What should I do with the shark until my 50-55 gal has cycled? Tank stocking?

[dani_starr]

Hi everyone

So I found 2 super cheap ($25 each- $50 total) 10 gallon aquariums, on craigsllist. Both have been set up for awhile, and contain fish.
Tank 1-
1 albino shark (I'm guessing rainbow, since it's harder to find redtailed
4 rasboras

Tank 2
1 albino cory
1 bronze cory
3 fancy guppies
1 dwarf african frog

I'm getting these by next Wed probably, sooner if possible, and I am getting a 50 or 55 (whoever calls me back) aquarium tonight (19th bday present from my boyfriend, is he amazing or what!)

I plan to move all the fish from their 10 gallons to my other tanks, I want to use one 10 gallon as a hospital tank, the other is my 9 yo sister bday present that will be a betta tank

29 gallon, fairly soft water, planted with driftwood and sand/eco complete- vacant
-plan to move the rasboras, frogs, and cories here (get 4 more rasboras, 4 more cories, 2 more frogs)
PLANNED STOCKING
-6 rasboras
-6 bronze/albino cories
-3 frogs
-1 king betta (getting in the mail soon, okay with other fish
-8 cardinals (or neons, I want to add a small tetra for my bf)

55 gallon, planted, with sand- current stocking in signature
-I plan to move the 3 guppies here (if they are all males, if not, then I'll rehome them)

50-55 gallon, setting up over the weekend
-rocky (TONS of caves), sand, some live plants
-I plan to move the synos here once bigger (smaller then an inch now) and the rainbow shark

Questions
1. Where should I move the rainbow shark until the 50-55 gallon is cycled and ready for fish? I was thinking my 55 gallon, I'm just worried about him harming my baby synos or betta. Or should I just keep him in the 10 gallon until the 50-55 gallon is cycled? (I'm going to get another similar filter so I can just take half the media from my 55 gallon to speed it along)

2. How does the stocking for my 29 gallon sound?

3. Along with the betta, I'm also getting a bulldog pleco. Would he/she be better off in my 55 gallon planted, the 29 gallon, or my soon-to-set up 50-55 gallon? I was thinking my 29 gallon, given I have TONS of driftwood in there

4. With my synos and rainbow shark in my 50-55 gallon taking up the bottom, what would be good middle and top swimmers? Something not too shy, and okay with only vallis planted in the back, and a few crypts in the front, and some anubias/java fern probably tied to rocks I was thinking a large school of some sorts would be nice. Or would 4 angelfish work? Any other ideas

Thanks

 

[dani_starr]

For my rainbow shark and syno tank, could I do 2 blood parrots? And then some small dither fish?

 

[Star_Rider]

are any of your tanks cycled?

 

[dani_starr]

Yep, the 29 gallon and 55 gallon both are, the 29 has been up for at least 8 months now probably, the 55 gallon around 4 months. I used media from other tanks to seed them, so the only one that won't be cycled is the 50-55 gallon, and of course I'll cycle it first

And the other people have had the 10 gallons for a least 3 or 4 months I believe, so they are as well.

 

[Jannika]

dani, I think you may be coming down with a bad case of MTS. Take two aspirin and lay down until the need to acquire fish passes.

I've kept my frogs with regular-sized female bettas, a BN pleco and Bolivian Rams, but I'm not sure I'd trust a King Betta with the little guys.

[video=youtube;v5SkXlpfW5k]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v5SkXlpfW5k[/video]

 

[Star_Rider]

Dani
if you have cycled tanks there is no need to wait to cycle a new tank . you already have a viable source for live bacteria . you can simply seed the tank with media from one of your filters.
as far as the rainbow shark...make sure you check as sharks can be a bit troublesome

 

[BettaFishMommy]

albino rainbow sharks can get grumpier with age. what size is the shark? if he's 5 inches or under, he'd be just fine in the 10 gallon for now. if he's bigger, move him to the 55.

i have a large (at least 6 inches) albino rainbow shark. he currently lives with zebra danios, a black ruby barb, an adult female bristlenose pleco, and 5 itty bitty pleco fry. the shark doesn't cause trouble with anybody. he used to live with cories, barbs, livebearers (including small fry), rainbows, a betta, an angel, apple snails....... your typical community tank. i've never seen him harm another fish in any of the three different tanks he's been in since i got him at 2 inches big three years ago.

 

[allaboutfish]

i doubt the king betta would hurt the frogs. trust me bc im sending it to her. he's VERY passive and lazy. i wouldnt do 2 blood parrots in a 55. a 75 is better for 2, but one is fine on its own. i say put the bulldog in the 29 since thats what he's used to also i love cherry barbs and austrailian rainbows for schooling fish.

 

[dani_starr]

albino rainbow sharks can get grumpier with age. what size is the shark? if he's 5 inches or under, he'd be just fine in the 10 gallon for now. if he's bigger, move him to the 55.

I actually don't know, I'm getting him from a lady on craigslist on Wed probably I'm guessing fairly small, like 3" or so.

i have a large (at least 6 inches) albino rainbow shark. he currently lives with zebra danios, a black ruby barb, an adult female bristlenose pleco, and 5 itty bitty pleco fry. the shark doesn't cause trouble with anybody. he used to live with cories, barbs, livebearers (including small fry), rainbows, a betta, an angel, apple snails....... your typical community tank. i've never seen him harm another fish in any of the three different tanks he's been in since i got him at 2 inches big three years ago.

I probably will probably rehome him him/her if I they show any aggression issues. Yours sounds great though!

 

[dani_starr]

i doubt the king betta would hurt the frogs. trust me bc im sending it to her. he's VERY passive and lazy. i wouldnt do 2 blood parrots in a 55. a 75 is better for 2, but one is fine on its own. i say put the bulldog in the 29 since thats what he's used to also i love cherry barbs and austrailian rainbows for schooling fish.

Aww he sounds cute I'm gonna get him some Water Sprite for the 29 gal as well, I have some in my 55 and my betta LOVES it. He chases away the gouramis from it all the time now

And okay, that's what I'll do then

As for the blood parrots, really? I hate to crowd them, I just feel they would be happier with a friend And aq says it's okay....and it will only be for a year or two tops. Maybe I can get a 75 gal then.. hmmmmm

Well I went to the official blood parrot club and it said this

Tank Size
30 Gallons Minimum
A good rule of thumb is 30 gallon for one and 10 more gallons for each additional Blood Parrot. As with any fish, the bigger the tank the better.
Size and Growth
6 - 9" (15 - 24cm)
Blood Parrots grow slow when compared to other Central American Cichlids or Flowerhorn. Once they hit 4-5" their growth slows further. They typically can live anywhere from 5 - 15 years depending on the care given to them and other genetic factors.


So 55 for a couple years would be a okay I think?