Busy Tank, Too Much?

Roan Art

Roan Art

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Oct 7, 2005
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Hrm.

My 36 gallon tank seems to be very busy and I wonder if I've gone over board here. I currently have:

5 Boesemani rainbows (they're sub-adults and about 2.5" on average)
2 Platies
7 corycats
1 Glolite tetra
2 Neon tetra
5 Ghost shrimp

Huh, now that I list them it doesn't seem all that much. The corycats are VERY active. All 7 of them are riding the bubble wand at the back of the tank and in constant motion.

I have a lot of mid-tank activity right now. Cories may be bottom dwellers, but give them a bubble ride and they stay in mid tank :)

I added three of those corycats yesterday and tested the water today. Everything a-okay at 0, 0, 5.

I want to add to this tank:
2 Clown Loaches
2 Royal Falowella Cats

I have the two clown loaches in quarrantine (going on 10 days) and I will be putting them in the tank in a couple of days. I know they need a bigger tank and I have one slated to arrive in April -- either a 65 gallon long or a 90 gallon long. Depends on how much play money hubby gives me from his yearly bonus. I'm hoping enough to get the 90 and a stand and canopy.

Thoughts on the Royal Farowella cats? Overkill?

Roan
 
Well, I see a few Small problems.
First The 7 Corys, Which get 2-3" If they get three inches That will overstock a 36gal. with 5 Bosemani's which like to have A lot of swimming room and don't do well in a crowded tank. Second, do you have a Glo-Lite Danio or a Glowlite Tetra? If you have a Tetra i May school with the Neons, If its a Danio, Well They are Schoolers to. Third, you only have 2 Neon Tetras which are Schooling Fish, and should be kept in Groups of 6 or more, Ideally 8. also, If you are going to keep Clown Loaches, you need to shoot for the 90gal. They will reach about 12 inches, sometimes even more, so you need to get them out of the 36gal. asap, so their Growth won't be stunted.
also Royal Farowella cats can reach 10" and can grow more rapidly than Clown Loaches. so i would hold off on them until you get a bigger tank.
 
i think you should be okay with the loaches, they do get big, but grow slowly. just try to go with the biggest tank you can get as soon as you can get it. maybe get a 3rd clown loach, they enjoy being in groups.
 
Bosemani Fan said:
Well, I see a few Small problems.
First The 7 Corys, Which get 2-3" If they get three inches That will overstock a 36gal.
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They're about 2" now and I was told 2.5" max. Blargh :)

with 5 Bosemani's which like to have A lot of swimming room and don't do well in a crowded tank.
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Actually, they do have a lot of room (I mean, for a 36 gallon). The cories are at the very back of the tank riding the bubble wand and totally out of their way. The only other fish mid-tank are sometimes the two little platies and when they are there they like to school with the rainbows.

The neons like to school below the mid-level -- almost just above the substrate.

The rainbows, loaches and half the corycat herd will be moving to the 65+ gallon in April. I'm getting that tank mainly for Boesemani rainbow fish. I want to put those new Millenium Rainbows in this 36 gallon. They are awesome and much smaller.

Second, do you have a Glo-Lite Danio or a Glowlite Tetra? If you have a Tetra i May school with the Neons, If its a Danio, Well They are Schoolers to. Third, you only have 2 Neon Tetras which are Schooling Fish, and should be kept in Groups of 6 or more, Ideally 8.
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1 glo lite tetra and 2 neon tetras that school together. They are what's left of the school of 13 I had in there and I don't want to build up that up again. They get eaten too easily :)

also, If you are going to keep Clown Loaches, you need to shoot for the 90gal. They will reach about 12 inches, sometimes even more, so you need to get them out of the 36gal. asap, so their Growth won't be stunted.
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I'll have the 65+ tank in April -- 5 months from now, so they should be fine until then, no? It's a definite purchase, not a maybe. I'm more worried about the rainbows outgrowing the tank before April more than the loaches :)

also Royal Farowella cats can reach 10" and can grow more rapidly than Clown Loaches. so i would hold off on them until you get a bigger tank.
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Hrm, LiveAquaria says 8" and minimum of 30gallons, which is the only reason I was even considering them for this tank.

I'll hold off on the Farowellas until April then. I really don't want to break up the cory school yet, they look so happy together.

Thinking,
Roan
 
Defiantley hold off the the larger cats. The clowns do gorw slowly but make sure to do large volumn water changes each week, say 50% or so. That will help keep the clowns from getting stunted due to large buildup of hormones and organic toxins. Then they will be much happier in the big tank.

I have also learned that sometimes a planned tank doesn't happen when you think it will. So hold off on buying any new fish for the big tank until it is actually setup and running. My bigger tank finally came but 1.5 years down the road. I am glad I didn't get the extra fish I wanted.
 
TKOS said:
Defiantley hold off the the larger cats. The clowns do gorw slowly but make sure to do large volumn water changes each week, say 50% or so. That will help keep the clowns from getting stunted due to large buildup of hormones and organic toxins. Then they will be much happier in the big tank.
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Yes'm! I've been doing a 40-50% change twice a week -- Tuesdays and Fridays. I've read that the Boesemanis are happiest with more frequent changes. It DOES seem to make a difference in their color as well. One of mine is really gorgeous in color and only 2.5". His back half is the most amazing orange when he's being "big man on campus" and his front turns that darkish blue color. He also has a lighter area from the top of his head down to his dorsal area. Pretty boy!

I have also learned that sometimes a planned tank doesn't happen when you think it will. So hold off on buying any new fish for the big tank until it is actually setup and running. My bigger tank finally came but 1.5 years down the road. I am glad I didn't get the extra fish I wanted.
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Yep, I hear yah. The only fish I actually purchased specifically for the bigger tank were the loachs. The only other purchases I'm going to make will be on paper, along with the specs for the tanks I want, all costs involved etc., etc.,

I'm actually thinking that if there's money enough, I might go with two more tanks instead of one. Like 1 90 long and a 55 long. Then I'll give my son this 36 and my daughter can have his 20. Huh. Maybe I'll try for TWO 55 gallon tanks and a 90 OR even TWO 90s! Muahahah!

Thanks for the help,
Roan
 
Bosemani Fan said:
The bosemani's will reach 3" Max, so i wouldn't worry about that to much!
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Good! A half an inch doesn't sound like much, but it can add up when you spread it around 5 of them.

Thanks!
Roan
 
wataugachicken said:
i think you should be okay with the loaches, they do get big, but grow slowly. just try to go with the biggest tank you can get as soon as you can get it. maybe get a 3rd clown loach, they enjoy being in groups.
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Gotcha!

Now, see, there's another example of incorrect ino on LiveAquaria. No where does it state that clowns are groupies.

I'm still waiting for them to reply to my email in regards to otos. They recently got otos in stock and the web page. . . here, verbatim:

Code: 
[I]
"Breeding in the aquarium is normal for this fish. The female
lays her eggs on plants, rocks, and even the glass in 
aquariums."[/I]

Certainly not what I've been hearing :D

Roan
 
thank you

i'm not basing it on anything i've read, i'm basing it on experience from observing how they interact with each other in groups. one might be fine by itself, but when you have several, they will play together, follow each other around the tank, take turns surfing in the powerhead current, and sleep on top of each other in a cave, like a pile of tired hound dogs. seeing how active and happy they seem to be when there is a small or large group of them, i can't recommend having just one.

good luck with your fishies.
 
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