I need help......

bigsis7 · 07-06-2008, 02:03 PM

Well I just recently had an oscar fish die. He was so sweet and very cool. The nitrate levels and the water hardness was higher than usual, so I tried to clean the tank, but it made it worse. After trying different medications and such he died. Anyways we have now found out that the tank we were told is a 55 gallon tank is actually 30-40 gallons! So I need ideas for new fish. I need something hardy, but doesn't neccesarliy have to be easy to care for. Just something that won't die easily. I also breed guppies right now and can keep them alive for their whole life span, but I want to try something new. I would love some discus, but from what I know they are VERY hard to care for. I love cichilds, but I want to keep a variety of fish together. I also want to breed some fish. I have an extra ten gallon and 2 gallon tank (besides the 30-40 gallon tank). I want something more of a challenge to breed though, because livebearers are so easy to breed. Thanks for your help!

emc7 · 07-06-2008, 04:35 PM

Get any "dwarf cichlid". Hemichromis christatus come to mind. But Blue acaras, kribs, Bolivian rams, Julies, multis. there are lot of great small cichlids for a tank that size.

First whats your water like? pH high-low-neutral? Hard/soft?

bigsis7 · 07-06-2008, 04:55 PM

The kh is about 180 the gh is 120-180 and the ph is about 7.2. Nitrates are VERY high though like 160, so I need to lower that first.

**Fishfirst** · 07-06-2008, 05:25 PM

nitrates should not be a problem UNLESS you aren't doing to proper maintenence every month. IF your tap is high in nitrates that is a HEALTH concern and you should contact a water company IMMEDIATELY.

bigsis7 · 07-06-2008, 06:26 PM

I do about a 25% water change a month, so not very often I guess. I am now doing a 10% a week in stead (after Oscar died). I tested the water I put in the tank and there is no nitrates what so ever.

Obsidian · 07-06-2008, 06:30 PM

If you go with any of the rams you can have a community tank. I am not positive what is okay with what, but you can have those and have non cichlids with them.

biggallon · 07-06-2008, 06:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bigsis7

I do about a 25% water change a month, so not very often I guess. I am now doing a 10% a week in stead (after Oscar died). I tested the water I put in the tank and there is no nitrates what so ever.

you should do a water change every week and half the water.

bigsis7 · 07-06-2008, 06:52 PM

Oh really?? I read 25% a month or 10% a week. Guess I won't be using those sites anymore.

Scuba Kid · 07-06-2008, 07:00 PM

50% a week? That's really not necessary. I'd suggest maybe 15 or 20% a week.

emc7 · 07-06-2008, 09:01 PM

20-30% a week and test the nitrates. If they go up, increase the water change schedule. It really depends on the "bioload" of the tank. Basically, the more you feed, the more water you need to change. You need a lot more water changes for an oscar than you do for a few tetras in the same size tank.

Do you have any fish left alive in the tank? If not, do a 100% water change and start from nitrate 0. Once you let the nitrates get out of control, the easy way to get them down is to change water. It would take a 75% water change to get you nitrates down to 40 which is still considered dangerously high. Of course changing a lot of water when your fish aren't used to large changes can also be risky, so its best to keep a regular schedule. Is that the pH of the tank or the tap water? Really high nitrate levels are acidic and can lower pH.

bigsis7 · 07-07-2008, 04:50 PM

No there are no fish left so I'll do 100% water change. The ph is of the tank water.

emc7 · 07-07-2008, 05:51 PM

That's a moderate pH and a moderate hardness. You can keep most anything alive it in. But its most suited (unmodified) to Centra/North American cichlids like texas cichlids or firemouths or African river fish like kribs and jewels. Measure the tank and post the dimensions and we'll tell you how much water it holds. Also run a pH test on your tap water or on your tank after the water change.

07-06-2008, 02:03 PM	#1
bigsis7 Fishy Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Posts: 12	I need help...... Well I just recently had an oscar fish die. He was so sweet and very cool. The nitrate levels and the water hardness was higher than usual, so I tried to clean the tank, but it made it worse. After trying different medications and such he died. Anyways we have now found out that the tank we were told is a 55 gallon tank is actually 30-40 gallons! So I need ideas for new fish. I need something hardy, but doesn't neccesarliy have to be easy to care for. Just something that won't die easily. I also breed guppies right now and can keep them alive for their whole life span, but I want to try something new. I would love some discus, but from what I know they are VERY hard to care for. I love cichilds, but I want to keep a variety of fish together. I also want to breed some fish. I have an extra ten gallon and 2 gallon tank (besides the 30-40 gallon tank). I want something more of a challenge to breed though, because livebearers are so easy to breed. Thanks for your help!

07-06-2008, 05:25 PM	#4
Fishfirst Fish Guru Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Northern Wisconsin Age: 24 Posts: 3,616	nitrates should not be a problem UNLESS you aren't doing to proper maintenence every month. IF your tap is high in nitrates that is a HEALTH concern and you should contact a water company IMMEDIATELY. __________________ 210 Gal Reef w/ 55 Gallon Sump/Fuge, 125 Gal Fish Only, 65 Gal Seahorse-29 Gallon Sump, 55 Gal FOWLR, 54 Gal Corner FW Community, 20 Gal Nano FOWLR, 55 Gal Piranha, 29 gallon QT "All the yellow tangs and clownfish in the world can't save you now! hahahah" Peter from Family Guy

07-06-2008, 06:30 PM	#6
Obsidian Senior Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Arizona Age: 37 Posts: 1,058	If you go with any of the rams you can have a community tank. I am not positive what is okay with what, but you can have those and have non cichlids with them. __________________ Obsidian 20 gallon 1 Dwarf Gourami; 5 Cherry Barbs; 7 Black Neon Tetras; 3 Peppered Cory's; 1 Albino Bristlenose Pleco (Old Blondie) 10 gallon Breaking it down for storage. 5.5 gallon Betta 100 gallon 7 giant danios; 4 Rosy Barbs, 1 German Blue Ram, 7 Julie Cory cats, 2 Burmese Loaches; 4 Zebra Danios

07-06-2008, 07:00 PM	#9
Scuba Kid Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: RI Age: 18 Posts: 4,225	50% a week? That's really not necessary. I'd suggest maybe 15 or 20% a week. __________________ Current setups: 1800 gallon koi pond, 10 gallon planted, 150 gallon reef, other FOWLR tanks

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode

Members currently in the Chat:0
	Users In Chat Room: There are several users in chat now! Don't Be Shy - click here and come on in!

07-06-2008, 04:35 PM	#2
emc7 Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Johns Creek, GA Posts: 3,624	Get any "dwarf cichlid". Hemichromis christatus come to mind. But Blue acaras, kribs, Bolivian rams, Julies, multis. there are lot of great small cichlids for a tank that size. First whats your water like? pH high-low-neutral? Hard/soft?

07-06-2008, 04:55 PM	#3
bigsis7 Fishy Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Posts: 12	The kh is about 180 the gh is 120-180 and the ph is about 7.2. Nitrates are VERY high though like 160, so I need to lower that first.

07-06-2008, 06:26 PM	#5
bigsis7 Fishy Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Posts: 12	I do about a 25% water change a month, so not very often I guess. I am now doing a 10% a week in stead (after Oscar died). I tested the water I put in the tank and there is no nitrates what so ever.

07-06-2008, 06:52 PM	#8
bigsis7 Fishy Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Posts: 12	Oh really?? I read 25% a month or 10% a week. Guess I won't be using those sites anymore.

07-06-2008, 09:01 PM	#10
emc7 Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Johns Creek, GA Posts: 3,624	20-30% a week and test the nitrates. If they go up, increase the water change schedule. It really depends on the "bioload" of the tank. Basically, the more you feed, the more water you need to change. You need a lot more water changes for an oscar than you do for a few tetras in the same size tank. Do you have any fish left alive in the tank? If not, do a 100% water change and start from nitrate 0. Once you let the nitrates get out of control, the easy way to get them down is to change water. It would take a 75% water change to get you nitrates down to 40 which is still considered dangerously high. Of course changing a lot of water when your fish aren't used to large changes can also be risky, so its best to keep a regular schedule. Is that the pH of the tank or the tap water? Really high nitrate levels are acidic and can lower pH.

07-07-2008, 04:50 PM	#11
bigsis7 Fishy Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Posts: 12	No there are no fish left so I'll do 100% water change. The ph is of the tank water.

07-07-2008, 05:51 PM	#12
emc7 Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Johns Creek, GA Posts: 3,624	That's a moderate pH and a moderate hardness. You can keep most anything alive it in. But its most suited (unmodified) to Centra/North American cichlids like texas cichlids or firemouths or African river fish like kribs and jewels. Measure the tank and post the dimensions and we'll tell you how much water it holds. Also run a pH test on your tap water or on your tank after the water change.

Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)