Tropical tank..

[Ginevive]

I decided to go old-school (to me, anyways) and set up a community tank. My goldfish had a large die-off for seemingly no reason (it was my bedroom tank that this happened in, not this one..) I consolidated them into a few other tanks and had to do something different..
Here goes! It is pretty empty now but I will be getting a few tiger barbs, tetras and algae eaters b/c a friend of mine is changing his tank to saltwater.. love freebies!



Sharky!


Albino redtail and blue platy:


Red Dwarf Gouramis:




Tank keepers: the tank has an algae problem (been running for years, had goldfish in it; cleaner and introduced new fish.) Would it be dangerous to add a 6-inch pleco? I don't want there to be a danger that he'd go after the fish as they are small, I just need advice.

[joyful girl]

I don't have an advice about the pleco but I'd love to have a tropical tank that large someday.

[Ginevive]

Thanks; a 55g is a great size; not too huge nor deep that it's a huge chore, but not dinky either.. I can manage carrying one myself and I am an average-built person.

[mlededee]

nice looking tank! ever thought about using real plants? they do wonders for tank maintenance and can help keep down algae. plus the real plants just look so nice. also keep in mind that light promotes algae growth, so if you can leave the aquarium light off during the day when you aren't there it will help a lot. the fish don't need the lights at all--they just make it prettier for us.

i love your blue platty. i know they are such common, simple fish, but i've always loved platties. i have 2 pineapple swords right now (females) and they look just like platties but with different coloration. gotta have something platty-like in the tank at all times!

[lillyorchid]

I know I had a 6" pleco in my female betta tank. He didn't bother them at all. He just kept to himself. Every once in a while he'd grab one of the snails and give them a nasty wake up call by trying to clean off their shells. Sadly my tank was over run with something and I lost all 15 snails in less then 24 hours, the pleco two days later and one of my female betta's a few days after that. My male betta is fine and I still have two female betta's who are fine. Don't know what happened.

[lillyorchid]

Ack I forgot to add that I do like that set of fish in the tank! I've always wanted a little shark.

[Ginevive]

Ack I forgot to add that I do like that set of fish in the tank! I've always wanted a little shark.

Thanks; I have been keeping such varied fish these past few years (Oscars, Syndontis cats, other cichlids, etc..) I was thinking, what should I do w/ the tank now.. then I got to thinking; why not set up a tropical tank like I had as a teenager? It is coming along great; the sharks are not technically sharks, I know, but they are just so full of character..

Mlededee; platies are definately underrated! I was astounded with the variations in color in these guys; I plan on getting a few more while not overcrowding the tank also; it is looking like we won't be getting the freebies b/c our friends who have them are procrastinators, heh. But I'd rather shop and get fish I picked out anyway.. I am funny at fish stores. I will actually ask to grab the net myself and fish out the fish I want.. I helped (and sometimes still do) at my friend's fish store and it rubs off when you are at other stores! Most places will gladly let you if you ask.
This 55g tank gives me so much more to play with! I had a 10g tank but I switched it over for a brackish tank for my little puffer fish.. so the gouramis needed a home anyway.. so here they went along with some new friends.

[Vomitore]

I am an average-built person.

You're more then average. You're a metal chick!

[recycling goddess]

depending on the type of pleco you want to add... but honestly, plecos get lazy when they get bigger (unless they are bristol nose plecos) so adding a small one does more for your tank.

in a community tank... i recommend using ottos or flying foxes instead. they loooove to eat algae and don't add the same amount of poop as your pleco will.

that said, in my 210 i probably have at least 40 plecos... i collect them so i'm a hard core pleco lover

the reason many of the livebreeders are underrated is because they are so inbred so often they aren't all that hardy. but if you can get some good healthy ones... they are a great fish

oh and as for lighting... fish need a day and night cycle. turning off the lights cause you aren't there is not recommended (sorry emily). so unless you have a real problem in the tank (medications which need the lights off or overgrowing with algae and you need to get it under control) don't have the lights on a shorter cycle than 10 hours on.

[Ginevive]

depending on the type of pleco you want to add... but honestly, plecos get lazy when they get bigger (unless they are bristol nose plecos) so adding a small one does more for your tank.

in a community tank... i recommend using ottos or flying foxes instead. they loooove to eat algae and don't add the same amount of poop as your pleco will.

that said, in my 210 i probably have at least 40 plecos... i collect them so i'm a hard core pleco lover

the reason many of the livebreeders are underrated is because they are so inbred so often they aren't all that hardy. but if you can get some good healthy ones... they are a great fish

oh and as for lighting... fish need a day and night cycle. turning off the lights cause you aren't there is not recommended (sorry emily). so unless you have a real problem in the tank (medications which need the lights off or overgrowing with algae and you need to get it under control) don't have the lights on a shorter cycle than 10 hours on.

I love plecos too! We have 2 at the moment, in the 125; I will try to get a pic of our big boy, Stealth. He is about 15 inches long but seems to be topping off at that; I have seen bigger..
I have a large Otto, about 6 inches long, but I don't want to use him because in my goldfish tank, he liked to suck on the fish and eat their slime coat (he only got away with it once; I moved him right away; my goldfish are prized pets!) He now lives in the 125 and spends 99% of his time in the rockwark at the bottom.. I think I will get a few smaller plecos and when they get larger, they can go into the 125.. never a shortage of algae in there! My large guy is VERY lazy and hardly ever eats off the walls; I think he lvies off of bottom scraps or algae in the gravel?