Baby Whale Care

[Industrial]

I just bought a large baby whale today. It was only 10 dollars and so interesting looking that I could not refuse. I am going to have to guess it is 3-4 inches long and based on what I read online it is nearly full grown (4.5 inches). I bought it at the store as soon as they got it because the bag with the fish was still floating on the top.

Once I put the fish in my 29 gallon community tank it started darting around like crazy and scared all of my other fish (he is the largest fish except for my dragon goby). After about 10 minutes he found refuge inside of a broken pipe decoration.

I am wondering if a fish this size could be alone in a 10 gallon tank. I read online that the minimum recommended tank size is 20-30 gallons, although I think a tank in that range seems awful big for a fish that does not move around all too much. I do have two empty 20 gallon aquariums but they are not much bigger than a 10 gallon except for height. Plus, these are too heavy to just set on something and I do not have anything but the tanks for them.

I would think he would be okay in a 10 gallon if he did not feel comfortable in my 29 gallon community tank. I just want some feedback.

Also, I am pretty sure these fish eat live foods, but will they eat flakes as well? Are they bottom feeders or mid level?

Any information on these fish would be greatly appreciated as there isn't much solid information about baby whales.

 

[excuzzzeme]

Why did you get a fish you have not researched? You should not buy fish you know nothing about.

 

[Juice]

I've never even heard of that fish. Pic?

 

[Kashta]

I just bought a large baby whale today. It was only 10 dollars and so interesting looking that I could not refuse. I am going to have to guess it is 3-4 inches long and based on what I read online it is nearly full grown (4.5 inches). I bought it at the store as soon as they got it because the bag with the fish was still floating on the top.

Once I put the fish in my 29 gallon community tank it started darting around like crazy and scared all of my other fish (he is the largest fish except for my dragon goby). After about 10 minutes he found refuge inside of a broken pipe decoration.

I am wondering if a fish this size could be alone in a 10 gallon tank. I read online that the minimum recommended tank size is 20-30 gallons, although I think a tank in that range seems awful big for a fish that does not move around all too much. I do have two empty 20 gallon aquariums but they are not much bigger than a 10 gallon except for height. Plus, these are too heavy to just set on something and I do not have anything but the tanks for them.

I would think he would be okay in a 10 gallon if he did not feel comfortable in my 29 gallon community tank. I just want some feedback.

Also, I am pretty sure these fish eat live foods, but will they eat flakes as well? Are they bottom feeders or mid level?

Any information on these fish would be greatly appreciated as there isn't much solid information about baby whales.

Hi Industrial.. That's a real cute fish, but caring for them can be difficult. This link may help as well. Would not recommend mixing this fish in with a community tank, as noted here.

http://badmanstropicalfish.com/stats/misc_stats/stats_misc1e.html

You seem to also have a tendency to overstock your tanks, as evident by you keeping 3 fancy goldfish and 3 dojo loaches together in a 29 gallon. Please pay great attention to minimum volume requirements per fish by species and which fish are not recommended as suitable tank mates. It may not "seem" right to you, but such guidelines are there to help you avoid terrible problems with the fish you keep.

(Thanks to Rbishop for the link...)

 

[Juice]

wow could you imagine one fish in a 30 gallon! that's love right there Cute fish though. Good info kashta!

 

[Industrial]

Why did you get a fish you have not researched? You should not buy fish you know nothing about.

So you are saying if there is no completely definitive information on the fish nobody should buy it? I have read two sites linked on here which both said that it eats primarily live food, which is what I will feed it if it doesn't eat flakes in a few days. Also, I know it's tropical and I know what tropical temperatures are. Many fish are okay if you know what they are supposed to eat and what kind of water they like.

I have researched this fish and I have found little more than minimal information. I know enough to keep the fish. Rather than trial and error to keep it happy I was simply just asking for any experience of keeping these fish.

Hi Industrial.. That's a real cute fish, but caring for them can be difficult. This link may help as well. Would not recommend mixing this fish in with a community tank, as noted here.

http://badmanstropicalfish.com/stats/misc_stats/stats_misc1e.html

You seem to also have a tendency to overstock your tanks, as evident by you keeping 3 fancy goldfish and 3 dojo loaches together in a 29 gallon. Please pay great attention to minimum volume requirements per fish by species and which fish are not recommended as suitable tank mates. It may not "seem" right to you, but such guidelines are there to help you avoid terrible problems with the fish you keep.

(Thanks to Rbishop for the link...)

For the three dojos and three fancy goldfish in the 29 gallon, I believe it's okay. Two dojos are about 4 inches, and the other is 3. The newest fantail is very young and the other two are small as well. One seems to be blind and I don't want to put it in too big of a tank as it would only find food every couple days. I was going to have just two but they seem happier when kept in larger groups. They both love the company of the new fantail.

I have a picture of the 29 gallon coldwater tank (not decorated yet) with the three fish and two of the loaches. http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/showthread.php?p=2221714#post2221714

I can see why it would seem to be overstocked according to online data, but I am just seeing how everything is going with the fish and upgrading the tanks accordingly. Originally I had two moors and two loaches in a 10 gallon and they were getting along fine, but I was afraid that if there was a power outage the water would go stale quickly.

I will admit that my other 29 gallon is overstocked currently, but the Goby and the two glassfish may end up in a 55g brackish community tank and the whale will likely end up in it's own tank too.

 

[bluekrissyspike]

wow could you imagine one fish in a 30 gallon! that's love right there Cute fish though. Good info kashta!

what? that's called taking care of the fish appropriately, if the case calls for it. i have a single angelfish in my 55g. he is big and he doesn't like tank mates. he was in a 29 but at 7" long now he seemed a bit crowded. i always wonder how people can cram these guys into little tanks and then throw in a bunch more fish. my 29g has one single mbuna in it right now. i could fit several more in there but they will outgrow the tank so why subject them to that? i also have a single fish in my 150g. he's a big boy.
it's important when stocking to stock what would be appropriate for the adult(full grown) size. that way you don't stunt your fish, you don't have to get crazy about water changes, i mean really, who wants to change the water every other day because they have too many goldfish in their tank? it's either that or the fish will suffer. just because it seems okay to stock the tank like crazy when they are little, a little more experience will show you that is not the best plan. it is better to stock more lightly and have your fish in better water conditions.
Nothing personal Juice, just trying to make a point and to the op, NO i would definitely not say it's okay to cramp a fish that size into a ten g. ten g's are for shrimp or small schooling fish. maybe a betta or something.

 

[Industrial]

A little update, last night the baby whale came out and seeing him in action I wouldn't put him in anything smaller than a 20L. Perhaps he will end up in a seperate 29 gallon with one or two more species of shy fish if he doesn't do well in this tank.

 

[kylef]

I just bought a large baby whale today. It was only 10 dollars and so interesting looking that I could not refuse. I am going to have to guess it is 3-4 inches long and based on what I read online it is nearly full grown (4.5 inches). I bought it at the store as soon as they got it because the bag with the fish was still floating on the top.

Once I put the fish in my 29 gallon community tank it started darting around like crazy and scared all of my other fish (he is the largest fish except for my dragon goby). After about 10 minutes he found refuge inside of a broken pipe decoration.

I am wondering if a fish this size could be alone in a 10 gallon tank. I read online that the minimum recommended tank size is 20-30 gallons, although I think a tank in that range seems awful big for a fish that does not move around all too much. I do have two empty 20 gallon aquariums but they are not much bigger than a 10 gallon except for height. Plus, these are too heavy to just set on something and I do not have anything but the tanks for them.

I would think he would be okay in a 10 gallon if he did not feel comfortable in my 29 gallon community tank. I just want some feedback.

Also, I am pretty sure these fish eat live foods, but will they eat flakes as well? Are they bottom feeders or mid level?

Any information on these fish would be greatly appreciated as there isn't much solid information about baby whales.

Just came across this post. My thoughts are. I did not know goldfish and dojo loaches could be kept in he same conditions. Aren't Goldfish temperate fish not tropical? also think the issue of over stocking is over estimated. It all comes down to water turnover rates , to increase o2 levels, if you put more fish. That and the more fish the more frequent the water changes. Not saying to do this. But I,for example, have 3 tanks. Two 30g and a 20g. I have a total of around 50 fish give or take . My favs are loaches, catfish, and plecos. But I also have gouramis and some tetras to fill in the mid water area . Also hatchets and butterfly fish on top. also I have fish in these tanks that most would not think possible . I.e. male and female bettas,Puffers. In my newest tank. I only just got two weeks ago. I have a tiger macalan knifefish, baby whale, elephant nose, ropefish, and two albino tinfoil barbs. My tanks have 100g filters on them. I change the water twice a week. I add more than a half dozen buffers each time I do a 30 to 50% water change. It's expensive and a hassle. And I need a gas generator in case I lose power . The fish would suffocate in hours if the power went down on the tanks. All that being said. My tanks are more like a freshwater reef environment. As far as how many fish are out and about at any one time. And since I enjoy fish that like to hide . If I only had a fish or two in each tank. Well they would look empty. Sometimes, since I have so many hiding spots, I will put a fish in the tank and not see it again for years. I have had fish grow so much in there little spot that they could not leave it cause they no longer fit through the entrance. Now if I only had that fish in a 30g tank. I think it would not make a very exciting pet. I would like to add that I do not recommend following my example . But as far as my fish's happiness. There is not a single nipped fin , sick ,starving , or wasting away in my tanks. Though I have many fish. I know each ones diet , temperament , and water conditions are all taken into account. And I have had my fair share of mistakes. From buying baby bullseye snakeheads that ate all my fish. To puffer and pensilfish species that nipped every fin in the tank. I had to stop buying fish that require extremely high turnover rates and zero nitrates . I.e. rubber nose plecos, hillstream loaches, ect.