new to fish and need some help!! please

[ej1698]

Hello All,

I am new to fish tanks/ fish. I just bought a 55 gallon fish tank 2 weeks ago. I have it set up [running]with a magnum 350 canister filter and a top fin 60 filter.I have about 12 fish in it. this is the problem.... I bought 2 red pacu's and another i believe it's called some kind of king fish. I also have 2 parrot cichlids in the tank, 1 convict cichlid, 2 tiger barb's , and two other small cichlid's [don't know their names. well...after reading about the fish I have [which I should have done first ] I find out that these pacu's and this king fish[think that's what it is] GET'S REALLY BIG!!! I like the fish but don't think my tank is big enough [in a few months] Should I return them to petland a.s.a.p or hold on to them. I just wish these people at These pet store's would have let me know that these fish get really big.

Any opinion's would help..


Thanks
ej1698

 

[IceH2O]

I'd bring them back,or buy a 125 gallon tank for them.Sounds like a lot of big fish for a 55 gallon.You might still be overstocked without the Pacus and Kingfish

 

[rrkss]

The pacu's get extremely big. If you turned them vertical, the Pacu's head would touch your tank's floor and his tail would stick out of the water. They also grow large very quickly so bring it back. Read up on tiger barbs they should not be kept in pairs. You need at least 6 of them though some people reccomend 10 or more to be successful. They are very fin nippy when left alone or in pairs and could cause your other tank inhabitants stress. Also read up on the nitrogen cycle and get a test kit. I use the aquarium pharm master test kit and have been very happy with it. During the cycle try to keep ammonia under 1 ppm and nitrite under 0.5 ppm by water changes.

 

[ddayton21]

I wouldn't expect much help from your average LFS. They are in the business of making money and don't intend to steer you away from buying a fish, no matter how big it may get.

I don't know much about cichlids but from what I understand they may not be compatible with tiger barbs.

I would go ahead and get rid of your pacus and the kingfish asap.

p.s.- could you please search google or something similar for a picture of this kingfish? The only ones I have seen are saltwater fish.

 

[ej1698]

thanks for the info

THEY ARE GOING BACK TOMORROW!!! I am also removing the tiger barbs. want to replace them with cichlids..would that be alright?? 2 or 3

 

[Dangerdoll]

I wouldn't get anything in addition for now, ej. I think your best bet is to return the pacus and king and then read up on cycling, in this case, fishy cycling. You may lose a couple of your fish now, depending on how religious you are with following the fishy method. After your tank is stablized and you've pretty much captured what the behaviors of the remaining fish are, then you can go and buy some new ones if you feel the need.

 

[Genral72]

I'd get rid of the convict also but I'm no expert

 

[kill_a_watt]

if your totally new to fish get white cloud mountain minnows hardy easy to care cool fish but they are pretty small lol

there the coolest fish i ever had :thm: :dance2: