I got a big tank but I've no experience

HI there, FishLore!

So, some stuff went down in my home recently... And a huge tank ended up in my care with no instructions at all. My mother agreed to help me with things I can't do physically or financially(I'm fairly young) but she hasn't the time to do proper research about it. Since I don't know anyone who knows about fish here, I turn to the Internet.

English isn't my first language and I don't get around well on forums but I'm kind of desperate right now, heh.. I'm really sorry if this is in the wrong sub-forum, I looked around for a bit and this seemed like the most appropriate place. If it isn't please tell me where it is.

Could somebody please point me in the right direction so I can at least keep the tank in decent shape until I can do more thorough research? I'm kind of in a tough spot as of now but when I find the time I wanna help this tank flourish.

A few days after it was put into my care I washed the sponges and such in the filter and fed the fish but other than that, I have basically no idea what I'm doing. I've been doing some basic research but I'm fairly short on time as well since school is starting for me soon and I have some other animals that need to be taken care of, including hormonal birds who need near constant attention. x_x

The freshwater tank is pretty old. Like, about ten years. It has been moved between houses once, emptied and all. There are ten fish in there, and some plants. I got a hold of an encyclopedia but I couldn't find all of them. There are 4 of what appear to be angelfish, but I'm not exactly sure. One neon tetra, one clown and one reticulated loach, two catfish and a trichogaster of indeterminate species. The current temp is 23 deg C, I have no idea about the pH and similar values because the indicator strips I have are way past their expiration date, I will be getting some new ones ASAP. It is a meter long, half a meter thick and about 40cm high/deep.











this is the tank, the fish and the plants. The last two are the heater(and one of the catfish) and the filter from the top.
I don't know exactly how the filter works, but these are my observations:
The water enters from a relatively small opening on the bottom(underwater), goes upwards until it flows over into the area in the middle. There, there is a big green sponge(covered in filth so it isn't exactly green anymore), below it a few thin sponges and a weird wooly layer, and on the bottom a sack of short white tubes which appear to be made out of a rocky material. When water passes those layers it goes into the top chamber where the electrical filter is, and into the tiny tube going from the top, and back out into the tank. When I cleaned it I only cleaned the big and thin sponges, I didn't go any deeper so there may be more things in the filter.

Most of the leaves on the small plants were covered in a weird black algae, and they were removed(hence the lack of plants in the tank).



The substrate is tiny white rocks, most are covered with algae though.
They were being fed with two different foods, called Sera GVG-mix and Sera San. I have pictures but I wasn't sure if I was allowed to post them here..
There is also a pretty old bag of Tetra PRO Algae, which is also apparently food but doesn't seem to have been opened.
I also found some old packages which are either empty or nearly empty, Tetra PRO Vegetable and Dajana Spirulina Wafers.
The indicator strips I found were JBL Easy Test 5 in 1, for testing pH, GH, KH, NO2, NO3.
There was also a bottle of TetraAqua NitrateMinus, AlgoStop Depot tablets, and two new unopened boxes of Zolux RESI-FILT and ACTIKOOL^2.

Do you think these are good foods for my fish, or should I find something more appropriate?
And these other products, are they good, how are they used, how often and in what quantity?

Most sites for beginners require reading from the very start, about everything. And I don't have the knowledge of specific tank needs needed to look for them. I don't have time for digging through information. I just need specific knowledge on how to keep these fish alive and healthy until I can find the time to do more thorough research myself.

Thank you for taking the time to read this. If there is something confusing in here or a need for more information please tell me so I can provide.

 

I'd like to ask for one clarification: how did you wash the sponges from your filter ?

 

The first thing I would do is get a test kit made for freshwater aquariums, API Master Test kit is a good one. Then follow the directions, the test comes with 4 glass tubes, fill those up to the line (I think its 5ml) then do the drops following the directions on the bottles. Come back and post the results, you will get results for Ammonia, Nitrates, Nitrites, and PH.

Also if you are washing your sponge, which you can do of course, wash it well with just water, I use hot, then I let it soak in some water and clarifier/conditioner I use API Stress Coat Plus, it takes all the harmful stuff out of the water. Also needs to be added to water before it is added to the tank.

The filter needs help lol. I would say a good cleaning throughout. First we need to see the test results to see what shape the water is in. It will tell us a lot.

Also by the looks of the tank in the picture it needs water. You can always add water just be sure to put water conditioner in it first. You can't just add tap water without first using a good water conditioner.

But again testing first would be helpful as you may have to do several water changes to get the water in good shape. Good water is everything!

 

Welcome to FishLore!

You're English is excellent! I hope you find the site helpful.

 

Hi, I'm sure you will get lots of good advice here, so you came to the right place.

You need to get those test strips, or better yet, an API test kit, because that is more accurate.

You will need a water conditioner like Seachem Prime or API Stress Coat. This is to remove chlorine from tap water, as well as other benefits.

Is the tank currently cycled? Do you know about the nitrogen cycle?

This is something you need to know about and test for ammonia, nitrite and nitrate in your tank. (Test strips or kit)

You will need to change about 10-25% of the water weekly. You will need a gravel vacuum to remove water and debris, a bucket for the water to be siphoned into. You will need a thermometer in the tank (glass with a suction cup is good.)

You will need a thermometer for reading the temp on the water you are adding back in. Take a clean bucket, fill with tap water that is within 1 degree of the water in the tank. Add water conditioner and then carefully pour the water into the tank.

Read up on water changes and gravel vacuuming.

You can identify your fish by looking though a website that sells tropical fish or googling a description of the fish.

There are snails that will eat algae off plants and decor. Nerite, or others. Loaches eat smaller snails, I believe. If you ended up with ramshorn snails, the would eat algae and wouldn't over populate the tank because of your loaches. (Let others advise you more on that)

There are other ways to get rid of algae, but IMO, snails are best for beginners.


As for feeding the fish, you will need to research each type of fish in the tank and read about its food needs. Less food is better. Never feed as much as the container says to feed, because they tend to suggest over feeding.

Your biggest concern for health of the fish is water quality. That is again why water changes and testing water parameters is so important.

Look up common fish diseases, so that you can keep an eye on your fish and spot any diseases early.

Your tank could really use some decorations. Fish like places to hide.

Congrats on the new tank! Good luck!

 

HI greenytijana! you got excellent advice in previous posts so I will not repeat it. Just a few more tips:

when you feed dry food you first need to soak it in the water before you give it to your fish. You can have a cup by your tank and when you feed, take some tank water into the cup and let the flakes or pellets soak for couple of minutes. Then pour them into the tank. Only feed what the fish can eat in one minute, not more.
If you want you can buy them frozen food (bloodworms, daphnia, etc) to increase variety and quality.

You said there is only one neon tetra. They are schooling fish and need to be in a group of at least 6. After you learn to take care of the tank and get your supplies, I would go and get at least 5 more tetras.

When you wash your filter always use old tank water. If you wash it in tap water chlorine will kill the good bacteria and we certainly don't want that

 

Thank you for the warm welcome, great advice and quick replies! I''m sorry I couldn't answer earlier myself, though.

Welcome to FishLore!

You're English is excellent! I hope you find the site helpful.

Thank you!! I try my best, though I 'm having trouble grasping some tenses.

I'd like to ask for one clarification: how did you wash the sponges from your filter ?

I washed them in the water I took out of the tank. I know anything else would probably shock the fish.

Though I took out more from the tank than I could add back, so that's probably why it looks like it needs more water. The water I added didn't have conditioner in it, though I let it air out for a few days. That's what I remember the previous owner doing, though if I should start adding conditioner to the water then I will. It is way easier than having to wait, either way.
I am already familiar with water conditioners, though this one I have probably isn't suited for fish needs. Same goes for the gravel vacuum, I'm a little worried about salmonella and such since I used it for a turtle so I'll probably get a new one just for the fish.

Is the tank currently cycled? Do you know about the nitrogen cycle?

I know of it, but not much about how it works. It should be cycled, but then again I don't know for sure. I will read up on it to make sure.

There's already a thermometer in the tank. I will get some more for the added water.

I will look for new test strips/a kit and the other things ASAP. I am not sure if I will be able to find those exact products here, but there should be people that can help me find the next best thing in the pet store I go to.
I'll ask about snails. I probably won't get them until I am sure about the tank chemistry and all, though.
Same goes for neon tetras.

Thank you again!! I will update when I get the stuff.

 

Okay, so, I've gone shopping today. I didn't find everything but I'll be going again soon anyway.

First of all, I got the indicators. There seem to be no test kits available here, so I just got the paper strips. A SERA Quick Test.

Here are the values..

pH - around 8 - 8.4

KH - around 10

GH - >16 except the last one which seems a tiny bit blueish suggesting a lower value

NO3 - around 10

NO2 - 0, it seems.

I am not experienced with reading these, but hopefully I got them right. I can take a picture if needed.

I also asked about snails, there was a nice lady there who explained the stuff to me. She said that by my descriptions of the algae they are most likely caused by excess heat in the tank, old lights and not enough CO2(for the algae on the nana plants), and snails probably wouldn't help much there.

She told me to change the lights(which I will ASAP), and turn them off, as well as the heater, when it gets hot here in the summer. I will keep an eye on the thermometer. Should be between 24-26 C as far as I know.

About the plant algae she told me that I needed liquid fertilizer for the nana plants and recommended Easy Life Easy Carbo. I didn't get it yet because I wanted to make sure the chemistry of the tank is fine before I start adding anything else.
I am also gonna read up on the fertilizer base that you put in socks and under the substrate. I don't have any specific questions for it though.

I also wanted to ask about decorations. Earlier the tank had mangrove wood in it but it was thrown out. I checked out what they had in the store and the wood they had there was nice, but really huge. There was also another type of wood there - mopane or mopani, which has a lot smaller chunks. I was wondering if it would be safe to put in the tank?

I got the chlorine purifier, the bell vacuum, and a spare thermometer. I will be getting new lights, wood and neons ASAP.


I have one last ting to ask about currently - I noticed that the fish sometimes crowd in the feeding area, as if they were hungry, but after I fed them. I don't really see any reason for them to be there except that I'm probably feeding them less than they were used to before. Should I be alarmed by this?

 

You really did your research before taking care of your tank.Good job.
Healthy fish always acts hungry,make sure they finish their food within one or two minutes.They will never stop asking for more lol.

 

Thanks, though I still have a lot to learn.

So, the same as turtles?? That's a relief.

What I'm a bit more worried about is the hardness of the water and pH, since they were both above the ideal values on the test strips.

I've about a week free so I'm using the time to read up on stuff like that. Apparently my fish can live in hard, basic water without many problems, though since I'm getting wood and CO2 fertilizer it should lower those things a bit.

 

Fish can adapt to pH (as long as it isn't miles away from what they need). Though not all fish can adapt well to water hardness. Someone would have to confirm this but I believe it's fish that like hard water that have trouble living in soft water, and fish that like soft water can tolerate harder water.

 

As greenytijana said,fish can adapt to ph and hard water fish will have hard time on soft water but soft water fish have no problem in hard water.Your hardness should be good enough

 

As greenytijana said,fish can adapt to ph and hard water fish will have hard time on soft water but soft water fish have no problem in hard water.Your hardness should be good enough

Thanks for confirming that, I wasn't so sure.

 

I just found out about that, thanks.

After a quick Google search I made a graph of my fish's Hardness and pH needs.

The pH is a little bit higher than what my fish need, only covering my Trispot Trichogaster but the others are not far out of it.

For the GH, the Trichogaster and Pleco are covered but the rest are at least three whole degrees behind.

So I guess that's not that big of a problem for them. These fish have been living here for years without many issues. The only fairly recent additions were the bristlenose plecos, and they seem to tolerate a wide range of GH.

But I remember that there were a looot more of neon tetras in there, on multiple occasions, but most of them kept dying.

I think it could be the hardness? What I got on the tests was the highest possible value, and I read that they need really soft water.

So, I guess lowering the pH and GH isn't the priority now, except for the neons. I should get more since I only have one. Unless you think it's not worth it, that I should just let this one run its course and then add some other fish?

I am gonna add wood for decoration and for the botias to hide in, and the CO2 for the nanas and to hopefully get rid of the algae on them. I am gonna do it one at a time and slowly. I don't know much but I do know shocking any animal is bad.
Maybe it will help the neon, maybe not. What do you think??

 

Usually, trying to change your parameters is a complicated affair. Because in the long run, they'll tend to revert back to what you have out of the tap.

Also, and again I'm not so sure, I think providing CO2 and ferts helps getting rid of algae IF you have plants that then consume the nutrients (mainly nitrate) that they didn't used to consume due to lack of CO2 and/or ferts. But if all you have are Anubias, I doubt they'll outcompete the algae: they're painfully slow growers.

 

Yeah, that makes sense. Alright then. I'll try with the neons one more time but if they don't seem to be ok then I'll try another fish.

The lady at the pet store told me that since I don't have liquid fertilizer and have old lights that the nanas are releasing sugar instead of O2 which caused them to get overtaken by the algae.
I also have what seems to be cryptocoryne aponogetifolia in my tank, which, according to my fast Google search, are medium-speed growers. :/

There was some Java moss in here before, I think that's a fast grower.
They have a lot of plants in one of the stores, I'll ask about fast growers next time I go.

 

It's good... The bigger the tank the better it is... So you don't have to worry about that... But get rid of those test strips... Get API Master test kit.

 

since I don't have liquid fertilizer and have old lights that the nanas are releasing sugar instead of O2 which caused them to get overtaken by the algae.

That's way beyond my knowledge of aquatic plant chemistry. I'll let someone else take it from here

 

It's good... The bigger the tank the better it is... So you don't have to worry about that... But get rid of those test strips... Get API Master test kit.

The problem is that it is likely that there are no test kits available on the market here. Everything here is pretty backwards, especially for animals. First I noticed this when I got my birds. Fish have it a little better, but not the best. I didn't even see any API products. I was surprised that there wasn't even an ammonia test, though my mom said that she noticed some so we will get those ASAP.
Anyways I will keep looking, I almost always venture into a pet store when I see one so who knows, someone might be carrying it. In the end I could try ordering online if it's a possibility.



About the plants releasing their own nutrients I'm not sure about the exact processes either, but I know some people that I could ask.

 

What size tank is this? Do you like the fish that are in their now? Is their a way to give away the fish? Clown loaches need to be in a school of 6 or more, however each can get over 12 inches long! I suggest giving it away.

 

What size tank is this? Do you like the fish that are in their now? Is their a way to give away the fish? Clown loaches need to be in a school of 6 or more, however each can get over 12 inches long! I suggest giving it away.

It's 170 liters in volume, that should be about 45 gallons. The filter takes up some space, but not much. Approximately a liter(close to 0.3 gal).

I do like these ones I have now. I'd say that my tank is fairly lightly stocked. I don't know for sure, though. I thought about getting a school for the neon tetra first since it's the smallest fish in the tank. The clown usually hangs out with the other loach, it's been doing fine for ten years, or more. If I got two schools maybe it would be overcrowded. :/

I doubt anyone would get just a single loach or neon.

Today while searching I found out about a store near my hometown that specializes in fish care, as opposed to giant all-pet stores I went to. Maybe they can take it in, or offer another solution. If possible, I'm totally down for more loaches, they're probably my favorite kind of fish.

 

Well if you get rid of your clown loaches you can get a smaller species of loaches and have a bigger school. Clown loaches are cool but they should still have a school, something that many people neglect.

What's the dimension of the tank? An can you list the fish that are in the tank? I know you told us but can you make it a list.

 

Fair point. The surface area is 100x50cm, it is about 40cm deep. That's 39.4x19.7 and 15.7 in inches.


In the tank there are:

4 Angelfish of varying sizes

2 Bristlenose Plecos

1 Clown Loach

1 Reticulated Loach

1 Opaline Gourami

1 Neon tetra

Most of them are pretty small compared to what people usually say about their full size, though, and some of them are quite old. I'm not sure why that is. Possibly bad care, though the previous owner seemed to know that they were doing.
Possibly selective breeding??
I could try to measure them if you think that's needed.

 

Peat balls lower it better if they are in a high flow area. The wood you mention is safe but is a pain tI sink. You have to weigh it down for a few weeks. If she is statung the light and heat is the cause for the algae I'm going to guess its bkue green algae and yes it tends to arise more in summer. Fish won't eat it. Google it to be shure its blue green algae (bga) hydrogen peroxide (food grade 5%) kills it off quite well.

 

Peat balls lower it better if they are in a high flow area. The wood you mention is safe but is a pain tI sink. You have to weigh it down for a few weeks. If she is statung the light and heat is the cause for the algae I'm going to guess its bkue green algae and yes it tends to arise more in summer. Fish won't eat it. Google it to be shure its blue green algae (bga) hydrogen peroxide (food grade 5%) kills it off quite well.

Thanks, I'll keep that in mind if I try to lower it, though I probably don't need to as of now.
I have patience enough to sink it lol, I know it takes a while. Though I'm not sure if I will get it from that store, since it's in the same space as various animals. The aquarium store I found has a lot of cool looking roots so I'll probably get it from there, and they're more likely to be fish-safe.
And yes, she told me it was most likely cyanobacteria that is on the rocks and wood that was discarded. I'm not sure but I think it's a different algae on the plants. It's brown-red so I think likely from rhodophyta. I think in aquaria it's called Black Brush Algae but I'm not sure

 

Somtimes if they were put in a small tank and weren't fed right they will get stunted growth which isn't healthy for them. Some people not saying the previous owner did this might do this on purpose.

 

Somtimes if they were put in a small tank and weren't fed right they will get stunted growth which isn't healthy for them. Some people not saying the previous owner did this might do this on purpose.

They were always in the big tank. Malnutrition is a possibility but I kind of doubt it. The previous owner was a little neglectful(and likely misinformed) but they wouldn't be cruel to the fish on purpose(except for when they randomly gave away the tank without any instructions.. but that's a long story). I think the clown was bought for snail removal, but I don't remember for sure. The reticulated one was added later.

Maybe it's just where I live?? I don't really know, but I very rarely see huge fish here. The only big botia I ever saw here was at a doctor's office where they had a ginormous tank. It was also alone, though.

 

Yeah many people sadly don't get a school for clown loaches even though like any schooling fish they should be in a school of at least 6. I would try to find a bigger tank or give it away. I'm pretty sure it will out grow.

 

Yeah, that's pretty bad. I honestly didn't know until you told me, I would have done something about it if I knew.

When I go to the fish store I'll ask them for advice on what to do. If they judge my tank as too small for a school too hopefully they can take it in.

Hopefully that will be within a week. But it's not up to me since I don't drive :/

 

Just came back from the fish store - it's amazing. The tanks there are beautiful, none of the fish look like they're sick or need more room. The clerks seem very knowledgeable, too, which is a great thing. I'll definitely be going there again. My aunt even came home with a Betta, lol.

I got some wood, and some plants. I forgot to ask what they were exactly but they look like Egeria Densa and either Cabomba Caroliniana or Limnophila Gigantea, I'm not entirely sure.
Also got Easy Life Easycarbo, will slowly be dosing from now on. They didn't have ammonia tests but they said they'd tell me if they got any soon.

Tomorrow I'll be going to that other pet shop(the giant one) since it's a little closer to possibly get some neons and Java moss(this shop didn't have any), and a tank for my aunt's new Betta. I'll try to help her as best I can with it.

About the loaches, I explained the situation to the clerk. They confirmed that the clown is most likely stunted, and suggested getting one more, but said that it would probably do fine alone with the reticulated if it seems happy, since it's spent so long alone without problems. I told them I'd add the wood and plants and check if it was hiding a lot, and if it is, I'll think about getting another loach or rehoming it. They thought it was a good idea. In the shop there are two huge tanks with loach schools of 10+ so I think they know what they're talking about.
I observed it closely recently, it seems very close with the reticulated and quite friendly, and not at all aggressive or reclusive like people say they get when they're alone.
If it looks recluse after I add the stuff, I'll add another loach and see if anything improves. If not, I'll probably rehome it.

I'll be posting pics of the tank as soon as I put the wood in place. I'm so excited about it!

 

Yep! It probably was stunted. However I guess you can keep it alone. Usually in the pet stores people are drawn to them because they school so well and the colors are magnificent yet people don't read the labels. Good Luck!