Weird selection of fish in a 29G

[timbo30]

Ok, I will probably get flamed for the type of fish that I have put into my 29G tank, but what the heck, I want to hear some thoughts...

When I first started this hobby I really didn't read much about the types of fish that I bought and the compatibility. I just bought what I thought was neat looking or attracted my attention. I even lied to the LFS about the fish that I had in my tank just so I could hear "yes they will work in your tank". Sorry newbie mistake, and I'm not proud of it.

I started off with an apistogramma (double red) because I liked his colors, a polypterus bichir because I thought he was cool and a Royal Pleco, because I wanted something to eat the algae. Not to bad to start off...

Then I saw a figure 8 puffer and I had to have it along with a knight goby, because I liked the name (oh come on any other impulsive buyers out there??). Outside of the little fin nipping the figure 8 did to the apistogramma, they got along fine.

Then, shoot what the heck I wanted another pleco so I got a gold nugget, but it died after 4 days (first death, ouch, felt really bad). Got over the death and bought a queen arabesque pleco because he really looked cool (lfs called it a psychedelic pleco).

Then added a green scat because I saw them in a tank with other figure 8s.

Finally after 3 months of having an apistogramma, a polypterus bichir, a royal pleco, a figure 8 puffer, a knight goby, a queen arabesque pleco and a green scat, I added a yellow lab (cichlid) to add color to the tank.

So now I come across this website, and boy do I see the error of my ways. Brackish fish mixed with freshwater, an agressive cichlid with a fin nipper. What a receipe for disaster!!!!

Ok so far after 5 months everything has been going very well. I do regular water changes, I feed only what they can consume in 3-5 minutes and I read alot in aquariacentral.

So my question is what are your thoughts on this setup? I know that this is not your ideal setup, but it was ideal at the time. So far everyone seems happy and there have been no stress that I can see. All the fish seem to get along (believe me I spend hours just watching them, because they fascinate me!) and I only had one outbreak of ick (aquarisol is great).

So is this a disaster waiting to happen??

Give me some thoughts...I'm tuff skinned I can take criticism...

BTW sorry for the long post, but this site is great!

 

[pinballqueen]

Flame, flame, flame on you!

I've done the same sort of thing you have in the past... However, I have done that sort of thing with success (please don't tell anyone, because they will stop listening to me....) because I buy fish with the intention of raising them and selling them back.

I'm sure that wasn't your original aim, but that is the situation you will be faced with shortly....

The scat will be the size of a dinner plate in a year. The yellow lab will become very aggressive, the bigger it gets (pretty sure they get to be 6 to 8 inches...). The puffer will grow slower than anything else in the tank, and will be food before too long if you aren't careful.

As the fish grow (or now, if you think you'll not be able to part with them later), decide which ones you want to keep and which ones you want to sell back to the lfs (if your lfs allows that sort of thing...). I can already tell you the scat will not be a permanent resident of a 29 gallon tank because they get way too big.

On a side note, I would suggest that you separate your brackish fish from your freshwater ones. Both sets will be much happier this way, and your tank won't be so overloaded.

This is a disaster waiting to happen, however, don't panic because, quite frankly, we have all made this type of boo-boo, whether we choose to admit it or not....

P.S. Q.A. Plecos are a little delicate, so be really careful about your water quality. I lost one due to negligence (I put it into a tank with fish that were a little aggressive for the species to handle, plus my tank had a very high bioload and I had gotten a little lax with my water changes...).

 

[Frank_Carr]

I even lied to the LFS about the fish that I had in my tank just so I could hear "yes they will work in your tank".

Many a LFS would have said that they would work anyway, just to make the sale. Selling baby common plecos as "A small algae eater perfect for your 5 gallon goldfish tank" or baby cichlids or koi for 10 gallon starter tanks while saying, "They'll only grow to the size of the tank you keep them in" seem to be a favorite here among certain employees of some chain LFS.

The puffer will grow slower than anything else in the tank, and will be food before too long if you aren't careful.

Not only killing the puffer but any other fishes that consume its toxic flesh.

 

[timbo30]

Your points are well taken...Darn hate to see some of these fish go...but I do like sushi!!! Ok bad joke...

I am looking into getting a bigger tank for the brackish fish...would 40G be enough or do I go bigger??

I have noticed that the figure 8 has been relatively the same size, while the scat is getting bigger...Dam bloodworms and beefheart! Would I be able to just beat them over the head to keep them small??? (j/k don't be sending any animal rights activists looking for me... )

Thanks for the responses...

 

[Faramir]

Yellow labs are pretty pacific as Mbuna go. I've never seen one over three or four inches either - not to say they can't grow bigger. I would say they are pretty harmless to non-cichlids. If it does get into an argument with the apisto though, the apisto is not going to make it.

The bichir is going to swallow the apisto one day.

The scat will probably not get as large as a dinner plate; it will likely die in pure freshwater; scats require saltier and saltier water as they age, IIRC.

 

[Twilight]

Most of have probably done this......and not listen to lfs employees.

 

[timbo30]

Funny how everybody has to live and learn...

That Bichir is going to have to grow pretty big to get the apisto into his mouth...

And is it a fact that the scat will die in freshwater eventually...they don't get acclimated to fw at all?

Guess I need to step up efforts in getting a new tank...

 

[Faramir]

Bichirs grow a foot long and more, and are carnivorous (= will eat anything they think they can get in their mouths). It'll probably eventually eat the yellow lab as well.

You can't be sure the scat will die, but in its natural habitat it does migrate to the sea, IIRC. It certainly won't like the same soft acid water that the apisto favours.