A few questions about tank

So I bought a new tank used... they didnt know if it was 55 or 75 gallon... it did turn out to be a very nice 55 gallon.... and for $65 I was happy... it has come with lights, filters, fish (that I need to find out what they are, he couldnt remember)... lots of bits and bobs food, chemicals, water test kit... extra lights and 2 additional top fin filters...

Now the filter it came that he was using and I have plugged in as it has all the bacteria in the filter is a Rena Filstar XP3, he also gave me a ton of replacements foam pieces, which I did have to change the first liner as it was so full of debris the filter wouldnt work properly..

He emptied the tank to bring the fish.... 3 died on the way.....
he drained the tank for the trip didnt even leave a dribble of water in there, so I completely filled it up and took the readings... it was:
Ammonia 0
Nitrites 0
Nitrates 40

the nitrates were at 40 even after I filled the tank 100%... shall I do a water change tomorrow to reduce the nitrates...????

How about that Rena filter is it OK or do I have to buy another one...

Also I will post pics of the fish, if anyone can help me identify them Id be appreciative...

 

I'll happily ID them for you! Just need pics.
Sounds like you picked up an OK filter. You might want to overfilter it - but it's your choice!

 

I would suggest that you do daily water changes.Take readings every day.

 

I don't like these big fish personally the picture at the top there are 2 of those... the smaller ones I don't mind so much but I want to have my angel tank so these 2 big brutes are going to have to go some place else.

 

You have:

A common pleco
Several cichlids (I can't tell what type - I'm no cichlid guru!)
A chinese algae eater

All worthy of taking back to the shop if you want to commence with your plan.

 

That chinese algae eater is that the one that will suck the slime off my angel while it sleeps that I read some place? That pleco is huge and I am not liking him too much... hes harmless but so darn big... yeah I know the others are cichlids, but I'm wondering if the others (the yellow and blue ones) would be OK with my angel ... I know the brutes are Jack Dempseys ... they fought over a large chuck of bloodworms....

 

If I could, I would happily take those bruts off your hands, they are beutifull!!

 

HI Angelika,
Wow, nice deal!
Do water changes to reduce the nitrates. Have you tested your tap water for them?

Post a pic, i'd love to see it.

 

I'm thinking in your first & 3rd pic, it looks like a juvie jack dempsey..and your second pic, looks closely like a convict its hard to tell exactly with the flash in the pic also...

 

The aquascape is not too pretty per se.... I should of said that I did test my tap water the other week and it has zero nitrates...

The 1st and 3rd are def Jacks...

Now its the blue, yellow and last fish I don't know.... and then the blue /black fish with the black tail I am trying to figure out.

Charmaine if you lived here you could of happily come and got them

 

The aquascape is not too pretty per se.... I should of said that I did test my tap water the other week and it has zero nitrates...

Than a water change is all you need, your good to go!

 

I saw a similar cichlid (It's deffinatly a cichlid) in the african cichlid section of a book. Unfortunately, it was not named! However, I think you should take him back as well as he is an african cichlid for deffinate.

 

Hatchet take him back where? I bought that tank used and the fish came with it, and I told him that I wouldnt probably keep the fish, but it was a complete package.

 

Hatchet take him back where? I bought that tank used and the fish came with it, and I told him that I wouldnt probably keep the fish, but it was a complete package.

The LFS.

 

Hatchet take him back where? I bought that tank used and the fish came with it, and I told him that I wouldnt probably keep the fish, but it was a complete package.

Do you have a good LFS around? they will gladly take them for free most of the time...just not always pay you for them

 

2 8 and 9 are convicts...although 8's tail is a bit ragged but he could be a male convict...because 9 is definitely a female convict

 

I thought they were convicts... and I have figured out that I have a couple of zebra cichlids too...

so... the next big question is...
what can I keep so I can put my Angel in there......?

I have then..

2 zebra cichlids ( by looking at pics I have detrmined this)
2 jack dempseys
3 or 4 convicts
2 # 7's so far unknowns - they snuggle in with the pleco
large pleco that is in his cave most of the time
chinese algae eater

 

your tank is great, for just the cichlids themselves and no angels...and not sure on the unknowns, but IMO id return the convicts, and zebra's and maybe the unknowns depending on what they are...my dempseys would be fine with angels...but watch yours for a few days and learn their personalities to see what you can determine...a mating pair of convicts will take on a fish 5x their size so if you have a male in the mix, fry will be a deffinate as they are very easy to breed ...

 

how can I tell a male?

 

see in pic 9 her red/orange on her belly? a male won't have that

 

ahhhhhhhhhh LOL! you see all the good information that I learn on here.... .thankyou so much!

 

your welcome..do you have m/f ?

 

I def have male and female convicts then.... the smaller one has the orange reddish tone on her belly

 

that I'm unsure of...cause ive never seen a tail like that...when you look at the rest of their bodies, do they look the same? convicts change tons of colors when stressed..aka the travel...mine even got almost white one time from switching tanks...so hmmm not sure on the ratted tail one but I'm thinking yes it is and something just happened to the tail...

 

yes they look the same, exact same face..... the one with the ratty tail is always chasing and being chased by what looks like a little aggressive yellow stripey zebra.... and I have 3 of them.....

 

you keep watching them all and you won't be able to get rid of them LOL

ever find out the yellow zebra stripey fellas are?

 

I know... haha ....

the ratty tail guy looks exactly like this
other than he has black fins and his tail is feathered... but the rest of the body and face look like this, and the female one looks like this too, but has a orange tinge on her belly..


the pics: 3 &5 look like one of mine... and this one is the one that chases Mr ratty tail.
then pics: 7 and 10 look like the others... I have one blue and one yellow that look like 7 & 10.

 

I have recently bought a pair of marble angels, they are juvies, and they get along fine in my 65G with my pair of convicts and my pair of opaline gouramis .

 

All of the cichlids will have to go if you want angels, the cichlids will kill them as angels are very peaceful and almost all cichlids are VERY aggressive except within their own species, and they will even kill each other if there is insufficient hiding areas or "territories" for them to set up. Also the fish that you have prefer hard alkaline water with a ph close to 8 while Angels prefer softer acidic water with a ph around 6.5 to 7 so that raises even more issues other than compatibility with the fish

 

All the fish have been in new homes now for a while... the whole tank has been reconstructed... much prefer the visual that I have now. Thanks everyone for your inputs!

 

that I'm unsure of...cause ive never seen a tail like that...when you look at the rest of their bodies, do they look the same? convicts change tons of colors when stressed..aka the travel...mine even got almost white one time from switching tanks...so hmmm not sure on the ratted tail one but I'm thinking yes it is and something just happened to the tail...

Convict do come with more flowy tails doesn't make em any less evil tho.
The other one orangey one was an african cichlid and should have been in a MalawI set.

 

A JD, a convict, OB peacock or zebra, a bumble bee or a flavus (a malawI cichlid)

 

I have recently bought a pair of marble angels, they are juvies, and they get along fine in my 65G with my pair of convicts and my pair of opaline gouramis .

Get those convicts out the tank! They are way too aggressive to be with the other fish. Didn't you research before buying?
Convicts should be in either a species only tank or only in with bigger fish of equal temperament.

 

picture 7 looks like a climbing perch on the left.

 

As I said allie they got along fine, and yes I did research. The convicts are gone now any way, they bred to much lol

 

Hello everyone!
I convinced my mom suprisingly to buy me a 5 gallon tank (of course, she agreed to do it if I sign this little contract ). Okay, back to the subject of the thread: the questions.
1. How do you use filter media to cycle a tank and what is the time limit for fully cycling your tank with it?
2. Can you give me some stocking suggestions (coldwater fish please)?
3. Should I get live plants or fake?
and 4. Are any goldfish ok in a tank of 5 gallons?

Thank you so much for the answers!

-catfishlover

 

1. do you have an established tank already? if so, cut off some of the media from the filter, use some of the subtrate and decorations, to have an instant cycle...but the established tank needs to be up and running for a few months to be safe....if you are going to use fresh media to seed in your established tank to move over after, give it at least 2-3 weeks to seed

2. maybe a few minnows

3. either works

4. NO goldfish of any kind will go into a 5 gal

 

Yep, I have an established tank running for 7 or 8 months now. The minnow idea sounds great. What minnows would you reccomend? Thanks for answering! How long is an "instant cycle"?

 

An instant cycle is when you use an object from a mature tank with benficial bacteria on it and place it in a new tank. The bacteria will speed up your cycling. Like Shawnie said Goldfish can't live in a 5 gallon. They get pretty big. I would go with Fat Head Minnows or something.

 

How big do fat head minnows get to be?