# First tank ever, rookie mistake/ positive outcome



## FredyL226 (Sep 7, 2015)

I started my first tank two months ago. 75g W/FX6 canister filter. I thought I have a big filter so let's get some fish. I purchased 7 silver dollars the 3rd week after starting my tank. After a week I had zero ammonia, so I purchased 7 german Rams, a Senegal Birchir and two miniature plecos. Well that was a hell of a rookie mistake. For the first month my ammonia level was off the charts. I was doing 50% water changes daily! Then my nitrites spiked for 3 weeks and again major water changes! Well for the last week I have been at a steady PH around 7, 0ammonia, 0nitrites, and 20 nitrates! I did it, my tank finnaly cycles and I didn't loose any fish, but let me tell you it was a pain in the *** keeping them alive. Lesson learned, here they are today. Please comment or give this rookie your advice.


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## LizStreithorst (Jul 16, 2015)

That's the way I've done it but I knew from the get go that I would have to change a ton of water so I was set up for it. I'm still a water changing fool even though my tanks are cycled. I like to keep my nitrates at 5.


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## big b (Jun 28, 2014)

Well you have some stocking problems I can see. You have a bichir with rams. Also the plecos are probably common plecos so they will grow WAY to big for that tank. If they are common plecos then they can grow to 2 foot+. The senegal bichir WILL eventually eat those rams. They will be the perfect snack for him once he gets a bit bigger, heck he may eat them now. If I was you, I would try to decide if I wanted the tank to be for the bichir along with a few other fish or make it a community tank for the other fish.


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## FredyL226 (Sep 7, 2015)

I got the plecos from a breeder, who reassured they were dwarf.. I hope he was right. I'm going to keep the bichir regardless as he is my centerpiece. If he starts eating the Rams I'll probably donate them to a reputable person.... How do you think my silver dollars will do with the bichir ?


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## big b (Jun 28, 2014)

That is not a good thinking process. If he eats my fish then I will give what fish are left over to a good person. He WILL eat your fish, don't give him that chance. Don't let your fish be eaten, that is not what fish keepers do. If they know that a fish will be eaten then they will change the stocking so that no fish will be eaten. The silver dollars will do just fine with the bichir, they are to wide to fit into his mouth. The rule is, if it fits in the mouth then it's food. The silver dollars are vegetarians while the bichir eats meat so you have to make sure that each fish gets their proper foods. I'm sorry if this came off as rude, I just wanted you to get the facts.


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## big b (Jun 28, 2014)

FredyL226 said:


> I'm going to keep the bichir regardless as he is my centerpiece.


So you're dead set on the bichir? Well if you are, we can build a stocking plan around him.


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## welok (Jul 20, 2015)

The tank looks lovely! If you get a chance, can you upload a pic of the plecos? We can tell you what type they are  If they are too small, they might end up being food for your bichir. I learned the hard way on that, lost a rubber nose pleco and almost lost a common pleco to my crayfish...


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## FredyL226 (Sep 7, 2015)

big b said:


> That is not a good thinking process. If he eats my fish then I will give what fish are left over to a good person. He WILL eat your fish, don't give him that chance. Don't let your fish be eaten, that is not what fish keepers do. If they know that a fish will be eaten then they will change the stocking so that no fish will be eaten. The silver dollars will do just fine with the bichir, they are to wide to fit into his mouth. The rule is, if it fits in the mouth then it's food. The silver dollars are vegetarians while the bichir eats meat so you have to make sure that each fish gets their proper foods. I'm sorry if this came off as rude, I just wanted you to get the facts.


Sir, 
No offense taken, what you said makes sense. I will start looking for a suitable person to take the fish. In the meantime I will be looking for a suitable tank mate. And yes, I'll take a pick next time I see the plecos


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## FredyL226 (Sep 7, 2015)

Here is a picture of the pleco, timed it right and got the Birchir too. And you where right, between yesterday and today I'm minus 1 ram... Relocating them tomorrow, luckily I'm gonna get store credit. Rookie mistakes


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## big b (Jun 28, 2014)

Thank you for understanding. Your pleco looks like a clown pleco, they will grow to about 3 inch and you will not see them so much during the day. I think you should also donate those plecos because the bichir might possibly eat the pleco. Yeah, it looks like he is small enough to fit into his mouth so he might be food eventually. If the bichir eats the pleco then the bichir might die, because of the plecos spines on his back. If he swallows the pleco then the pleco will stick his spines up and it might get caught in the bichirs mouth and he chokes to death. If you would still like a pleco then a bristlenose pleco might be better to live with a bichir. Here is a picture of a male bristlenose pleco. http://www.keepingtropicalfish.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/bushy-nose-plecostomus-500p.jpg Here is a picture of a female bristlenose pleco http://www.fmueller.com/aquaristic/240G/BN-Pleco-female-2.jpg And here is one of them together http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c135/amazing_betta/bushynosepair.jpg They will get about 5 inches of 6 inches. If you want one then I would spend a little more money and get a bigger bristlenose pleco, because these plecos grow a bit slow and will still be small while your bichir is growing bigger and bigger.
It's ok that you lost a ram, it's not the best outcome but you are still new to the hobby. Just make sure to stay here and soak up the knowledge. And soon you will know a lot more.


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## welok (Jul 20, 2015)

I'll agree with Big B on the pleco. If you are close to VA, I could give you one of my common plecos, as I am thinking of trading the smaller ones in anyway. One I guarantee the bichir will never eat, as he/she is 14 inches long already, and I have another around the 5-6 inch mark which will be better for you, as 14 inches is pushing the limit of a 75 gallon, though it might not grow fast enough to not be food. The bichir is beautiful! I want one now, but I have nowhere to put one.


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## big b (Jun 28, 2014)

Yep bichirs are such beautiful fish. If you want a tank mate for the bichir then how about a blood parrot?


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## FredyL226 (Sep 7, 2015)

Well the Rams are re located, I also found a place for the plecos. I'm not a fan of the blood parrot... So now it's my 7 silvers and the bichir..... Looking for a new suitable tankmte........


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## big b (Jun 28, 2014)

Well that's good that they are with someone else now. How about a knife fish? My personal favorite knife fish is the african knife fish. They can be kept singly or in a group. They grow to about 9 inch.


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