetra
4 Zebra Loaches (max out at about 4")
14 Clown Loach, 1.5"-2"
1 Clown Loach 3"
1 Clown Loach 4"
3 Sword Tails 1 male 2 female
1 Hoplo Catfish full grown 4.5"

Semi Agressive Tank
12 Tiger Barbs
13 Green Tiger Barbs
3 Snowball Plec 3.5"(max out at 5")
1 King Tiger Plec 3.5"(max out at 4-5") had it 6 months and it aint grown, very odd
4 Hillstream loaches (max out at 2")
1 Red Tailed Black Shark 3" (max out at 5-6")
1 Ruby Barb

The LFS has told me they can take fish and I am thinking about loosing the tetra, well I have lost a few and there schoals need increasing really.

Am also concerned that removing the Clown Loach that the barb tank hasnt got good bottom cleaners any thoughts? will the plec manage?

So what do ya think?

**cocoa_pleco** · 02-19-2008, 01:11 AM

are you sure its 5'x18"highx12" wide? 55g's are usually 4 feet long

**jbeining75** · 02-19-2008, 01:13 AM

I was thinking the same thing cocoa. I figured maybe they had special 55's in UK.... Here standard is 48 inches x 22 1/2 inches x 12 inches

**cocoa_pleco** · 02-19-2008, 01:38 AM

ahh, hes in england, yeah, gallons are different there

**Colin** · 02-19-2008, 06:40 AM

60x18x12=56.1USGal = 46.72UKGal =212.38Liters

I can get tanks any shape from the manufacturer, I honestly dont understand the term standard tank you guys keep mentioning. Here have a look at this http://www.acaquatics.co.uk/Prices.htm

But what about the stock?

**Colin** · 02-22-2008, 07:09 AM

Bump*

Are my stocking lists so bad no one wants to comment?

Having reconsidered, I will probably go with
Loach Tank
14 Clown Loach, 1.5"-2"
1 Clown Loach 3"
1 Clown Loach 4"
3 Sword Tails 1 male 2 female
1 Hoplo Catfish full grown 4.5"
1 King Tiger Plec 3.5"(max out at 4-5") had it 6 months and it aint grown, very odd
3 Snowball Plec 3.5"(max out at 5")

Semi Agressive Tank
12 Tiger Barbs
13 Green Tiger Barbs
4 Hillstream loaches (max out at 2")
1 Red Tailed Black Shark 3" (max out at 5-6")

Community tank
1 Rainbow Shark 4" (max out at 5-6")
5 Buenos Aires Tetra
5 Silver Tipped Tetra
6 Black Widow Tetra
4 Zebra Loaches (max out at about 4")

LFS to take 1 Ruby Barb

And maybe some new bottom feeders for the barb tank, dunno what will work, suggestions plz?

**Spyder** · 02-22-2008, 11:28 AM

I'll comment on you stocking ideas, 16 Clown Loaches in a 55 gallon tank is insane. Unless you plan on a 600 gallon tank in the near future don't even consider doing it.

I beleive Hillstream Loaches are cold water fish.

For your community version I would consider one type of Tetra and a larger school of them.

JMO

**Colin** · 02-22-2008, 12:09 PM

Thanks Spyder, yes I am planning on a larger tank, maybe early next year, I was planning a 8'x3'x3' which is roughly 600gal. I have had the clowns for maybe 5 months now in with the barbs and they seem ok but clearly need there own tank, the barbs are getting nippy with themselves, hence getting the clowns out of the way.
But I cant see the point of putting 14 No 2" fish in a gargantuan tank at the moment.

Do you have any knowledge of clowns grow rate? mine have gone from 2" to 2.5" in 5 month but have bulked out loads and are maybe twice the mass of what I bought. How old do they need to be to get to 5"?

Community tank, Yeh your right, I think the black widow will go to the lfs and the silver tipped will go in my hospital tank and up the Buenos Aires Tetra to 10.

Nice one

**Spyder** · 02-22-2008, 10:03 PM

Clown Loaches usually hit 4" rather fast then their growth rate slows dramatically.
I had five 8" Clown Loaches in my 300 gallon tank. It took them 5 years to get to that point, they were about 2" when I got them. I had a catastrophy happen in my tank and lost 70% of all the fish including my Clowns. That happened 1 1/2 years ago and I still think about them. Very sad:(

**Colin** · 02-22-2008, 10:17 PM

Sorry to hear about your loss. I have lost a few fish recently due to me being a prat but I learnt.
Its one of the reasons why I bought so many. I was new to aquariums and knew I would make mistakes and some would die, I didnt want to be left with anything less than a schoal.
If I am carefull I may go the full term with these and have a decent 10 fish schoal, maybe 15. I have only lost one loach and to be honest, with what I have learnt, I should manage to keep the rest healthy but you know how it is.

Thanks for the grow rate, that is very interesting, when you say very fast, do you mean a year maybe? if so then I will be looking to get the big tank next spring/summer maybe. putting them in a 55 gall wont harm them for a year i dont recon. anything bigger than a 4 inch fish should be placed in a tank more than 12 inch wide, is that a fair assumption?