Koi doesn't like Clown Loach

[beefsteak]

*smacks forehead*

Whoever helped you at your local LFS should be shot. You need to start your stocking completely over. From scratch.

First, decide if you want a coldwater tank or a tropical. You CANNOT keep coldwater fish with tropical. They have different temperature requirements and dietary needs as well. Once you've done that....

If you decide coldwater....

1. You still need to get the koi out of there ASAP. They are NOT tank fish they are pond fish. They get to be ENORMOUS. Well 2-3 feet long anyway and waiting until they are six inches is a very BIG no no. Now repeat this several times to yourself if need be.

2. You can only keep three goldfish in there MAXIMUM with 1 probably being the most preferable number. A single goldfish needs 10 gallons minimum with 20-30 gallons being more preferable. They get to be a decent size and are extremely messy fish.

If you decide tropical....

1. The clown loaches have to go. They will get to be a foot or more in length and your tank could barely support one or two let alone five.

2. Decide whether or not you want just a pair of angelfish in there or smaller fish like the platies. Angelfish get to be a considerable size as well and need 30 gallons just by themselves.

Please listen to the people here. They are offering you some vital information.

 

[Mgamer20o0]

Hehe....somethin' ain't right here......

thats a understatement

 

[hankn]

*smacks forehead*

Whoever helped you at your local LFS should be shot. You need to start your stocking completely over. From scratch.

First, decide if you want a coldwater tank or a tropical. You CANNOT keep coldwater fish with tropical. They have different temperature requirements and dietary needs as well. Once you've done that....

If you decide coldwater....

1. You still need to get the koi out of there ASAP. They are NOT tank fish they are pond fish. They get to be ENORMOUS. Well 2-3 feet long anyway and waiting until they are six inches is a very BIG no no. Now repeat this several times to yourself if need be.

2. You can only keep three goldfish in there MAXIMUM with 1 probably being the most preferable number. A single goldfish needs 10 gallons minimum with 20-30 gallons being more preferable. They get to be a decent size and are extremely messy fish.

If you decide tropical....

1. The clown loaches have to go. They will get to be a foot or more in length and your tank could barely support one or two let alone five.

2. Decide whether or not you want just a pair of angelfish in there or smaller fish like the platies. Angelfish get to be a considerable size as well and need 30 gallons just by themselves.

Please listen to the people here. They are offering you some vital information.

Ok. I returned the swordtails and the clown loaches and am now left with (30G tank running at 80F):

1x Telescope Eye Black Moor Goldfish
1x Common Goldfish
2x Koi
5x Silver Angelfish
7x Mickey Mouse Platies
1x Bristlenose Albino Pleco

I really like the Koi for their cleaning ability and once they and the 2 GF reach 6", they will be donated to a neighbor's pond and I will go and get 2 new 2" Koi again. So the size is not a problem. And the Koi and GF get along fine and the tank temperature doesn't bother them, not even when I had to raise it to 86F due to ICH.

If needed, I can return some Angelfish as well. What other small fish would people recommend for this community? Tetras? Guppies? Barbs? Danios?

Thanks!

 

[Mgamer20o0]

Ok. I returned the swordtails and the clown loaches and am now left with (30G tank running at 80F):

1x Telescope Eye Black Moor Goldfish
1x Common Goldfish
2x Koi
5x Silver Angelfish
7x Mickey Mouse Platies
1x Bristlenose Albino Pleco

I really like the Koi for their cleaning ability and once they and the 2 GF reach 6", they will be donated to a neighbor's pond and I will go and get 2 new 2" Koi again. So the size is not a problem. And the Koi and GF get along fine and the tank temperature doesn't bother them, not even when I had to raise it to 86F due to ICH.

If needed, I can return some Angelfish as well. What other small fish would people recommend for this community? Tetras? Guppies? Barbs? Danios?

Thanks!

it does effect them. just because you cant see how it does doesnt mean its ok. once you get a new tank or find a place to give away the koi and goldfish then we can talk.

 

[nickmcmechan]

hankn, I've got to say it soundsl like you are desperately trying to convince yourself that this community of fish will work together...please take the advice it aint....

An analogy, Dogs and Rabbits...put them together from an early age and theres a chance they will be fine....one day though you might come to a fat dog, an almight mess and no Rabbit....

Point I'm making is some things just dont go together...act now before you end up being dissapointed...maybe your Pond guy will take the Koi now?

 

[Marinemom]

If you leave the coldwater fish such as the koi and the goldfish in tropical temps. (you said you are maintaining the tank at 80 degrees) for any extended period of time then you will be comprimising thier health and shortening thier life. If you want what is best for your fish I would consider returning the golffish and the koi and get some other fish that are more appropriate for your tank.

Marinemom

 

[Dangerdoll]

I'd also like to point out that 5 angelfish in a 30 gallon tank alone would be a problem. They may be small now but as they mature, there is going to be a lot of aggression in that tank. Your aim for stocking a tank should not be "they fit now, I'll keep them til there's a problem. When we reach that point, I'll trade them in for smaller ones." It's not fair for the fish or for your water parameters.

 

[Shelby_Tempo_GT]

I've had dogs, rabbits, chickens, newts and hamsters so this is yet another animal to learn about and watch develop.

There is a very large hiding place for the loaches and they like it in there and seem happy when not chased by the koi.

I plan on doing the 10% water change weekly. No big deal with the manual siphon/gravelvac I have - I just gotta figure out the trick to getting it going by hand rather than gulping some tank water on the tube

The platies tend to stay at the top of the tank, the angels top to middle and the koi, clowns and GF tend to stay near the bottom so there is no real clumping yet.

Thanks.

Hey Hank,

an easy way to start the syphon is to roll the vacuum tube into a coil and put the whole thing in the water. Once all the air is out of the tube, put your thumb over the drainage end of the tube. Then put that end in the bucket and move your thumb.



And yeah. The fish thing is a lot of learning.

The people here mean well... even if a couple seem a little fanatical about it. Don't take it personal.

 

[tepelus]

some people are just stubborn and if you give them good advice, they won't take it anyway cuz they will do what they want to. i have worked with customers like this before when i worked at petsmart for a year (quit cuz they pissed me off for the same reasons) and it was so frustrating to give people advice, they ignore it, come back a few days later with dead fish and want their money back cuz fish are indespensible anyway(in their minds) and if it dies within two weeks, well, they get their money back or can get a replacement and do the same bs all over again. case in point, guy buys like 6 bala sharks, about 4 inches long, to put in a ten gallon. they all die, brings them back a couple days later. what can i do? supposed to just give him more cuz of the stupid guarantee and the store policy(managers don't help either when discussing problem). gets more, leaves them in the bag in the heat of summer in his car, brings them all back dead two hours later claiming they all died when he put them in his tank when i knew better....the bag was still tied up exactly the way it was when it left and the water was hot! urgh! guarantees are good and all for people who actually seem to care about doing the best thing for their fish and the fish didn't make it, but for the others, it seems like just a scapegoat. anyway, my point i guess is that this person is just gonna do what they want, no matter what any of us can suggest. plus, i needed to vent.

 

[SHK_ATK]

some people are just stubborn and if you give them good advice, they won't take it anyway cuz they will do what they want to. i have worked with customers like this before when i worked at petsmart for a year (quit cuz they pissed me off for the same reasons) and it was so frustrating to give people advice, they ignore it, come back a few days later with dead fish and want their money back cuz fish are indespensible anyway(in their minds) and if it dies within two weeks, well, they get their money back or can get a replacement and do the same bs all over again. case in point, guy buys like 6 bala sharks, about 4 inches long, to put in a ten gallon. they all die, brings them back a couple days later. what can i do? supposed to just give him more cuz of the stupid guarantee and the store policy(managers don't help either when discussing problem). gets more, leaves them in the bag in the heat of summer in his car, brings them all back dead two hours later claiming they all died when he put them in his tank when i knew better....the bag was still tied up exactly the way it was when it left and the water was hot! urgh! guarantees are good and all for people who actually seem to care about doing the best thing for their fish and the fish didn't make it, but for the others, it seems like just a scapegoat. anyway, my point i guess is that this person is just gonna do what they want, no matter what any of us can suggest. plus, i needed to vent.

Petsmart should adopt... (and really all places who sell fish) the return policy that my LFS (mom and pops) set. They have a two week return as long as you tell them the type of of aquarium you put them in (including residents in aquarium) and a water sample. ONLY then will they either A. Give you a store credit. B give you another fish. I think enforcing such rules will lead to proper fish care.