So many Questions, I'm never right!

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smellsfishy29

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Oct 4, 2007
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Ok, so I'm not new at this fish thing...but I still don't know what I'm doing. I have a 29 gallon tank with 3 Pictus catfish (3"), a rainbow shark (4"), a clown loach (3"), and some kind of tropical catfish (1 1/2").
Questions:
1. Are six fish of that size too many?
2. I was told that my Pictus cats will grow to be 10"....is that true? And do I have too many in my tank?
3. What is a cycle? (water change maybe?)
4. I made the horrible mistake of vacuuming all my gravel and changing my filter at the same time when I did a water change. Most of my fish died except the rainbow shark and the tropical catfish. So I let the tank rebuild it's ecosystem, and got more fish...so far everyone's fine. Now I have high levels of ammonia in it, and I want to clean the gravel. How am I supposed to do it properly....clean only half the tank each week?
If anyone can answer any of my questions, I'd appreciate it.
 
1. Most people like to use a 1inch per gallon rule. And its 1 inch at full adult size.
2. Click here
3. Click here
4. You can vaccum all your gravel at once but be sure not to change more than 30% of the water. If you completly take out the gravel do only 1/3 or so of it. Thats how I do it and I am problem free.
 
Ok, another question...
My temperature in the fish tank will not go down. It's at 84 F and the heater is at the lowest setting. How can I get it to be at 78-80 F ?
 
Do you still have your Pictus Catfish? Your 29 gallon is going to be way too small once it gets larger. My pictus is about 6 inches and in a 75 gallon.. They can grow pretty quick if they are well cared for and healthy. Usually for a Pictus, the minimum is 55 gallons, or so I've been told. Another thing, if you ever need to move him or anything, DON'T use a net.. their fins are sharp and get caught in it. I have already had to take him to the vet twice so they could get the nets off of his fins.
 
Also pictus cats and clown loaches should be kept in groups of 4 or more to display correct behavior and be happy, the 29g is too small for them. I would suggest doing a little research on your fish before you buy them to avoid problems.

There are lots of good articles on cycling out there. Most people do a fishless cycle. http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=81388

I would also recommend not using the inch per gallon rule for any fish. Imagine a 12 inch Oscar fish in 12 gallons of water...get my point. There are many other factors to consider when buying fish. Things to consider is adult size, water parameters, diet, agressiveness, and so on. Here is another good article for new aquarium owners.... http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=85268

You should vac your gravel regularly. When cleaning your filter media (the stuff in your filter) you should do so with the water from your tank and not plain tap water. This can be safely done at water changes.

The first thing I would work on is getting the cycle started on your tank, I may even consider returning the fish till the tank is cycled. I would encourage you to just be patient and take it one step at a time, doing so and doing some more research will help you to be able to enjoy your fish and hobby a lot more. Hope this helps!
 
It could be a defective thermostat unit in the heater or it could be that the thermometer is inaccurate. I would buy two thermostats that read the same at the LFS. That way there is some consistency. Then use those two to check the tank. If they read different than the existing thermometer the culprit is most likely your thermostat. If they all match, get two new heaters at 1/2 the output each of the old one. The reason for two is that if one sticks in the heat position you have more time to catch the problem thereby reducing the likelihood of cooking your tank. Also if one fails in the off position the other will buffer the loss of heat giving you the time to get a new heater.

Aquarium heaters, even though they are much better than they used to be have a short lifespan and I replace every two years for safety. I always keep one of the old ones as a short term use backup.

Charlie
 
Nolapete- my room temperature is about 78-80 F. I May take my heater back...but it was recommended. Thank you for replying.

fancychance - Yes, I still have my Pictus catfish. All of the fish I listed are still there. I will probably have to buy another tank to fit them in it, I don't want them to be too big for my tank. Thank you for your input and the tip about the fish net!

akapaul26 - I just vacuumed my gravel today, and thanks for the websites, they really helped! My three Pictus cats seem to be happy in a group, but having them in my 29 gallon tank may not be a good idea. Thanks Again!
 
Thanks Charlie...there must be something wrong with it. This is getting to be expensive, never thought I'd spend so much money on these fish! Thanks again for your reply.
 
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