Just getting into it

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bhalbeis

AC Members
Jan 11, 2008
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First time poster...I bought my 3 1/2 daughter an eclipse 12 for xmas. She only wanted princess tieras (she calls them princess hats) and a fish tank.
Needless to say, the maintainence fell to my wife and I. I am really loving the new hobby and plan on getting myself a 75g over the weekend for some "daddy fish".
Anyway, after setting up the eclipse I simply decorated it, filled it, treated the water, heated it to 78 degrees and let it run for 2 days. I had to hide the tank in the house so my daughter wouldn't see it, on Xmas eve i went to the LFS and picked up a Neon Tetra, 2 Mickey mouse platy's, and a black Moor. A few days later I added a Red Wag and a Dalmation Lyretail Mollie.
All seem to be doing very well except the Black Moor apparently was sick when I bought him, he came down with Ich after 2 days. I treated the tank with Lifeguard and it cleared up. After the treatment I did a 50% water change and kept a close eye on them. I have done nothing further about the Ich (just a water change and gravel vacuum). Everything is fine.

Well 2 days ago my wife came home with what she called an algae eater. It turned out to be a common pl*co. It is only 2 inches now. It will go into my 75g after I cycle it. The Pl*co is the best, it the coolest thing. I am really into it. Anyway since the tank is relatively new (3 weeks), is there algae for the pl*co to feed off? I certainly dont see anything so I feed him 1 wafer every night.

By the way, the water has recently become cloudy after the water change. I dont know anything so I just put a new filter in and hoped that it would clear up eventually. After browsing this forum for a few days I learned that the cloudiness could be a result of bacteria growth. I suppose that is a good thing. I took the water to LFS to get tested twice and both times it came out perfect. I suppose I will just let it ride and see what happens.

All I have in the tank are some artificial plants, a mini castle, a pirate statue (drinking a beer), a piece of driftwood and 2 inches of gravel. Is this ok?

I plan on adding the Pl*co to my new 75g ASAP as well as an Oscar of some sort and maybe a Jack Demsey...the "daddy fish". Is this feasible? To have an Oscar, Jack Demsey and Pl*co as tankmates? Please educate me. Thanks
 
If I am correct here the black moor is a goldfish, that gives you 1 immediate problem it is a coldwater fish, everything else in the tank is tropical (warm water). So when you get the 75G you will need to move all the other fish into the 75G.

Neon tetras are a schooling fish, you need to get at least 5 more for them to be happy. Chances are some of the fish in the 12G will die (sorry) but you will end up going through a fish cycle where ammonia increases, then nitrite and finally nitrate. You need to buy a liquid test kit and any time you get a reading of ammonia carry out as many water changes as needed to get the level below 0.25ppm. Also, you did not say if you have a heater on the tank, if not then you need to get one.

I am not an expert, but don't think that a common pleco and an oscar can go together in a 75G (in fact I think just the common pleco will outgrow the 75G)
 
bhalbeis said:
First time poster...I bought my 3 1/2 daughter an eclipse 12 for xmas. She only wanted princess tieras (she calls them princess hats) and a fish tank.
Needless to say, the maintainence fell to my wife and I. I am really loving the new hobby and plan on getting myself a 75g over the weekend for some "daddy fish".
Anyway, after setting up the eclipse I simply decorated it, filled it, treated the water, heated it to 78 degrees and let it run for 2 days. I had to hide the tank in the house so my daughter wouldn't see it, on Xmas eve i went to the LFS and picked up a Neon Tetra, 2 Mickey mouse platy's, and a black Moor. A few days later I added a Red Wag and a Dalmation Lyretail Mollie.
Click to expand...

A few problems.

1. A tank must be cycled before adding fish. Basically fish waste/uneaten food produces ammonia (which is toxic to fish). Bacteria that mainly resides in your filter media converts ammonia to nitrite (also toxic). Different bacteria converts nitrites to nitrates which are only harmful at high levels. Weekly water changes keep this level down.

I strongly suggest reading up on cycling, in fact there is a sticky located at the top of the FW Newbie section that is titled "Read This Beofre Getting Fish" or something to that effect.

2. Those fish will simply not be comfortable in a tank that small. Goldfish grow large and are very large ammonia producers. Also they are healthier in colder water. Neons are schoolers and mollies will become aggressive if cramped. I suggest maybe 6 neons and 3 platies. Remove everything else.

bhalbeis said:
All seem to be doing very well except the Black Moor apparently was sick when I bought him, he came down with Ich after 2 days. I treated the tank with Lifeguard and it cleared up. After the treatment I did a 50% water change and kept a close eye on them. I have done nothing further about the Ich (just a water change and gravel vacuum). Everything is fine.
Click to expand...

Well I am glad that you are doing water changes. How often though?

bhalbeis said:
Well 2 days ago my wife came home with what she called an algae eater. It turned out to be a common pl*co. It is only 2 inches now. It will go into my 75g after I cycle it. The Pl*co is the best, it the coolest thing. I am really into it. Anyway since the tank is relatively new (3 weeks), is there algae for the pl*co to feed off? I certainly dont see anything so I feed him 1 wafer every night.
Click to expand...

The pleco will outgrow the 75 gallon eventually if it is the species that can grow to 2 feet long. A scientific name would be great as quite a few plecos are called "common plecos"

Wafers are good. Veggies are great as well.

bhalbeis said:
By the way, the water has recently become cloudy after the water change. I dont know anything so I just put a new filter in and hoped that it would clear up eventually. After browsing this forum for a few days I learned that the cloudiness could be a result of bacteria growth. I suppose that is a good thing. I took the water to LFS to get tested twice and both times it came out perfect. I suppose I will just let it ride and see what happens.

All I have in the tank are some artificial plants, a mini castle, a pirate statue (drinking a beer), a piece of driftwood and 2 inches of gravel. Is this ok?
Click to expand...

What is "perfect"? Ammonia and nitrite should be 0 at all times. I advise getting a test kit of your own, they are a great investment. API Liquid Masterkit is only around $20 with procematching at Petsmart.


bhalbeis said:
I plan on adding the Pl*co to my new 75g ASAP as well as an Oscar of some sort and maybe a Jack Demsey...the "daddy fish". Is this feasible? To have an Oscar, Jack Demsey and Pl*co as tankmates? Please educate me. Thanks
Click to expand...

In a 75, only an oscar or only a JD. Not together as their is not enough space for both.

And welcome to AC!!!:):welcome:
 
bhalbeis said:
The Pl*co is the best, it the coolest thing. I am really into it. Anyway since the tank is relatively new (3 weeks), is there algae for the pl*co to feed off? I certainly dont see anything so I feed him 1 wafer every night.

I plan on adding the Pl*co to my new 75g ASAP as well as an Oscar of some sort and maybe a Jack Demsey...the "daddy fish". Is this feasible? To have an Oscar, Jack Demsey and Pl*co as tankmates? Please educate me. Thanks
Click to expand...
:welcome:
It is most likely the pleco your wife procured is a common pleco, and it will grow and grow. And- grow some more, quickly at that. If you do not want a common pleco and the tank upgrades that usually go along with them, there are literally hundreds of different awesome varieties to check out that grow to half the size of a common plec. Some, like the rubber lipped plec, stay at around six inches.
As for the jack and oscar together in the 75, I would not recommend that. A 75 is still too tiny for more than one of those larger new world cichlids. You could do a single oscar OR single JD, OR a few convicts, OR a pair of blood parrots OR firemouths for some suggestions. You could even do a mbuna species tank- those fish are killer fun to watch and colorful as anything.
If you got your self a 175 gallon, it would be a different story. :grinyes:
Whatever you do, my advice is to search the forums for questions and similar ideas as your own. Look for members with the same size tank that houses your desired fish and read their posts. Go over and read through the cichlid forum carefully. And be careful as the hobby is addicting. I have had to break down a couple tanks recently due to my nuttiness about it- I wish my house really was big enough for 5 tanks!!! Now the only thing I have left to do is move my pets when I move out to the east coast- that will be a challenge! :headbang2:
 
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