First aquarium is stocked

**cfgsteak** · 09-23-2009, 04:41 PM

This is my first aquarium. I have a bow front 46g tank. When I recieved the tank from a friend it came with one Convict Cichlid. I have found a home for the Con, I wanted more little fish instead of one big bully.

This is what I stocked:

8 Tiger Barbs
8 Gold Barbs
2 Bolivian Rams
1 Red Tailed Shark
1 Common Pleco

I do weekly water changes of 45%. I am keeping a close eye on the water quality. All the fish seem happy and healthy. I plan to keep the pleco until he is around 12 inches and then rehome him. I stocked the shark for some different color, all the other fish (besides the pleco) are kind of goldish.

I am going to try and breed the Rams and the Tigers at some point (not together, LOL). I have a seperate tank for that. I think that kids would find that really facinating. I will too!

I am going to add a chunk of driftwood that I have been soaking later and I am going to grow some java moss on it. I am also going to attempt some java fern. I really want live plants, they really add a nice look to aquariums in my opinion. I am open to low light/easy plant suggestions!

I'm pretty excited about this whole hobby and the tank looks really awesome so far. Much better then it did with one sulking Cichlid anyway...

**rich311k** · 09-23-2009, 04:52 PM

It is a nice tank full. I really recommend returning the pleco and getting a more apporpriate one like a bristle nose. I think you and the fish will both be happeir that way.

Beside that it looks like it will be an active and colorful tank.

**cfgsteak** · 09-23-2009, 04:54 PM

Originally Posted by rich311k

It is a nice tank full. I really recommend returning the pleco and getting a more apporpriate one like a bristle nose. I think you and the fish will both be happeir that way.

Beside that it looks like it will be an active and colorful tank.

Personally, I agree with you Rich. I am working on the kids as far as the pleco goes. We are checking out a new LFS this week and i hope to find a pleco that the kids will fall in love with.

**Northernguy** · 09-23-2009, 04:57 PM

BNs and rubber lip plecos are great fun and they are kinda cute!
I do agree that your tank is way to small for a common!
Have fun this weekend.

**Lab_Rat** · 09-23-2009, 05:56 PM

I like the stocking choices, they should work well together. You mentioned you're keeping an eye on the water quality which is great. Adding that many fish at once may stress the biofilter unless Salad was really big and produced a ton of waste (very possible). Congrats!

**cfgsteak** · 09-23-2009, 05:59 PM

Originally Posted by Lab_Rat

I like the stocking choices, they should work well together. You mentioned you're keeping an eye on the water quality which is great. Adding that many fish at once may stress the biofilter unless Salad was really big and produced a ton of waste (very possible). Congrats!

Good point! I will be testing daily. If the biofilter is stressed, can i solve that with more frequent water changes? Will adding a few plants help?

Thanks Lab Rat!

**MonkeyPox** · 09-23-2009, 06:02 PM

Adding too much bioload can cause your tank to crash. I advise no more then 2 fish per week with a normal load, and 1 for adult fish with a high bioload.

**Lab_Rat** · 09-23-2009, 06:05 PM

Originally Posted by cfgsteak

Good point! I will be testing daily. If the biofilter is stressed, can i solve that with more frequent water changes? Will adding a few plants help?

Thanks Lab Rat!

If you start to detect even trace ammonia or nitrite then increase your water changes. You can throw in some java moss or other low light plants to help too. But I suspect Salad created a fair bit of waste (she looked pretty big in the pic), so likely you'll be ok if the rest of the fish added are still small.

**Aeonflame** · 09-23-2009, 06:10 PM

No go on the pleco bro.

lol... sorry. Common plecs get way too big and poop way too much.

**cfgsteak** · 09-23-2009, 06:20 PM

Originally Posted by Lab_Rat

If you start to detect even trace ammonia or nitrite then increase your water changes. You can throw in some java moss or other low light plants to help too. But I suspect Salad created a fair bit of waste (she looked pretty big in the pic), so likely you'll be ok if the rest of the fish added are still small.

Salad was big. Nearly 6 inches. I will still keep an eye on everything. All the fish I added were small (even the pleco is barely 3 inches). Will be adding plants tonight. I didn't even consider that adding so many fish would effect the bio-load, D'OH!

That darn pleco is going to cause me issues! If not with the aquarium, it will with the kids, LOL. Thanks for all the advice everyone. I can't imagine how badly I would have messed this up without this forum!