Advice needed (tank 2)

[Justikanz]

Hi

My second tank is a 2.5’x1.5’x 2’ tall tank and is being filtered by an over hanging filter. Currently, fauna in the tank include 8 big Rasbora borapetensis look-alike (about 7” long), 1 small goldfish (>2 years old but stay only about 2” long), 1 penguin tetra (sole survivor, >3 years old) and some brown zebra snails. The snails are for algae control as the tank is totally exposed to sunlight, being right next to the balcony window. There are no surviving plants in this tank, probably because the rasboras and goldfish loves to eat plants. Even Java fern had not been successfully being grown in the tank. I am trying the fern again, just to push luck...

The rasboras are very jittery, 3 of them had died from jumping out of the tank (and out of the adjacent window, plunging down 14 storeys). I would like to keep some fish to keep them from being so jittery. I am thinking if there are some fish moving about at the tank bottom, the rasboras might get used to movement. What do you guys think?

With the goldfish in mind, would you guys think it is ok to add some convict cichlids or fire mouth cichlids to the tank? I am also interested in the medium sized Distichodus sp .headstanders. As they relish on plant leaves, would they nib on the fins of the goldfish in a tank without plants?

Do you guys think the above mentioned fish be effective from keeping anymore of the rasboras from anymore suicide missions? If the cichlids are not suitable, what fish would you recommend if the above mentioned are all not suitable? The Pimelodus pictus cats? What about keeping crayfish?

[loupgarou]

are you sure they are rasboras and not some type of barb.

[Justikanz]

I asked myself that question many times... I couldn't find any info on them in all my fish books, the best I can describe them is that they look like giant Rasbora borapetensis, very slender and rasbora like physically. But they DO behave like barbs in their behaviour... Maybe I will try to take some pictures of the fish...

[vinz]

Eigth 7" fishes in a 2.5' tank just sounds too crowded to me. Maybe thats why they are jumping. Have you checked the water conditions recently?

Fishes are calmer if they have places to hide behind. Do you have any large driftwood in the tank that they can hide behind? Consider adding some if you don't. Plants of course do the job too. You can try Anubias tie on the driftwood. They are tough.

Forget the crayfish... might make the jittery fishes more jittery.

[Justikanz]

Well, 1 thing I must admit... I almost never change the water for this tank! I rely on plants (terrestrial) for chemical filtration and the overhead filter for mechanical and a little biological... But I think the fish are jittery cos the tank is empty but just fish. And it was seldom visited... Thus they may get excited when we are around... esp when they are fed... The tank is very deep, btw, about 2' deep...