aquak
08-15-2004, 04:39 PM
I found a really good deal on a 75 gallon tank, wood cabinet and canopy, the works. I finally went and picked it up today, armed with plastic bags, buckets, etc. He had already dumped out all but about 3 gallons of the water, had it all broken down and the fish in a large red tub (that had never had anything in it but a keg!). He successfully ran this tank for over 2 years with stones and coral looking rocks he found on the ground or at the beach and 2 large, double-barreled biowheels (Emperor). He had a very large common pleco that he took back to the store because I didn't want it, a large royal pleco (it's beautiful!), 3 small plecos (queen arabesque, candy stripe, and so far unidentified), 4 large dark golden colored algae eaters (largest is 5-6"), 4 of something that looks similar to danios but has large fins (veil danios?), a 4-5" cichlid looking fish, and 2 3-4" ladder botias. I have divided them among 4 tanks (mine and friends') that are now all over-crowded and would like advice on the safest, fastest way to get them back into their former tank. I know I can use the gravel and other stuff from the tank, but still have questions. For instance, which or the fish would be the best to start the cycling with and how likely are the small plecos to get along with each other in cramped quarters? If this cichlid-looking fish turns out to be African in origin, is it likely it will continue to do well in ph 7.0 or below? Any ideas on the type of algae eaters these are? Plus anything else I may not have thought about.