# about to throw the towel



## glass-gardens.com (Apr 14, 2004)

I have a fairly large load in one of my tanks, and every time I've added fish, it's gotten out of wack, but a couple of weeks of regular water changes, pruning etc get's everything back in balance. In your case, you're overcrowded with fish period, you need to cull the litter so to speak or you'll get rid of the plants and then still end up watching your fish suffer. I'd take it down to 20-30 fish total.


DON'T PANIC !!!

Prune back as much of the plants that are severely covered as possible, maybe spread over a week in a few sessions, and do a 25% water change after each one. Don't dose either while you're attacking this ad in a few weeks or so, everything will stabilize again and you'll be a happy camper.


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## possum (Dec 30, 2004)

I had a similar problem with a 65 gllon tank. I had platys, swords, guppies etc etc...Started out with a couple pairs of each and am to the point I will be taking a big plastic bag of fish back to the LFS because I have so many....easily 65 or 70 fish. BBA and other algae's growing everywhere including all over my Wisteria. I threw in a dozen almano shrimp and installed a pressurized CO2 system about a month ago. The BBA is all but gone and I haven't seen any other form of algae in a few weeks. May want to check your CO2 levels. But to answer your question....YES...it is possible to keep a highly populated tank without algae....Hope this helps...Steve


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## Georgiadawgger (Apr 23, 2004)

It can be done...maybe not ethical...but it can be done. I myself am guilty of having not necessarily a lot of fish (about 10 cardinals and 15 rummy nosed), but about 30 amano shrimp and 4-5 otos. The shrimp are really a bunch of poop factories since they are constantly eating. It took a while to settle, but once you get the hang of it (dosing, water changes, etc), the algae will go away. It just takes patience and diligence in getting your nutrients in order. Good luck and keep trying! (ps..that's why I stay away from live bearers!!)


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## Aphyosemion (Oct 15, 2004)

With a tank that heavily stocked, you are going to have problems no matter what. If you remove all the plants and reduce the lighting, your algae problem will go away, only to be replaced with serious water quality issues. Whatever nutrients your plants are using will just remain in the water. You are not doing your fish any favors by stocking them that heavily as they will be sicker and more prone to disease and shortened lifespans. The amount of cycling you should be doing with a tank with that many fish would already be a big step towards solving your algae problems. If you want your fish to be healthy and happy, you have to stock them at healthy levels.
-Aphyosemion


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## ThomE (Aug 26, 2004)

> Anyone here want some free algae infested plants?


Don't need them, I had some. As a quick fix, I add some flourish excel into the tank and some wierd reason the algae is dying.


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## bigpow (May 24, 2004)

Thanks for the encouragements...

Here's a picture of it:









I have to find new homes for all these beautiful fish ASAP.


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## glass-gardens.com (Apr 14, 2004)

Heh, looks like the thirty I just set up a week ago. Especially the difformis.

Trust me, lose a few fish and things will balance out.

But don't get rid of them, just set up another tank, the more the merrier !


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## shalu (Jan 16, 2003)

CO2 is the problem. BBA would go away if you go pressurized CO2 and crank it up to 30ppm. More water change takes care of heavy stocking. I stock far heavier than you do in my discus tank.


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## Ibn (Nov 19, 2003)

Those clowns that you're talking about...clown loaches? If it is, that's a lot of them in the tank.

You and Bill both have a heavy population of guppies. You might want to consider getting rid of some of them and thin it down. Let me know if you are and I'll take some off your hands (feeders for the altums  ).


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## bigpow (May 24, 2004)

- Additional tank is not a venture I can go right now.
- I stopped buying fish 8 months ago, so that you know this was not caused by impulse buyings

Anway, here's the *growing* list:
9 clown loaches (3"-4")
3 dojo loaches (7"-8")
11 corydoras (2")
4 synodontis (2")
5 Zebra Danio (1")
6 White Clouds (1")
6 Chery Barbs (1")
1 Redfin Shark (4")
20 (at least) Black Mollies (almost fully grown, ~1")
50 (at least) Guppies (ditto)

These guppies are very beautiful & healthy!
A cross between Tequila Sunrise & Yellow Black Cobra (Sunrise Cobra?)

Definitely not your FEEDER guppies, Ibn! 

I want to try aquabid or ebay, but this crazy winter isn't exactly the right time...


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## Kris (Feb 27, 2004)

hey--
this past weekend i went to the lfs and traded my guppies for $40 worth of plants. i had about the same number of guppies. i thought it was a fair trade. the plants i got were nice quality as well.
just as suggestion,
kris


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## Ibn (Nov 19, 2003)

bigpow said:


> - Additional tank is not a venture I can go right now.
> - I stopped buying fish 8 months ago, so that you know this was not caused by impulse buyings
> 
> Anway, here's the *growing* list:
> ...


My bad for the suggestion. Thought you were looking for avenues of getting rid of them and were open to all options.


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## Buck (Oct 13, 2002)

bigpow... give the fish and plants a break and part with some... you are a bit OVERSTOCKED ! :icon_roll


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## bigpow (May 24, 2004)

Done the 1st half.

I threw away a bucket (2.5 gallon) of anacharis, all my swords, a bucket of rotala rotundifolia, a few handfull of riccia, a few dozen vals, a few cups of hermianthus, big bundles of hygrophilia difformis & polysperma (enough to fill 20gallon each).

tank is now half empty - plants almost gone. (only Java Moss & Java Ferns left)

Man, thick mulch was covering the substrate after I removed the plants

There are only 3 LFS within 15miles from my place, I'll give them a call today to see which will take some of these fish.


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## Betowess (Dec 9, 2004)

Yeah, those clown loaches need alot more room and they get really big (at least kind of slowly at first). You should be able to find a good home for at least half of them. And if you get rid of too many plants, well, never mind.


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## BOTIA (Dec 23, 2003)

*High Fish Load?*

How about a 70 gallon with....
Anyhow I use a lot of fast growing plants like cabomba and hygro and rotala indica. etc My nitrates end up around 15 by water change day. I use diy co2 and a mix of ho t5 and grolux bulbs. Anyhow I have only a little green spot algae on the glass and not much else. I dose trace heavily for the fast growers and my water stays clear.
Algae is always a matter of nutrient balance. You got to have enough co2, good lighting and ferts, with that the plants should out compete algae every time. It just more finicky with a high fish load. ...
Botia 
70 gallon 
Clowns 5 (2-3.5 inches) Chromo Botia Macracanthus
Yoyos 7 (3-4) Botia Almorhae
Striatas 7 (2-4) Botia striata
Histrionicas 2 (2-3.5) Botia Histrionica
Bogdan loach 2 Botia sp. aff rostrata
Angelicus 6 (2.3.5) Botia Kubotai
Queen Loach 1 Botia Dario
Myers Kuhli Loach 1 Acanthophthalmus Myersi

Siamese Algae eater 2 Crossocheilus siamensis
Bristlenose Pleco 2 Ancistrus sp.(3) 
Clown pleco 1 Panaque maccus

Kissing gourami 1 5 inches
Praecox Rainbows 8M, 6F (Melanotaenia praecox)


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