How to save my Guppy and Clown Loach

[boo-boo]

I recently got my first aquarium (16 gal,fresh water). It has successfully cycled and I have a Silver Dollar, a Golden Guarami, a fancy tail guppy, and a Clown Loach. I selected these fish based on the advice of the staff at PetSmart. After doing some research I realize that the name of the store must be in reference to the pets not the staff, as I now know that the fish I selected are not appropriate to the size tank I have. Now, most likely do to the size of the space ,my Guarami and the Silver Dollar have gotten so aggressive to my guppy that he has a few nips in his scales and he now hides under one of my coral rocks. He has even stopped comming out to feed (I know that he's still alive..so far, because I lift his rock to slip food under it for him). However I haven't been able to find my Clown Loach for more than two weeks, and I don't know if he's alive. All I know is that he isn't anywhere to be found in...or out of the tank (I know they can jump out). I do have a rather large coarl structure and it's possible he's hiding in there and doesn't come out even when I pick it up and move it around. I'm worried that I never see him eat..or see him at all as it were. I suspect that the two aggressors in the tank ran him into hiding to.

So to my questions. I'm going to buy a larger tank tomorrow. I'm thinking I'll let the guppy stay in the current tank and get him some friends and move the two big guys. Right? If I find my Loach should I move him too and get him some other Loaches, or leave him until he get's bigger? What size tank would be better for these guys leaving room for more fish? What other fish should I try..I was thinking another Silver Dollar as a companion but what other fish could stand up to these guys? And what other fish would be good w/my guppy? I'm also unsure of what to do to save my Guppy while I get the other tank cycled (by the way I could use some tips on how to use my current aquarium water to "sead" the new tank..and I'd also like some prefered filter names..not sure if my Top Fin 20 is the best because it doesn't have a biological component just a carbon cartrige). Would it be smart to get some more guppies now so that there is some safty in numbers or might I be setting more fish up for attacks?

I appriciate any feedback I can get....and the quicker the better.

ps: Last week I saw a whitish film develope on my Silver Dollar it looks to have cleared up but does anyone know what that might have been? Also I have a seperate bowl w/a beta in it and although I do water changes frequently there seems to be an oily film that developes on the water surface...? There aren't any heaters for bowls right..I'm worried about her water temp. Also in regard to the guppy what should I look out for around the nips to avoid or catch infection..and if I see signs how do you treat it?

Thanks for the help

 

[fishcatch22]

1) move your silver dollar to a 75G (at least) and get him 2-3 more companions. silver dollars are schooling fish and need a HUGE tank, as they're adult size is 8". 2) move your female betta to your 16g after the dollar and gourami are gone, and get 3-4 more guppies. 3) your gourami can live with the dollars, or in it's own tank. what kind of gourami is yours? the super-huge ones that get to be 2' long come in a golden variety, too.

 

[fishcatch22]

oh, and BTW, clown loaches need to be kept in groups and get to be 1' long!! get a tank, like 200 gallons in capacity and put him in with the SDs. also get him 2-3 friends.

 

[tai95]

2) move your female betta to your 16g after the dollar and gourami are gone, and get 3-4 more guppies.

You should never mix bettas and guppies. If you have fancy guppies the betta may confuse them as being another betta and could kill them.

 

[fishcatch22]

it's a female betta. you didn't read his post carefully, did you? he distinctly says "her". I know about guppies and bettas.

 

[boo-boo]

thank you

thank you both for your feedback. I do appologize, although I did say her in re:to the betta (my daughter named the fish Ruby so by defalt I said her), I believe it is a male. Aren't males the more colorful and have fuller fins? I'm so new to this hobbie I'm afraid I don't know how to sex all my fish yet, and I forget that these detales matter greatly.

I would like to move my Betta to an aquarium w/a heater and filter maybe I should just get a little 10 gal. Are there any fish (beside alge eaters) that are good housemates to Bettas?

And until I get my new tank cycled (I'm going to speed this by using some gravel and water from current tank) should I get some more guppy's now for my picked on little guy or just wait till the tuff fish are moved? Incidentally my carbon filter in current tank is due to be changed should I use it (w/it's bacteria) to start the new tank?

And finally can you suggest some tank mates for the guppy once alone in the 16 gal tank. And in addition to the 3-4 more Silver dollars and the Guarami in the new tank what other fish can I put w/them?

Thanks again for all the help!

 

[slowlyburn]

both of my clown loaches used to get themselves stuck in just about every ornament i put in my tank... They will dig up gravel and go inside of them... All i did was kinda lift the ornament up and just kinda GENTLY shake him out...
Mine allways came out after a lil while. Sometimes up to 2 weeks i wouldnt see them..

 

[boo-boo]

so sad to report

This morning I went in to check on the fish and my Silver Dollar was eatting my guppy. I feel so responsible, I know this wouldn't have happened w/a larger tank. I thought Silver Dollars were vegitarians?? He may have died first from stress or starvation or lack of oxygen I suppose.

Anyway so I'm going to look at bigger tanks today and I think I'll move the Betta over to the 16 gal. I still could use some advice on suitable tankmates to a male betta.

One more question; I've been reading other "newbie" posts and answers and I'm confussed about when to add de-clorinator to the tank when doing water changes. I've been adding small amounts to every gallon that I replace to the tank, but I do find it difficult to measure in that small amount. Is it acceptable to pour the de-clorinator (I use stress coat) into the tank (that is now only 50% full) before adding the new batch of water?

 

[Galaxie]

This morning I went in to check on the fish and my Silver Dollar was eatting my guppy. I feel so responsible, I know this wouldn't have happened w/a larger tank. I thought Silver Dollars were vegitarians?? He may have died first from stress or starvation or lack of oxygen I suppose.

Anyway so I'm going to look at bigger tanks today and I think I'll move the Betta over to the 16 gal. I still could use some advice on suitable tankmates to a male betta.

One more question; I've been reading other "newbie" posts and answers and I'm confussed about when to add de-clorinator to the tank when doing water changes. I've been adding small amounts to every gallon that I replace to the tank, but I do find it difficult to measure in that small amount. Is it acceptable to pour the de-clorinator (I use stress coat) into the tank (that is now only 50% full) before adding the new batch of water?

Can I suggest taking the betta back and focusing on one type of fish? Nothing is cooler than a small school of silver dollars. 4 silver dollars and a couple gouramis might be good for a 55 gallon tank. (I'm not sure I've heard of an 8-inch silver dollar, but it is possible that they'll get 6-inches). Dollars are herbivorous, so you might question what you are feeding him. I'd expect algae tabs or spirulina to be fine, but....in absence of his veggies it wouldn't surprise me to see him munching on a guppy....or anything smaller than his mouth.

The betta can go, alone, into a small tank. My betta experience shows the males having different personalities. One got along fine with neons and zebras, while the next betta bullied everyone, including a flagfish.

Re: Dechlorinating: adding it to the water before dumping in the tank is the best, most efficient method, unless you have a larger tank (where it becomes a ridiculously tedious & strenuous chore to hump buckets of water). On all of my tanks, I dump AquaSafe into the tank per the directions for the full size of the tank....then I add water directly from the tap to the tank.

(edit) I'd also suggest taking back the loaches, as they really need schools of 6 to be happy. Unless you are buying a 90g, something has to give....dollars, gouramis, or loaches. ...pick 2 is my advice.

For me, the joy of aquaria is understanding every living organism I bring into my tanks & making their life as comfortable and natural as possible. Start off small, with a couple species, then when you fully understand their needs you can begin researching what you need to do to support different species. I learned the hard way, that's why I have 4 tanks! ....livebearers, oscar, pleco & flags, then neons, corys, & danios. Their needs are so different, it really was fascinating once I started studying them.

Good luck to you.

 

[Galaxie]

And until I get my new tank cycled (I'm going to speed this by using some gravel and water from current tank) Incidentally my carbon filter in current tank is due to be changed should I use it (w/it's bacteria) to start the new tank?

A carbon filter's chemical usefulness is spent, probably in a week or two. At this point, the only use in having carbon is to colonize useful bacteria. Keep the carbon in there until the water flow slows..... then scoop out a gallon of tank water, rinse the carbon cartridge and put it right back in. You'll get 5 times the life from it...compared to the monthly ($$$$$) changes the manufacturer suggests. Exactly what type of filter do you have(important question)? Penguin? Trade it in for an AquaClear which has media that never needs replacing. If you have only "cartridge media" & no bio-wheel, you are causing your tank to re-cycle every time you change the cartridge. Yes, some bacteria is in the substrate, but 99.5% of it is in the filter media. So, if you remove it to seed the new tank, you are hurting the original tank.