Zuri_08 Posted February 17, 2013 Report Share Posted February 17, 2013 Hello fellow fish keepers I'm really please to say that I have a successful little ecosystem in my living room; in my 28L tank I have 2 platties, 1 black-lined flying-fox, 5 neons, a number of Malaysian trumpet snails (not too many), a heap of various plants and now a few baby fish!! The tank has become something quite exciting with now 2 baby fish; Platties, one still quite small while the other is a little larger. The plants are doing well too. Very soon though there are going to be too many fish in this little tank, and I am already worried about the algae eater who is now 7cm long and is aggressive to the other fish at feeding time. At other times he does not worry about the other fish. I was considering selling him, or swapping him for a couple of Otto algae eaters instead, except the fish shop won't do that. This algae eater is supposed to grow to 15cm long (much too big for the tank), and I wonder, will his aggressiveness increase? Any comments or suggestions, from friendly fellow fish keepers? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scarletmonuka Posted February 17, 2013 Report Share Posted February 17, 2013 as far as i know (someone correct me if i'm wrong) it'll be the most agressive to anything that looks like it. same body shape and the like and yes it will be too big for the tank and probably is already. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ilwis Posted February 17, 2013 Report Share Posted February 17, 2013 unfortunately it can increase the only thing i have heard to stem the aggression is to feed it more but i don't know how well that works or for how long as Ive never had the problem myself since your enjoying the hobble have you considered getting a larger tank? bigger tanks are easier to too look after (water conditions) and you will be able to keep your fish and get some more to enjoy? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ilwis Posted February 17, 2013 Report Share Posted February 17, 2013 i just re read your post are you referring to the black line flying fox as the algae eater or to another fish in your tank commonly refereed to as algae eaters (golden algae eater/brown algae eater/Chinese eyed algae eater/or the like) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Godly3vil Posted February 17, 2013 Report Share Posted February 17, 2013 That tank is much too small for all of the fish you have in it. Upgrade or get rid of the fish and keep the snails. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carlos & Siran Posted February 17, 2013 Report Share Posted February 17, 2013 http://www.aqadvisor.com/AqAdvisor.php? ... yInLitres& This is a very helpful website for stocking tanks, we've been in this hobby for years but still pop all the details through here just to be sure. It doesn't take heavily planted setups into consideration but more plants seem to give you a little breathing space, but not a huge amount. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zuri_08 Posted February 17, 2013 Author Report Share Posted February 17, 2013 Hi ilwis thanks for your thoughts. I only have 1 black-lined flying-fox in my tank. No other algae eaters. When I was away at Christmast time I left a self-feeder in the tank. The algae eater spent his entire time sitting on it and started chasing the other fish away from what I guess he though was 'his' (the other fish became so thin I was surprised they were still alive!). He has been doing that since then, but only at feeding time. Prior to me going away he was not aggressive. When I have more money i would LOVE to get a bigger tank - it is a very enjoyable hobby :-) For the moment this little tank is what I have so I am making the most of it. unfortunately it can increase the only thing i have heard to stem the aggression is to feed it more but i don't know how well that works or for how long as Ive never had the problem myself since your enjoying the hobble have you considered getting a larger tank? bigger tanks are easier to too look after (water conditions) and you will be able to keep your fish and get some more to enjoy? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zuri_08 Posted February 17, 2013 Author Report Share Posted February 17, 2013 Thanks for the info. http://www.aqadvisor.com/AqAdvisor.php?AqVolUnit=L&AqTempUnit=C&AqLengthUnit=cm&FormSubmit=DisplayInLitres& This is a very helpful website for stocking tanks, we've been in this hobby for years but still pop all the details through here just to be sure. It doesn't take heavily planted setups into consideration but more plants seem to give you a little breathing space, but not a huge amount. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
disgustipated Posted February 17, 2013 Report Share Posted February 17, 2013 golden algae eaters are the most aggressive fish i have ever kept. and i have kept all kinds of american cichlids, oscars, convicts, jaguars, salvinis. none have compared or even come close in aggressiveness to the golden algae eaters. they get worse as they get bigger too. they just won't leave other fish alone! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ilwis Posted February 18, 2013 Report Share Posted February 18, 2013 oh now that's a bit of a different story i thought you were referring to the other types of algae eaters, the blackline flying fox is territorial to other fish it looks similar to but its also very much protective over food for going away for a while you would need to have food in more places than one or he will do that also he may eat your baby fish if they start looking a bit sickly he can eat them up in 2 seconds (he can eat half a dead plattie in about 30 mins) best idea is feed flake for your other fish and sinking foods for him then you wont really see the aggression as much especially if he is well fed he may still try chase other fish sometimes but it should be alright flying foxes are a good fish to have because they are one of the few fish to keep away blackbeard (a unsightly moss/algae that looks funnily enough like tuffs or strings of a black beard) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ilwis Posted February 18, 2013 Report Share Posted February 18, 2013 also i don't think its overstocked tho i wouldn't go buying any more fish for that tank if surfing trademe can find a 50ltr for about $20 tho i always recommend to anyone to get a 100 liter at least as bigger tanks are easier to look after and more flexibility of fish and aqua-scape you can have also wider or longer is better than taller in my opinion Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zuri_08 Posted February 19, 2013 Author Report Share Posted February 19, 2013 Thanks again for the helpful thoughts ilwis. Feeding both sinking and floating food helps, a little. I've now noticed a number of little baby fish - oh gosh - it is going to get overstocked with Platties very quickly! I'll have to give some away. I never knew fish keeping could be so exciting! :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ilwis Posted February 21, 2013 Report Share Posted February 21, 2013 lol yea your platties will reproduce about every 28 days Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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