bigger tank

Question
Chris,

I have had a fish tank since I was about 10 years old, and I am now 20. I have purchased a 28 gallon tank for when I go to school.(My past tanks have consisted of neons, guppies, plecos, a loach, and even one oscar. These were not all in the same tank.) I am currently in the setup/cycling process of my tank which I plan to do for about 4 days.(So far my tank is very healthy as I have been testing it about twice daily for the first two days) I am really a fan of the needlefish, as I have seen them in the pet stores and have loved them from day one. I have researched endlessly on these fish and have heard many different things. I have a few basic questions on these fish:

1. I plan on getting the needlefish and possibly a pleco for this tank and no other fish until I upgrade tanks. Is this feasible? I would get rid of the pleco if it were to get too large as I am not a fan on large plecos and I know it is not good for the needlefish.

2. Do I need to put salt in this tank? I've heard that up to .5 tsp/10 gallons is good for needlefish and will not harm a pleco.

3. How often do I need to feed a needlefish, and how much do I feed it? I will be feeding it rosys, and will most likely keep them in a bowl. Also in the past I have had enough fish in the tank that I have not had to feed my plecos, if I were to have to feed my pleco what do you suggest?(I know the pickles you see in the pet store aquariums can be quite dangerous to the other fish because decaying vegetables arent very good for toxin levels)

From what I understand, a 28 gallon tank is the minimum for a needlefish, but I am planning on keeping the population to 1-2 fish and I am very good at doing the regular required maintenance to have a healthy tank as I am obsessed with my fish and find myself checking the tank multiple times daily.

Does it sound like I am able to pull this off? I love the needle fish and I understand that the species I am looking at can get up to 10-12 inches long. Im fairly knowledgable about fish tanks, but at school we are not allowed to have tanks larger than 30 gallons in my apartment and I am hoping to make this tank work with a needlefish. Please let me know if you think it is possible and I am open to any suggestions you may have. Thank You for your time

-Jake

Answer
Hi Jake;

You definitely need to know more about cycling your tank. It can't happen in 4 days. Unfortunately, many new hobbyists misunderstand the time period of letting the new tank circulate for a few days to be sure everything is working. It isn't the same thing at all. The whole "cycling" or "Break-in" process takes several weeks and can't begin without adding fish or another source of ammonia to feed the new beneficial bacteria colonies that will be growing in there. Here is a link to my own page about it;

http://www.xanga.com/Expert_Fish_Help

I really can't recommend a gar for a 28 gallon even while young. They are hyper jumpy guys that need swimming space as they grow. They should be in groups of 3 or more in a 55 gallon or larger. They need One Tablespoon of aquarium salt for every 5 gallons of tank water. My own plecostomus have tolerated this level of salt just fine when I use it for other types of fish.

If you do decide to keep a gar in your 28 gallon anyway, you will have to get a regular aquarium with a filter for his "food" to live in. Fish bowls can only keep one fish per two gallons if there is no filter, and the fish must be a type that doesn't require very much oxygen in the water. If you have a filter in the bowl, you can have one fish per gallon. The same general stocking rules for small fish apply even for feeders; "One inch of fish per gallon in a filtered tank". The feeder tank also needs to go through the break-in period so start very slow and follow the recommendations at my web page about it. You will want them to be as healthy as possible so they provide healthy nutrition for your pet predator fish. Good conditions for your feeders also helps avoid stress induced diseases. Any problems in your feeder tank will be passed on to your pets. They are only as healthy as what you feed them.

Veggies are just fine to feed plecos if there isn't enough algae for them. The veggies don't rot if the fish are actually eating them. If they aren't being eaten and appear to be rotting or getting soft, take them out and put in less next time or smaller pieces. I use spinach leaves, romaine lettuce, squash or cucumber chunks, cooked green beans and cooked peeled peas.

At Your Service;
Chris Robbins