Newbie Help

matdehaast

Hi guys.

I have had a fish tank going for about 6 months now which is a 30g and for all that I have only had Guppies and tetras in. I originally bought 4 guppies and 4 tetras but not numbers have dwindled to only 2 of each.

So off I went to the LFS and wanted new fish. SO I ask the guy what else I can have and he shows me loads of fish. Before I went I wanted a Placostomose and some shrimp. So I got those and saw Bala sharks and loved them. They were in the same tank as the sharks. So I asked if they would be compatible with my fish and he said "yeah they are the most peaceful fish around". I dont know much so I got them. So i ended up getting
2 placostomose, 2 shrimp and 2 Bala sharks.

So first night went great fish adapted well and all seemed good. Then last night was lying in my room and my mom says " Check your fish the sharks eating the shrimp". So I went to look and saw nothing wierd so put it down to them playing or something. So I said I will just turn off the light and they will go to sleep and be calmer tomorrow :p. Big mistake I woke this morning to a shell of one of my shrimp.

I dont know what to do now. Any help will be great

Regards
Matthew

Lupin

Welcome to the forum, Matthew.

I'd like to point out that the balas will not fit in your tank.:) What plecos are those?:) I'm not trying to discourage you from having those fish but I just think they are better off in a bigger tank as balas tend to reach 12 inches max size.:) If you wish, you can try rasboras and tetras. Both fish are fine with your shrimps.

Good luck.:D

Falina

balas are peaceful fish. if they ate your shrimp if was just because they saw it as food, not as a victim of attack.

blue is right, the balas will grow far too large for your tank, and depending on what type of pleco, so might they. you could get them a larger tank when they start to get bigger, or you could return them and get some tetras or rasboras like blue suggested. with a 30g you have a bit more choice as well, you could get some cories which are lovely wee catfish if youre keen on having catfish since you got the plecs, you could also have mollies, platties, swordtails but be careful. if you get these make sure you get 3 females per males, and then be prepared for them producing a lot of babies. you could even get a couple of blue rams or gold rams which are lovely wee fish, and very peaceful despite being cichlids.

since you only have 2 of the tetras left, i would be inclined to get another 4 at least because teteras are shoaling fish and like to be in groups of at least 6. i dont know what type of tetras you have, but this is true for almost every type of tetra

good luck :)

matdehaast

Ok

Well went to the LFS and guy started saying that was impossible so left that and went to a different one where he said it was rare occurance but that the shark will have to be dealt with because of the possible nature change he has had now that he has tasted blood.

Well I am going to get a 20g community tank for the other fish and was told to get some Cichlids with him that should sort him out.

I am weary now to purchase new fish and want advice as to if Cichlids would be a good option as I always wanted them but wanted the community tank aswell, Since I am getting that now what do you guys suggest?

Regards
matthew

Holly

Honestly I would suggest finding a new LFS. The sharks are going to get too big for that tank. I have a 30ga also with a bala and pleco and sadly, I have to give both up soon. I got my pleco in Dec and he was only about 3 inches, now he's about 6 inches. Luckily my neighbor needs a pleco for his bigger tank so I can still go visit him.

As for the shrimp if they are small they will be looked at as food. They sell in the stores frozen brine shrimp. I bought 12 Cherry Red Shrimp last week and as soon as they hit my tank they got eaten! I have swords and guppies. It's just nature. If the shrimp are small, they'll be dinner. Since then I picked up some Ghost Shrimp at $0.30 each. So far, no one goes near them. I'm not sure if it's because they're bigger than the juvenile red's or if the fish can't spot them since their clear. Either way, everyone is fine and happy now.

Falina

what cichlids were you thinking about? there are almost no cichlids that i know of that would do well in a 20g. a pair of blue rams would be fine but i wouldnt put anything else in with them if you were to do this. also, cichlids are generally agressive, bala sharks are shy and easily frightened. putting him in such a confined space with agressive fish would terrify him. in a very large tank it might work to have cichlids and bala sharks but in such a small tank hed be so terrified.

and for the shrimps, like i said he wouldnt have eaten them out of agression, they were seen as food, chery shrimp shouldnt really be kept with fish whose mouths are big enoguh that they will go in. theres no need to "teach him a lesson" because he didnt do anything wrong except eat his dinner which is hardly a crime. there is no way for a fish to know that a certain fish or creature is a tankmate and not dinner.


this is also what i suggest. it seems that your lfs is telling you anything to get sales. its a real shame that fish stores do this as people like yourself who listen to the advice and buy the fish, and obviously care about the fish then end up spending a lot more money trying to look after the fish when the conditions are totally wrong. bala sharks really need about 100g tank, 75g ABSOLUTE minimum. he/she was very wrong to sell you one to go in a 30g or 20g

good luck

Lupin

Hi Matthew.

A pair of blue rams or other apistos, a harem of Lake Tanganyikan shelldwellers, a pair of kribs or a pair of keyhole cichlids might be all you can get.:) If you like the dwarf cichlids such as rams, you can keep tetras with them.:) Kribs only limit your choice because by the time they breed, the other tankmates will be harassed constantly in their efforts to defend their fry and territory.:)

matdehaast

Lol that must have been bad shellfish because the shark that eat the shrimp is dead today :P