New Start Up for Juveniles

[Robo]

Hiya, thanks for the useful advice, i've just had 9 new red golden juvs in addition to my 2 turqs (blue turqs??). They are fed a variety of frozen beefheart, daphnia, bloodworm, and brine shrimp. Here are the details for your comments please:

Tank - bare 60x30x35 cm (approx 2 Ft)
Temp - 29 degree celcius, 84F (hoping to gradually increase to 86F or more with my new Rena heater)
WC Regime - daily abt 40%
Filter - Internal power filter 8W with a compartment each of sponge and wool (cleaned with extracted tank old water weekly)
Feeding - 2-3 times daily
PH - 7, KH - 5 GH - ?
Please advise me in what other areas i need to improve on to make my babies happy and grow well. :thumbsup: or :thumbsdow

[Carol_Roberts]

Water parameters are fine. What size is the tank? Sounds like you may need a bigger one soon :)

[Robo]

Sorry abt the poor pic taken, here's another for an overall view. Pls is there any mistake or improvement i can make fr here?

[Robo]

Water parameters are fine. What size is the tank? Sounds like you may need a bigger one soon :)
As u can view fr my latest post, water is not filled to rim, haven't done any conversion, but based on my tank's diamension - abt 54 litres. I didn't intend to get 9 new juv but the lfs is closing down and willing to sell all at cheap price. Also, not good to separate the group of 9, so i thought might as well get all and upgrade to bigger tank for them when they out-grow it. Any sign(s) to look out for if my juvs are not comfortable with the tank/water?

[Orient]

U might want to paint the bottom part of your tank. Makes the fish settle in better. The reflection of the bottom is scaring them though they might get adjusted after a while.




As u can view fr my latest post, water is not filled to rim, haven't done any conversion, but based on my tank's diamension - abt 54 litres. I didn't intend to get 9 new juv but the lfs is closing down and willing to sell all at cheap price. Also, not good to separate the group of 9, so i thought might as well get all and upgrade to bigger tank for them when they out-grow it. Any sign(s) to look out for if my juvs are not comfortable with the tank/water?

[Robo]

U might want to paint the bottom part of your tank. Makes the fish settle in better. The reflection of the bottom is scaring them though they might get adjusted after a while.
Thanks for the suggestion. Would it do the similar job if i were to place a piece of black paper on the base of the tank? Also, jus an observation: the biggest turq likes to chase at the other turq while the rest of the babies prefer grouping themselves altogether. Anything to be alarmed abt? Is the O2 level sufficient, or should i hv an air pump into the tank?

[KIWI13]

Hey there Robo,

Well its normal to have the bigger fish bully the rest, there will be an established pecking order in place soon enough. However a 60x30x35 is a small grow out tank buddy especially for 9 fish. So I would look into upgrading. i have a 100 x 45 x 30height and that holds 120 litres and I have only 3 discus in there with 3 angels and I plan on giving away an angel soon so I will have only 5 fish. Thats comfortable for 5 and that gives them enough of space; However if you upgrade, go get yourself a good 250 litre tank. which is around the 100 x 50 x 50 dimensions. This will prove much useful. if you want you can put a couple of potted plants in there. check out the planted tank section for ideas. there is a great potted tank setup by a member named RYAN H.

click on the link:
http://forum.simplydiscus.com//showthread.php?t=43135&page=6&pp=15

Good luck buddy

[Carol_Roberts]

Your tank size is fine for the next couple of months. I'd put a light or medium color on the bottom of the tank, beige, gray, light blue, etc. Your orange discus will show more pepper with a balck bottom. Typical cichlid behavior for one discus to dominate the rest - that's why we suggest groups of 6 or more. You are doing fine. Start thinking about where you're going to put a bigger tank and cycle an airdriven sponge filter like a hydro V in this tank to move to the bigger tank later.

[Robo]

Dear Kiwi and Carol,
Many thanks for the advice. i'll follow them and keep u posted. ;)

[Kagan]

I agree that you should definitely get a bigger tank. Also feed them more. 5-6 times a day will be ok. They should have a full stomach constantly. Increase the water changes to twice a day (one of them is in the morning). This way you will keep the nitrates low all day not for a period of time after the 40% water change.

Kagan

[Howie_W]

Hi Robo,

Your first priority should be to get a larger tankASAP...54 liters is much too small even for a group of juveniles. If you are planning on keeping all 9 fish together I would look into someting along the lines of a 75 gallon tank (aprox. 275 liters).

Be careful about overfeeding in the tank until you upgrade. I would also increase to two daily water changes until you get your new tank.



Howie

[Robo]

Hiya, thanks man! I'll better start sourcing for a bigger tank. ;)

[Carol_Roberts]

54 liters is only about 15 gallons. That looks like a 30 - 40 gallon tank in the picture above?

[Robo]

54 liters is only about 15 gallons. That looks like a 30 - 40 gallon tank in the picture above?
Carol, I've done the measurement myself: it's 60cm x 30cm x 30cm (height of water level) = 54,000cm3 = 54 litres = 54/3.785 = abt 14 gal. Do u think it's crucial to change into bigger tank now, or should i wait till juvs are bigger later? i thought they don't require much swim space as i've noticed them lumping together usually at the corner of tank :confused: . Am happy though to report that whenever i submerge my fingers with food in water, they would come to peck on the food (and my fingers too) - nice feeling! ;)

[Robo]

Hiya, is it true that juvs need hard water so can i put in some crush corals? My ph is around 7 at the moment.

[KIWI13]

NO NO and NO , i would'nt go putting crushed corals as of yet. Your ph reading of 7 is perfect and you need to get a GH/KH test kit to work out the hardness. First test for your waters hardness before adding anything. If your hardness is around 9°dh then thats ok. So please test your DH (total hardness) first before adding crushed shell which will raise the ph and kh too. KH being carbonate hardness which is directly related to ph.

Oh yeah and yes Juvi do need moderately hard water cause it helps the developement of their skeleton.

[Carol_Roberts]

15 gallons is pretty small :( You'd do better with 29 gallons and even better with 55 gallons :)