New fish are dying by abuse or sickness??

[hvc801]

Hope the next try works out better for you.

Thanks, I'll keep you guys posted.

[Danifins]

I'm thinking about 7-9 tiger barbs
-1x clown loach
and i'm not sure what else? Any suggestions?

If you want clown loaches, you need to get a school. Loaches of any type are schooling social fish and need that school to thrive!

The thing is that they get REALLY big, I've read around a foot long, and a group of those is way too many for a 55 gallon. See the pics of fully grown adults on this page:
Clown loaches - Loaches Online

What about Kuhli loaches? Or Yo-yo loaches? Both are very cute and active and don't really get bigger than 4-6 inches!

[wijnands]

Anyone even considering clown loaches should read this:

[Trillianne]

You can help find out if its weak/ill stock or acclimation issues if you QT before adding to your main tank.

With as large of fish as you have in your established tank, I'd be pretty wary of what new inhabitants I added.

[Lady Hobbs]

I had 5 loaches in my 55 gallon, as well. I found a home for them with a lady who has an indoor big pond.

Well, don't know what those red spots are on those Silver Dollars but that is not normal and they should not have this. When spawning, they will get dark marks but not blood spots. Do you have a catfish in with them? If not, they have a parasite, a blood disease, something.........?

[Fishkeeper]

Just my two cents; in the wild, believe it or not, pirahna are actually rather timid creatures, as they do have natural enemies. Are you absolutely sure you don't have pirahna? Do they have sharp teeth?

[ScottishFish]

Just my two cents; in the wild, believe it or not, pirahna are actually rather timid creatures, as they do have natural enemies. Are you absolutely sure you don't have pirahna? Do they have sharp teeth?

Yup in the wild they also have a river full of space to run away from and stay in big packs. In a tank they are cornered and in fewer numbers. This makes them skittish and aggressive. If the guy had pirhana he would know lack of fingers would tell him that

[bignellm]

Yup in the wild they also have a river full of space to run away from and stay in big packs. In a tank they are cornered and in fewer numbers. This makes them skittish and aggressive. If the guy had pirhana he would know lack of fingers would tell him that

Oh yea!!! Would be hearing about his missing digits and not missing populations.

[Zander]

I've never kept them before but aren't silver dollar's supposed to be silver? I don't know for sure if that's a piranha but it sure doesn't look like a silver dollar. At least not the ones I have seen.

[Lady Hobbs]

Actually I was curious and did more searching. Some of the Red Hooks have red markings on them. There are several types. Poor guy wasn't even talking about that and I kept taking the conversation back to those SD but those spots bugged me.

Sorry hvc.