My New Tank...150 Gal

[moogy35]

Hi Everyone,
I finally decided to get a 150 gallon tank from a friend. He has had this tank for 4 years and is unable to take care of it anymore (isn't around during summer). This is my first tank so all the help you can give me would be great!!

The synspilum she is HUGE she is easily 12". Does anyone have any info on my fishies? T

Here are the pics.

The tank is 150 Oceanic
http://www.alessandradesign.com/tank.JPG

Synspilum
http://www.alessandradesign.com/ang.jpg

http://www.alessandradesign.com/ang2.jpg

http://www.alessandradesign.com/ang3.jpg

Leporinus he is about 12" too maybe 13"?
http://www.alessandradesign.com/b.jpg

http://www.alessandradesign.com/b2.jpg

Barb 9" and a Silver Dollar (red hook fin?) 4 or 5"
http://www.alessandradesign.com/ang_barb.jpg


Tricolor Shark maybe 8"
http://www.alessandradesign.com/sharky.jpg

Here is my cat watching the tank...gives you a little perspective of how big they are (in the pick they look a bit smaller than real life).
http://www.alessandradesign.com/kitty_staring.jpg

The water is still a little cloudy, I have a cascade 1500. The media looked pretty good. Do you know how often you have to change any of the media?

Oh and I might add one other larger (5") fish. Do you have any suggestions on what would get along with these? I was thinking something colorful and different. I am still learning :) If there isn't anything colorful I was thinking a prochilodues (spelling?)


Thanks in advanced,

[jason2894]

what are your tank dimensions do u know. the tank looks really tall and doesnt appear to have all that much swimming room. i think i would stay with the current stocking u dont wanna overstock. and everything in the tank looks great the way it is. P.S. the water looks clear to me.

[moogy35]

The tank is 48" wide, 24" deep and 28" high.

The water is a little cloudy, I am not sure if that is just the nature of the water or what, it just isn't crystal clear. (kind of looks dusty) :)

[jimangie1973]

Here is my cat watching the tank...gives you a little perspective of how big they are

Your cat is tiny. :joke:

Your tank looks nice. Make sure you read all the sticky posts on cycling the tank. If the tank isn't cycled yet, do lots of water changes to avoid toxic levels of ammonia and nitrite.

Also, silver dollars are timid, especially a lone one. If you are having trouble getting food to him, try cooked and skinned peas. They sink nicely and my silver dollars love them.

[moogy35]

Ohh good suggestion. He is ok but the barb doesn't like letting him eat. He loves the floating pellets and flakes so far but the peas sound like a great idea. I will let you know how he does. Thanks so much.

[Roan Art]

Just a note: Silver dollars are schooling fish. You don't have room in that tank but he should really be in a group of 6 or more, three at the very least.

I can't really see in the pic too well, but he doesn't look like a Red Hook. Can you get a better picture of him?

If he is a Red Hook, he's got 8"+ more to grow. If he's not, he's got another 4 or so inches to get to.

The tinfoil barb is also a schooling fish. Should have at least three. He also has another 5" to grow yet.

Bala shark has another 8" to grow yet. He also should have some friends.

The cichlid will grow to 16", too.

Y'know, this may be a 150g tank, but it's gonna get VERY crowded when those fish get much bigger.

Roan

[moogy35]

I guess the previous owner had 3 of each fish in the tank over the past 3 years. All died except 1 of each. These fish have been living together all for about a year and a half, I don't know if that makes a difference or not but it is good to learn all this. Thank you. I will try to get another pic of the silver dollar. His bottom fin extends down a bit and is red with a black tip.

[moogy35]

Another random question. How fast do these fish grow? Will I have to upgrade in a year or so or will they be ok in this tank for a while?

[RockabillyChick]

i'd stick with one of the solitary fish (Synspilum or Leporinus) and a school of silver dollars and that's it. that tank is very close on the verge of being over stocked, and will definately be over stocked when those fish keep growing.

[Roan Art]

Another random question. How fast do these fish grow? Will I have to upgrade in a year or so or will they be ok in this tank for a while?
Well, I can only speak from fact on the silver dollar, and mine are the spotted and unspotted types -- not Red Hook. We brough ours home in August of last year and they were the typical size of SDs you buy in a pet shop: size of a silver dollar :)

We had them for 5 months now. The original 3 are over 4" in size and the other three I bought last month have tripled in size.

Roan

[maverick_8teen]

The tank is 48" wide, 24" deep and 28" high.

The water is a little cloudy, I am not sure if that is just the nature of the water or what, it just isn't crystal clear. (kind of looks dusty) :)
As a suggestion about the water...if the tank has been set up for about a week or so anything that is in it that might cause a "dirty" look should either have gotten into the filter or settled to the bottom. If it still looks "dirty" to you, try looking at other tanks in real life...at the pet store, a friends tank etc. Compare the 2 tanks. If you feel its "dirty" i might suggest looking into a different light buld. Its likley a Flouresent light and at the local fish store they should have about 6 different bulds you can get, keeping in mind that they all give off certian variations of color because they are designed for different types of tanks. Not sure if it will work for sure but you might want to consider it before trying to treat a tank of that size with chemicals as they could get very costly and if its your first tank you might not want to play with the chemicals too much until you know all about them (no offence intended, just a suggestion).

[HolyBull]

nice tank

[CBTF]

nice tank, i wish i had one that big!!

anyways, dont worry about some of the lone schooling fish. i have a few in my 40g who's schooling buddies have been dead a year. they adapt, and live on their own.

good luck with that tank. you should buy a nice background for it :D

[Flowerhorn916]

Very nice tank and beautiful fish the only fish I would add is a pleco of some sort