| | #1 |
| Teenie Weenie Fish Join Date: Oct 2009
Posts: 5
| Hi all, I'm new to the forum, and new to aquariums. I have a 45 gal. tank (12"x36"x24")(not planted) right now with only 3 mollies that are doing fantastic. I would like a bala shark and/or a dragon goby eventually, maybe a pleco? Will I have problems with these in the same tank? Is the goby a total pain? What other fish would you recommend with those combos? I don't want to rely on the sixteen year old at the pet store Any suggestions/advice is appreciated! |
| | |
| | #2 |
| Super Fish Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Northern NJ
Posts: 2,788
| What is the pH, KH, and GH of your tap water? Also heres a good stocking program to use for your tank, once you figure out with what species of fish youre going with: AqAdvisor - Online Aquarium Tool
__________________ Credit goes to Lludu |
| | |
| | #3 |
| Teenie Weenie Fish Join Date: Oct 2009
Posts: 5
| pH 7.0 GH 60ppm (occasionally reads lower, around 45) KH 40ppm rarely varies - also we keep our home constant @ 76 F, so the tank remains at a steady 75 F without a heater (although I have a nice submersible) the few mollies I have (one dalmation, 2 lyretail) seem to be thriving - super eaters, quite active. thanks for responding, much appreciated |
| | |
| | #4 |
| Teenie Weenie Fish Join Date: Oct 2009
Posts: 5
| ps. i saw that link from another thread, super helpful - thanks Newman! |
| | |
| | #5 |
| Super Fish Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Northern NJ
Posts: 2,788
| well with a pH like that you can really keep a lot of fish in there. you can add driftwood, some live plants and CO2 injection to lower your pH and go with acidic water-loving fishes like angels, tetras, and many species of catfish. Or you can do nothing with your water and keep pretty much any livebearer there is. But according to your GH and KH...those are very low btw. a bit low for mollies from what ive read about them. hell thats low enough for discus, if you can get your pH down. i dont advise you just throw some discus in there because your tank size isnt big enough for em. looks like you can keep a lot of fish that come from asia or the amazon (gourami/angels/catfish) Basically go with the fish you like, that can live around your tap water's pH and GH/KH. that way you wont have to spend mad money on maintaining those parameters for specific species of fish. Researching the ones you like is key.
__________________ Credit goes to Lludu |
| | |
| | #6 |
| Teenie Weenie Fish Join Date: Oct 2009
Posts: 5
| i lucked out with the pH and natural temp - i add water conditioner and a pinch of aquarium salt and everything seems perfect. zero problems with ammonia or nitrite spikes, beginner's luck?! here's what i've come up with, tell me if this sounds alright... 3 Yoyo Loach 2 Dwarf Gourami 2 German Blue Ram maybe an african dwarf frog or a couple of bumblebee gobies? of course not adding all at once, just a species at a time. Last edited by alimcgehee; 11-01-2009 at 09:18 PM.. Reason: addition |
| | |
| | #7 | |
| Large Fish Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: USA
Posts: 983
| Quote:
__________________ ~It is easy to dodge our responsibilities. But we cannot dodge the consequences of dodging our responsibilities. ~ | |
| | |
| | #8 |
| Large Fish Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: USA
Posts: 983
| How long has the aquarium been set up? Has it been cycled properly? It would not be 'beginner's luck' but proper fishkeeping if the water is 'perfect.'
__________________ ~It is easy to dodge our responsibilities. But we cannot dodge the consequences of dodging our responsibilities. ~ |
| | |
| | #9 | |
| Little Fish Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Australia
Posts: 279
| Quote:
Also for the pleco, same problem, not as big as the bala of course but way to big for a 45G. BTW most pleco's are notorious large waste producers aswell. IMO, stick to the dwarfe cichlids like the Kribensis & or Rams Good luck and welcome to the hobby
__________________ ~ They call them fingers, but I've never seen them fing.. ~ 20 Gallon: Planted 5 Guppies 12 Neon Tetra 2 Otocinclus 5 Hockey Stick tetra Baby Blue acara 70 Gallon: Planted Cichlid Community 2 Peppermint Bristlenose 3 Clown Loach 110 Gallon: Lake Malawi Cichlid Community Banded Leporinus | |
| | |
| | #10 | |
| Little Fish Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Australia
Posts: 279
| Quote:
You really are new. Give it a few more days and re-check your levels. If your tank has yet to cycle, I'm sorry to say, prepare for fish deaths. Mollies won't live through the nitrogen cycle. My advice before you even think about what fish to get next, read, read & read some more. Research on the net about the nitrogen cycle and any other info you find regarding tropical fish keeping. Its not a difficult hobby but it involves alot more than most people think, especially at first. Start here - Cycling a Tank Don't give up! you'll get there.
__________________ ~ They call them fingers, but I've never seen them fing.. ~ 20 Gallon: Planted 5 Guppies 12 Neon Tetra 2 Otocinclus 5 Hockey Stick tetra Baby Blue acara 70 Gallon: Planted Cichlid Community 2 Peppermint Bristlenose 3 Clown Loach 110 Gallon: Lake Malawi Cichlid Community Banded Leporinus | |
| | |
![]() |
« Previous Thread
|
Next Thread »
| Thread Tools | |
| |







Any suggestions/advice is appreciated! 






