BYC Aquarium Thread

[cochins1088]

Ha! Sorry, I didn't know how catfish-savvy you were. I worked in the aquarium business for, oh, about 15 years and whenever someone inexperienced came in with a "huge green cory" it usually ended up being a Brochis. I've always had a fondness for the cats and currently have a shoal of 12 Corydoras robineae in my 150 gal paludarium.

Since yours sounds like it is definitely a cory, may I ask how are you measuring it? Standard length is measuring from the tip of the nose to the base of the tail - overall length is nose to tip of tail. If your cory is 4 inches overall, then it could well be a very well-grown female Corydoras aeneus (Bronze Cory, sometimes called the Green Cory). As you know, females are significantly longer and stouter than males, though yours would certainly be at the top end of those I've seen (they are usually listed as max 3" standard length, not counting the tail). You often find similar species in fish stores (melantotaenia, for example, also sold as "Green Corys"), but all of these are smaller than the true aeneus. And then there are other corys in the aeneus species complex, which ichthyologists are still trying to straighten out, such as the "Laser Corys" from Peru. I'm not sure what the max size is on those, but I think they are also smaller.

Anyway, post some pics when you have a chance - and definitely separate out that pacu or piranha looking fish until you get the rest stabilized. The tetras were probably too fast for it to bother trying to catch with easier pickings around. Even pacus are pretty nippy (and get enormous, too), the only similar fish I would consider a reasonably safe community fish would be a silver dollar species.

I'm not catfish-savvy, haha. I went and did some research.

I didn't know that there was a correct to measure. Many people ask for the tip of the nose to the end of the tail, while others measure to the base of the tail. He (or she) is just over 3 inches long when measured to the base of the tail. I'm still fairly new the world of aquariums (5 years) and I keep my main focus on koi and goldfish.

I've been really busy lately, but I will try to post some pictures tomorrow. I've got a couple of fish that have me stumped. I have no idea what they are.

Oh, and someone is coming to pick up the piranha/pacu fish tomorrow. I really don't want to have to deal with live food.

 

[cochins1088]

I gave away the piranha/pacu fish this morning, so I don't need to worry about him any more.

Feel free to correct me on any of these fish.

Here's what I believe to be a long finned black skirt tetra with a red phantom tetra in the background.



I believe that this guy is a bala shark. (He's missing his pectoral fins and most of his dorsal fin)



She was hiding most of the time, so I wasn't able to get a good picture of the Cory. You can't really tell how big she is based on this picture.



Here's one of the mystery fish. He's not very big, and his tail fin is split down the middle. Also, I'm pretty sure he has teeth.





Here's another mystery fish. He's long, silver, and has a round head.






In the cooler was 1 pacu/piranha, 2 black skirt tetras, 2 red phantom tetras, 1 cory, 1 plecostomus, 2 bala sharks, and 2 mystery fish. Other than the pacu/piranha, they are all in a temporary 20 gallon tank for isolation.

 

[Kevin565]

long finned black skirt tetra



Bala shark.



.



Buenos Aires Tetra?

 

[cochins1088]

Thanks Kevin! It does looks like a Buenos Aires Tetra. Now I just need to figure out what the long silver one is.

Do you think that the Bala sharks would do good with koi and goldfish? I read that they can reach 15 inches and if that's the case, I'd like to put them in the 125 gallon tank.

 

[Kevin565]

It's no problem at all. What are your temps and PH in the 125? To the best of my knowledge Balas aren't fin nippers so it might be possible.

 

[cochins1088]

It's no problem at all. What are your temps and PH in the 125? To the best of my knowledge Balas aren't fin nippers so it might be possible.

Last I checked the pH was around 8.3. I have pH down if it's necessary. Temperature is around 67 degrees, but I could always put in a heater.

I removed all of the heaters a while ago since they aren't required for goldfish and I had one mal-function. The heater caused an electrical current which ran through the water and caused some of my koi fry to become deformed.

Currently in the 125 gallon tank are koi and goldfish ranging from 4 to 15 inches, but once I get the pond going again this spring, I'll have fantail goldfish, koi fry (2 inches), and blue gouramis in the tank.

The only other options for the bala sharks would be a 40 gallon tank, or the fish pond.

 

[cochins1088]

This is pretty cool:

It's a cost effective way to build an aquarium. I'm thinking that I need to try it out, and if I do, I'm going big. Probably 600 gallons.

In the video he uses liquid rubber, but I was thinking of using extra pond liner and silicone.

 

[BCollie]

My 100 gallon PLANTED Eartheater tank. Yep, Eartheaters and plants 5 Geophagus Altifrons, 1 Santanoperca Jurupari, 2 Delhezi Bichirs, 7 Angelfish, 1 Platy, 3 Odessa Barbs, 1 Chocolate Pleco, and 1 Red Tail Black Shark who, even being a fraction of the size of the big fish, beats the crap out of them whenever she feels like it.
Filtered by an FX5

 

[Kevin565]

Last I checked the pH was around 8.3. I have pH down if it's necessary. Temperature is around 67 degrees, but I could always put in a heater.

I removed all of the heaters a while ago since they aren't required for goldfish and I had one mal-function. The heater caused an electrical current which ran through the water and caused some of my koi fry to become deformed.

Currently in the 125 gallon tank are koi and goldfish ranging from 4 to 15 inches, but once I get the pond going again this spring, I'll have fantail goldfish, koi fry (2 inches), and blue gouramis in the tank.

The only other options for the bala sharks would be a 40 gallon tank, or the fish pond.

If you lower the PH and raise the temperature I think it could work. Many people are totally against mixing cold water and tropical fish but I have seen some experts find the right median.

This is pretty cool:

It's a cost effective way to build an aquarium. I'm thinking that I need to try it out, and if I do, I'm going big. Probably 600 gallons.

In the video he uses liquid rubber, but I was thinking of using extra pond liner and silicone.

That is quite interesting!

My 100 gallon PLANTED Eartheater tank. Yep, Eartheaters and plants 5 Geophagus Altifrons, 1 Santanoperca Jurupari, 2 Delhezi Bichirs, 7 Angelfish, 1 Platy, 3 Odessa Barbs, 1 Chocolate Pleco, and 1 Red Tail Black Shark who, even being a fraction of the size of the big fish, beats the crap out of them whenever she feels like it.
Filtered by an FX5

Love those angels!

 

[Windrider]

Bala Shark
Yes, these guys get huge and are notorious jumpers (cover your aquarium!). Although in the same family as goldfish and koi (Cyprinidae), Balas are a true tropical and won't appreciate being in a pond (unless you live in Florida, and maybe not even then). They'll get ich at low temperatures.


Not a great pic for ID purposes, but I believe you have a geriatric female Corydoras paleatus (Pepper Cory). Most website list paleatus as only getting 3" (standard length), but I have seen some whoppers in my day that were bigger. I think she is geriatric because she looks a bit misshapen, which does happen to very old corys.



Yep, Buenos Aires Tetra.




Huh. Not a tropical I don't think, but it look like a Cyprinidae. Isn't this a native of your area, the Fat Head Minnow? If so, it would definitely appreciate being in the cooler water with the goldfish.