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Coarse fish in a tank


Anthony78

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I wouldn't write off the coarse fish, you just need to be a bit more realistic. Small roach or rudd (less than a couple of inches long), minnows, sticklebacks, gudgeon, stone loach, bullheads, crucian carp, tench, lots of possibilities. You just can't stick 6oz fish in a 4' tank, and you have to recognise that the larger species will eventually outgrow your tank. Oh, and leave off the predators in a community tank! ;)

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I wouldn't write off the coarse fish, you just need to be a bit more realistic. Small roach or rudd (less than a couple of inches long), minnows, sticklebacks, gudgeon, stone loach, bullheads, crucian carp, tench, lots of possibilities. You just can't stick 6oz fish in a 4' tank, and you have to recognise that the larger species will eventually outgrow your tank. Oh, and leave off the predators in a community tank! ;)

 

I have kept perch, they seemed perfectly happy eating worms and prawns etc. I also had a couple of channel cats that were good vlaue until one of them decided it would bully the other! In fact the bullied fish was only allowed to live right at the surface in one corner of the tank or it would get attacked!

 

I too would avoid perch and other larger more agressive fish such as cats as they will eat or bully everything! Carp are more trouble than they are worth as they will outgrow the tank pretty quickly! I don't know where you live but I have seen barbel, loach, gudgeon, bream, minnows, roach and rudd for sale at various times at world of water in Bicester and Yarnton nurseries (both near Oxford). Think about getting a few bottom dwelling fish e.g. gudgeon, loach or tench and some mid upper water fish such as roach or rudd etc

 

Make sure you know what you are doing with filters etc... you need to make sure you have enough bacteria in your tank/filter BEFORE you stock it and don't stock too much to quick or you could overload the bugs and there will quickly be a large build up ot toxic nitrite waste.

 

Rich

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I have kept perch, they seemed perfectly happy eating worms and prawns etc. I also had a couple of channel cats that were good vlaue until one of them decided it would bully the other! In fact the bullied fish was only allowed to live right at the surface in one corner of the tank or it would get attacked!

 

I too would avoid perch and other larger more agressive fish such as cats as they will eat or bully everything! Carp are more trouble than they are worth as they will outgrow the tank pretty quickly! I don't know where you live but I have seen barbel, loach, gudgeon, bream, minnows, roach and rudd for sale at various times at world of water in Bicester and Yarnton nurseries (both near Oxford). Think about getting a few bottom dwelling fish e.g. gudgeon, loach or tench and some mid upper water fish such as roach or rudd etc

 

Make sure you know what you are doing with filters etc... you need to make sure you have enough bacteria in your tank/filter BEFORE you stock it and don't stock too much to quick or you could overload the bugs and there will quickly be a large build up ot toxic nitrite waste.

 

Rich

 

The plan was to set the tank up and leave it for two weeks for the bacteria to build up. I have a very large filter which consists of a 3 tier system. First it goes through the large sponge type thingy, then it goes through these ceramic things, then through some cotten wool. I don't pretend to know what I am talking about here as I have only ever kept a gold fish fron the fair before, but I am not foolish enough to stick everything in there and hope for the best.

Would two weeks be enough for the little bugs to do there thing???

Effort equals reward!!

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Would two weeks be enough for the little bugs to do there thing???

 

There's a catch-22 situation, in that the bacteria are there to consume waste from the fish, but until there is waste from the fish, the bacteria have nothing to consume. The trick is to build up the stock gradually, so that the filter has time to adapt. Also, add your hardiest fish first. So, set up and fill your tank, set everything running and leave it to stabilise for a couple of days. Then, gradually add fish. The more gradually you stock the tank, the lower the risk of problems.

 

Use an ammonia test kit and some broad spectrum dip sticks to keep an eye on ammonia, nitrite and nitrate levels. You will likely see some ammonia, followed by some nitrite, followed by a gradual build up of nitrate. Nitrate is not a big worry, and can be kept in check though water changes, but detectable ammonia or high nitrite will kill your fish. Basically play it by ear.

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Thanks for all the advice chaps, I knew this wouldn't be easy but it looks as though I will have to go to the library the weekend and find some decent books. I still want to keep coarse fish so will see what is available in my area.

Thanks again and I will hopefully post some pics when I get it all up and running.

Ant

Effort equals reward!!

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The problem with keeping coarse fish is keeping the water cold. The average room is kept at about 22 degrees by the central heating. So how do you get the water down to the 5-10 degree range most native fish like? I have a tropical tank and I can't ever remember seeing the heater/stat turn on! The combination of room temperature and heat from the lights means that by the evening it is up around 25 degrees! Even carp won't like that much and perch etc will keel over. If you did get the tank colder than the room it would drip condensation all over the place. Unless you have an unheated garage to put it in I'd stick to tropicals.

There is a tendency for us anglers to overstock tanks with too many, too big fish. The result always looks poor. If you want a tank that looks good concentrate on PLANTS. Read up on t'internet before you start because growing plants isn't as easy as you might imagine either!

 

This is a good site for fishy info http://www.thekrib.com/

Edited by ColinW
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If My memory serves me correctly, the observer book of fresh water fish reconds which fresh water fish are sutible for keeping in a tank and how to lookafter them.

 

It may have been in early editions.

 

cheers Richard

Jasper Carrot On birmingham city

" You lose some you draw some"

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If My memory serves me correctly, the observer book of fresh water fish reconds which fresh water fish are sutible for keeping in a tank and how to lookafter them.

 

It may have been in early editions.

 

cheers Richard

The book is The Observers Book of Fresh Water Fishes. Out of print now alas, be prepared to fork out £50+ for a first edition in good nick.

The problem isn't what people don't know, it's what they know that just ain't so.
Vaut mieux ne rien dire et passer pour un con que de parler et prouver que t'en est un!
Mi, ch’fais toudis à m’mote

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Thanks for all the advice chaps, I knew this wouldn't be easy but it looks as though I will have to go to the library the weekend and find some decent books. I still want to keep coarse fish so will see what is available in my area.

Thanks again and I will hopefully post some pics when I get it all up and running.

Ant

 

p.s. you can buy bacteria that you can seed your tank/filter with!

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