55 Gallon Tank Restart After Ich Outbreak

recently had an ich outbreak, so the tank was just thoroughly cleaned... DOWN WITH THE ICHNESS!!!



the new guy, "Ember" the Rainbow Shark...



finally added a background and a lot of plants, and back in business!



2 Iridescent Sharks (about 3 or 4")
3 Bala Sharks (about 2.5")
1 Rainbow Shark (about 3")
6 Tiger Barbs (all about 1")
4 White Skirt Tetras (all about 2")
2 Red Wag Platys (about 2")

trying to give away the platys (just boring in my opinion) and might return the ID sharks to my friend because of how big they can get. I really, really, really like them though and they are happy and healthy in there right now. I might also return the white skirt tetras in order to get another bala shark.

with my tiger barbs, they all school together and mind their own business except for one who is "rogue", always seperated from the group and always terrorzing my ID sharks. he nips their fins CONSTANTLY. I have been trying to get him out but he is has proven himself to be almost impossible to catch. he darts off and then mixes himself back in with the group. I had 8 at one point, but one died and one I caught (thinking he was the mean one) and returned. if I do catch this mean barb, i'm going to be down to 5, border line on too few and I fear the remaining barbs might start nipping fins since they would be in a smaller group. I could cure this problem by adding a couple more again, but one of them could be mean too. you can see my problem with this. when i've dealt with barbs before, they weren't nippy once I got enough of them in there. they have been a big hassle this time, but I hate not having them cause I really like them also.

anyway, this is my 2nd tank, but the first time i've been really serious and interested. I love it and enjoy it every day. wish I had gone with a more natural color on the rocks though. I already had a lot of blue rocks from my last tank so I just stuck with it to save money.

I now plan to create some rock formations and/or caves on one side with all the foreground plants surrounding it on one side, and have the other side have the majority of the larger plants. I have 3 more large plants to add so i'm trying to figure it all out as far as how to arrange everything. I like the way it looks now, but it looks forced with all the plants/decor symmetrical.

ideas? suggestions? let me know what you think!

 

welcome to fishlore!!!! that tank looks great and the aquascaping is faboo!!

but......(I know there's always a but) you are going to continue to have major ich outbreaks among other things with that stock you have.,...you are severely overstocked with some monsters that need 100's of gallons...(bala's and ID sharks) ,,,size right now doesn't matter as these guys will continue to grow internally...stunted fish is painful and irreversible...

I hope things work out well though and again, I really like how you have it aquascaped with the blue/purple colors ;D

 

Like the Disturbed reference.
I agree with Shawnie about the Balas & ID sharks.
But they tank looks good!

 

welcome to fishlore!!!! that tank looks great and the aquascaping is faboo!!

but......(I know there's always a but) you are going to continue to have major ich outbreaks among other things with that stock you have.,...you are severely overstocked with some monsters that need 100's of gallons...(bala's and ID sharks) ,,,size right now doesn't matter as these guys will continue to grow internally...stunted fish is painful and irreversible...

I hope things work out well though and again, I really like how you have it aquascaped with the blue/purple colors ;D

what if I didn't have the platys or the ID sharks?

i've always heard the minimum tank size for balas is 40 gallons, even when they are 8" or more.

I could return the ID sharks to my friend, and I am trying to find a good home for the platys. I just don't care about having them in there. I could even return the tetras if I so chose. I have actually considered returning them and getting another bala shark. the store I deal with lets me return fish or exchange fish for any reason. like I said, I just returned 4 black skirt tetras for my rainbow shark.

so then I would have...

4 bala sharks
1 rainbow shark
6 tiger barbs

even if that's not ideal for four 8" bala sharks, it would be far fewer fish (11 instead of 18) and would lessen the load.

but like I said, I LOVE the ID sharks. my friend who gave them to me has 7 of them in the exact same tank as mine. all of his are at between 6 and 10" but he has nothing else in there with them. so it would help me as far as clearing up space, but the sharks would be going to probably an even worse situation.

he has had all those sharks for going on 2 years and they are perfectly happy and healthy. he keeps reassuring me that I am fine to keep them, and also everyone i've talked to locally at shops and stuff has said they are fine in my tank. they aren't trying to sell me the fish, so I have no reason to distrust them when they say that.

part of me wants to get rid of the tiger barbs too because they are nippy. some fish have to go. I just don't know what to do.

 

ID sharks get HUGE.
Balas need 90 gal. for ONE, with the amount you have, a 125 gal. would be minimum IMO

 

ID sharks get HUGE.
Balas need 90 gal. for ONE, with the amount you have, a 125 gal. would be minimum IMO

that's crazy. but from what i've experienced they usually get between 8-12" in aquariums and can live long, happy lives if treated right. I know people who have kept them for years and years.




I mean that picture gives you a great view of how much room the sharks have to grow in the aquarium right now. enlarge it and you can see the ID sharks in there. one is on the left and the other is near the middle. also you can see a couple of the bala sharks in the top left. they will be fine for a very long time. IF they were to get huge, obviously I would have to find them a new home, but right now just take a look at how much room they have.

 

There really is no IF, keeping them in a small tank stunts their growth, which is very painful for them & shortens their life.

 

my ID sharks were in my 20 gallon tank for 6 months!!! the main reason I went from a 20 to a 55 was so that I could finally get Bala Sharks and so that my ID's would have a happier home.

would you agree that 55 gallons would be far more suitable for Bala Sharks than the ID Sharks? what if I lost the ID's, the Platys and the Tetras, and got one more Bala?

then I would have 4 Bala Sharks, 1 Rainbow Shark and 6 Tiger Barbs.

then if the Balas got to 8" apiece, the Rainbow got to 6" and the Barbs all got 2", that would be 50 inches of fish in 55 gallons of water...

also, maybe without the ID's in there, my Balas will be more active. right now the ID's dominate the entire open area of the front of the tank. is it possible the Bala Sharks fear the ID Sharks?

 

I would not suggest you add any more balas, they need more than a 55 gal.
These are VERY sctive fish, the tank is only 12" widw, do you think (4) 8" fish are going to be happy in such a small space? Yes, they will SURVIVE, but no, they will NOT THRIVE.
The 1" per gallon is a guideline for small fish in smaller tanks, it really loses a lot of it's ability of use with larger fish. Common sense comes more into play with large fish.

 

the tank is 48" wide...

 

The tank is 48" long, it is 12" wide. It's a standard 55 gal., I have one also.
Also realize, that with the correct size tank & care, balas can reach 13" in length. Please keep that in mind when you want to stuff a 55 gal. full of them.

 

Very nice tank. Welcome to Fish Lore.

 

Welcome to fishlore, your tank looks very nice! I agree with all above about the load of fish. I recently got a 55 gallon that will house: 2 BP, 4 corys, 5 danios (about 30" of fish when full grown). Although I might feel o.k with another school of something that woud add another 6-10", I would not feel comfortable adding a singe fish that would equal that same 6-10". You cannot take 4 fish of 2 inches each and interchange them with one fish 8". It just doesn't work that way. In this hobby for the good of the fish, we have to realize we can't always have what we want.:

 

thanks for the info. I will soon be down to the balas, the 1 rainbow, and the tiger barbs.

i'm not good at photography, but here's a couple pictures I took today.

the bala sharks hanging out




my rainbow shark and one of the tiger barbs

 

Beautiful fish and nice photos as well

 

thank you. the ID sharks are getting removed today, as are the platys. I am also considering giving away the white tetras. this is going to clear up a lot of space.

after today the tank will have 3 bala sharks, 1 rainbow shark and 6 tiger barbs. I have been thinking about a pair of kissing gouramis. yay or nay?

 

Nay IMO. The bala sharks, as mentioned, will outgrow the tank and add a huge bioload in the process.

 

IMO, Nay. Its good that some of the fish are gone, but the free space is needed for the fish still in there, not putting in more

 

NAY for me either....those balas need all the room they can have...and 55 gal isn't enough for them alone ....

 

UPDATE:

redesigned my tank with some driftwood, slate rock and a few fake plants.




the ID sharks were removed, as were a lot of other fish I had started out with originally. right now there are...

3 Bala Sharks
1 Rainbow Shark
2 Pink Kissing Gouramis
10 Tiger Barbs

I might get rid of the gouramis in favor of a school of 5 or 6 danios, and I should be able to get a larger tank for when the balas reach their adult size.

 

Looks great!

 

Just wondering why, after asking about the gouramis (and advised not a good idea) you got them and are now thinking of getting rid of them. I mean, its your tank and you can put whatever you want in, but I feel sorry for the fish..they find and home and get removed, find a home then get remoived. Maybe really research what you want within your tank size, so that what you get you keep. Just my :

 

Just wondering why, after asking about the gouramis (and advised not a good idea) you got them and are now thinking of getting rid of them. I mean, its your tank and you can put whatever you want in, but I feel sorry for the fish..they find and home and get removed, find a home then get remoived. Maybe really research what you want within your tank size, so that what you get you keep. Just my :

it was a poor decision. i'm just seeing other fish I think I like more fish I like, and they also would be more suitable for the size of my tank. what's done is done, so in the long run it would be a good move.

what about keyhole cichlids or german blue rams?

those are thought to be generally peaceful correct? would any of those work in the tank with the bala sharks, tiger barbs and one rainbow shark?

I want something colorful. this time I want to be sure to get something that will work, and something I really want.

 

well those balas need more room before long and as it it you are out of room not for babies but as adults its like you living in a closet with bad fiid you would like but nit be happy right?

 

The problem is that those balas will get too big no matter what else you have in the tank. Please take the time to get a bigger tank for the balas before you decide what else to go in the tank, also just because someone tells you something you don't want to hear doesn't mean its wrong

Just an idea

 

I agree with Russ. Sort out what you already have before adding to it. To add to what is already too small a tank for what you have would be unhealthy for the fish. We can't always have what we want, we can have what we can accomodate and provide for. Please research carefully before adding anything else to the tank.

 

it says on fishlore's profile of the bala that 55 gallons is the minimum. it's not like they are in a 20 gallon tank. it's not like they are going to be too big tomorrow. it will be a long time before they outgrow the tank, if at all. and in the future I should be able to get a 75 gallon tank. the only thing keeping me from doing it right now is the added expense of a stand. it costs as much as the tank!

 

it says on fishlore's profile of the bala that 55 gallons is the minimum. it's not like they are in a 20 gallon tank. it's not like they are going to be too big tomorrow. it will be a long time before they outgrow the tank, if at all. and in the future I should be able to get a 75 gallon tank. the only thing keeping me from doing it right now is the added expense of a stand. it costs as much as the tank!

Generally speaking, that is what ONE bala could SURVIVE, not THRIVE. For a fish to thrive, for in this instance, a Bala, they need to be in schools, they grow to 14", therefore you'd need at minimum 300 Gallons.

I highly suggest you do re-home these fish, you'll be doing them no favours by keeping a bala in such a small tank unfortunaltly.

 

If you know you will have a bigger tank in future, why not return these (like you have done with most of the others) and get something that will thrive in the 55g? Once you have the funds for the 75, look at the sharks then? While it is true, they will not outgrow the tank tomorrow...they are growing each day. By keeping them in a smaller tank, you risk stunting their growth. I would also be concerned for both you and the LFS, that constantly changing the fish could bring about disease or illness (hI'm from you or vice versa). What about the stress of those in the tank...they are constantly being introduced to tank mates, then new tank mates, are all these fish needing the same temp? Food requirements? Take the time to think out what you really want (and what you can have). Good Luck

 

If you know you will have a bigger tank in future, why not return these (like you have done with most of the others) and get something that will thrive in the 55g? Once you have the funds for the 75, look at the sharks then? While it is true, they will not outgrow the tank tomorrow...they are growing each day. By keeping them in a smaller tank, you risk stunting their growth. I would also be concerned for both you and the LFS, that constantly changing the fish could bring about disease or illness (hI'm from you or vice versa). What about the stress of those in the tank...they are constantly being introduced to tank mates, then new tank mates, are all these fish needing the same temp? Food requirements? Take the time to think out what you really want (and what you can have). Good Luck

I haven't returned any of the fish to any stores other than 4 small tetras. the ID sharks went back to my friend who originally had them. I am THINKING about giving the gouramis away.

I considered doing just what you are suggesting. I spoke with the store I got the balas from and they won't even take them back for credit or for nothing. and I paid $11 apiece for them so I don't want to just throw my money away by giving them to someone else who has the same size, or even smaller tank than me. I really love the fish.

 

My mistake (in thinking they were returned to LFS and not to a friend) same feeling though, they are in your tank then in someone else's...you have already had ich to deal with once. I also included in my thinking that you were considering gouramis out for a school of danios....platys that are now gone....and the fact you are still looking for more fish when you know the ones you have are going to get too big. If you MUST keep them, why add anything else? That certainly isn't going to give them any more room. I know you love the Balas (you also loved the ID's that are now gone). Bottom line it is your decision, you have gotten good advice all along. Good luck to the fish and to you.

 

I was told by a few people around here that the balas might get 8" or so, not too big for my tank and also that they would not "stunt".

what percentage of bala sharks actually reaches a foot in length? isn't that like saying a person could grow to 7'6" because yao ming is that tall? a person also could only reach average height, 5'10" or so. I wonder what the average size of an adult bala shark is. I know it's hard to tell because it depends on so many things but still.

 

I have no idea the how many of these fish would reach a foot in length. In your 40 posts, I did not see anyone suggesting that these sharks would not be too big for your tank (perhaps I missed it). Maybe on your new "community" thread, you will get the answer you want to hear. Why not go to as many websites as you can and look up Bala Sharks. Document what the suggested length will be, then add them all up and take the average. Add in the size of your rainbow, your barbs and whatever else you decide upon, then see how the tank size holds up. To comment on your basketball analogy....wonder how many NBA players are over 5'10?LOL Good luck!

 

I had balas at first but I rehomed them because they get huge!!!!! I didnt know better but now I do I ended up with african cichlids and well now turned inot mts balas are awesome but you are overstocking!!! the inch per gallon rule is full grown adult fish not as babies

 

There are probably a handful of people on this site who can properly house a school of 5-6 balas, me not being one of them. They need a huge tank.
Your idea about they won't grow that big is just wrong, actually in your case they probably won't, chances are in this case they will be dead before they have the chance to grow to their full potential. Your tank just isn't big enough.
It seems people are getting frustrated here as you are asking for opinions then not liking what is given. It is what it is, you can't afford a stand for a 75gal tank, so chances of you getting a proper tank for these fish is pretty slim. Why not take the advise given and get a fish that goes with the tank you NOW have?

Brian

 

yeah trure or buy a monster tank or try and sleep in a coat closet and see how comfy you are tonight

 

There are probably a handful of people on this site who can properly house a school of 5-6 balas, me not being one of them. They need a huge tank.
Your idea about they won't grow that big is just wrong, actually in your case they probably won't, chances are in this case they will be dead before they have the chance to grow to their full potential. Your tank just isn't big enough.
It seems people are getting frustrated here as you are asking for opinions then not liking what is given. It is what it is, you can't afford a stand for a 75gal tank, so chances of you getting a proper tank for these fish is pretty slim. Why not take the advise given and get a fish that goes with the tank you NOW have?

Brian

You got in in one. Well said.

 

I am just asking about compatibility. everything turns into "the bala sharks are too big for your tank". I get it.

 

I am just asking about compatibility. everything turns into "the bala sharks are too big for your tank". I get it.

If you understand then I'm suspecting them being returned soon.

 

If you understand then I'm suspecting them being returned soon.

Chrisson. The information you have given has been very helpful. Our goal here in this website is to guide the best possible way. You have made your point as well as others so tt is up to him to decide what to do after all, they are his fish. If he does not return his fish, then it will be his problem, not providing the best for his fish.
Thanks for worrying and making the suggestion.

Tony