[sixf00t4]

Hi all!

I just got a 14g tall fishtank from my wife for my 27th birthday. Her brother out in San Francisco has an awesome saltwater tank, and it reminded me how much I enjoyed having fish when I was a kid.

So we got 3 gold barbs and a bristlenose catfish so far. I was eyeing up the glofish zebras at the shop...interesting. Might pick up a group of them after we let these guys try out the tank.

When I was a kid, i had a 10g with 3-5 goldfish that lasted at least 6 years and they got about 6 inches long. had a little sucker in there too. I fed them a few times a week and never had a heater...
...That said, this is the grown up world now I learning. Full of ph levels and temperatures and biological growth.

Ultimately, I'd like to get the tank a little more self sustainable so i don't have to feed the guys 2-3 times a day. Looking to possible get some plants in there...maybe i'll just consider that level 2 after I pass level 1 of aquarium expertise...

 

[beaslbob]

Go with the plants. anacharis and vals for fast growth plus some some small potted types and possibly a single amazon sword. For substrate use 1" peat moss, 1" play sand, with 1" pc select (or aquarium gravel) on top.

Stock the tank full of plants then just let the plants take care of the tank.


my .02

 

[petlover516]

Welcome to the site!
How long has the tank been running?

 

[sixf00t4]

so we had our first death over the weekend, and I'm expecting my second when I get home.

I bought 3 glofish, a red, a yellow, and a green. Yellow and green were about 1/2 an inch long and red was a little over an inch. Red was a bully from the start, chasing the other 2 around. What's up with that? I thought they were supposed to be nice to each other. Saturday, green just stayed in the top corner of the tank all day and didnt eat and then he died later that night. Yellow has been doing the same thing for the past 2 days, just hiding behind the filter and not eating. I got up at 3am last night to check on him, and red was just staring at him. It was really creepy.

Any thoughts on why Red is being like that? Should I get 2 more that are just as big or bigger than red?

What other freshwater fish are colorful and can live with gold barbs? single or comunity.

here's a video of all 8 fish during feeding time - YouTube - Feeding the fish

 

[gypsyfla]

hello and welcome

 

[beaslbob]

with some fish like glofish or barbs plus tetras, danios and many more they are territorial. So my "rule of thumb" is you have 1 or more then 4 and nothing inbetween. if you only have two the stronger will beat out the weaker. But with more then 4 a pecking order will be setup where each fish is more closely matched to the one above or below in that order.


Also FWIW at least compaired to my tanks, that was way too much food. In a new tank I don't add any food the first week and only add one fish. Then I add more fish and only add a single flake per day.

I also use much more fast growing live plants like anacharis or vals.

Sorry for you loss. We have all lost a fish from time to time


my .02

 

[sixf00t4]

Thanks, especially for the input on food. The plant store said 3 flakes per fish, 2 or 3 times a day. i feed them twice a day, and they've been in the tank for a month now. I also want to make sure i put enough food in there for everyone to get something, since it seems the smaller guys didnt get enough food after the big ones ate most of it or got to it faster.

What are the effects of over feeding?

I did get 3 potted plants that you can see in the video, i forget what they're called. I like low maintenance, and so far these are doing the job. I want to get rid of that plastic one that covers up the mug, but haven't found a low and thick substitute yet.

 

[petlover516]

Effects of overfeeding=high phosphate and ammonia levels and/or fat fish.

 

[beaslbob]

Thanks, especially for the input on food. The plant store said 3 flakes per fish, 2 or 3 times a day. i feed them twice a day, and they've been in the tank for a month now. I also want to make sure i put enough food in there for everyone to get something, since it seems the smaller guys didnt get enough food after the big ones ate most of it or got to it faster.

What are the effects of over feeding?

To be blunt dead fish. I used to add food during the first week with 1 fish when starting a new tank. Just like clockwork that fed fish always died on the 5th day. I got tired of that so I just didn't add food one time. And the fish lived.

I feed once per day and no more then 1 flake per fish.

I did get 3 potted plants that you can see in the video, i forget what they're called. I like low maintenance, and so far these are doing the job. I want to get rid of that plastic one that covers up the mug, but haven't found a low and thick substitute yet.

To rapidly establish the tank the key is fast growing plants like anacharis and vals. Along with some slower growers like the small potted types (crypts and others) and perhaps an amazon sword as a centerpiece. For a 10g tank I use 4-6 bunches fo anacharis and 4-6 vals plust 4 potted and the amazon sword.

gee i guess I repeat. LOL

I also let the plants set a week fishless to get rooted and condition the water. I also do not use an filter or mechanical filtration or circulation. I have in the past once had an airstone and a filter but have found they are unnecessary with a heavily planted tank.

Best tank ever.

my .02

 

[Big Dog]

Just stoping by to welcome you to the forum. Have fun posting.

 

[jrman83]

Welcome to the forum.