Getting gulpers! Few tank questions

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xDestro

xDestro

Plecostomus
MFK Member
Aug 15, 2016
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I had to pull the trigger and order 2 gulpers from my LFS before the tank was %100 setup. I couldn't let them get away again.

The tank.
•the 55 gallon tank has been up and running for around 8 months now, originally on a canister and a sponge filter but canister **** out and now it's on 2 sponge, gonna get 1 more. The tank had been a community tank for the entire 8 months but knowing I was getting gulpers I have to redo it without killing my cycle, all the fish are gone except a eb acara which I will move to a 75 tomorrow when I get them, as of now I took out most decorations and removed gravel, I have 1 good piece of drift wood ordered another for more cover for them, my main concern is I won't be able to get sand until after I get the gulpers or maybe at very earliest later that day. So.. should I wait to add sand until the gulpers have been in the tank for a few days? Weeks? Until they're eating? I did about a 50% water change today and did not clean my sponge filters, but removing gravel left behind a good amount of crud on the bare bottom, I plan to gravel vac that up before I go get them but should I do a bigger water change or clean my filters?
 
I would check your water parameters and if they are good then I wouldn't worry much about another water change. Definitely check the parameters though, there's a good chance that all of that crud at the bottom is giving off some excess ammonia. I learned that the hard way and almost lost my new fire eel.
 
Gulpers are in and seem to be doing well. Not very active but kinda expected that? What about adding sand? Should i wait? I'll prob end up taking most of decor out of tank to add it. so I don't wanna put to much stress on them all at once since these fish were NOT cheap at all
 
Yeah it may be a good idea to wait before putting in the sand. Let them get acclimated and eating. I'm not sure if it's just my 2, but they seem relatively sensitive to stress. It took them about a month and a half to seem fully settled in
 
My gulper was the same way--didn't eat for a week or two, then finally started taking market shrimp. Funny little fish though. Enjoy them
 
Depending how fine the sand is, it may well be a true PITA to do it after fish are inside, since it may take up to a few days for the finer particles to settle unless you wash it really really well...
 
I really like the look of sand compared to bare bottom, it brightens the tank up a bit, I'll be using the same sand I switch out in my 75, it's pretty fine but all my fish in the 75 were fine after I added it, I just use a cup and poor it in directly on the bottom so it dowant cloud to much, I'll wait until there eating for about 2 weeks then do it
 
xDestro said:
I really like the look of sand compared to bare bottom, it brightens the tank up a bit, I'll be using the same sand I switch out in my 75, it's pretty fine but all my fish in the 75 were fine after I added it, I just use a cup and poor it in directly on the bottom so it dowant cloud to much, I'll wait until there eating for about 2 weeks then do it
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If I understand this correctly and you're actually moving some of the sand from your 75 into your gulpers' tank, then make sure you take the time to wash it really well. My preferred method is to fill a bucket about half full and then just use the hose while swirling it around until the water overflowing runs clear.

The last time I had used sand in a tank, it ended up adding a ton of ammonia from detritus that had built up in it and I almost lost a new fish.
 
No im just useing same type of sand. I was saying wen I added the the same to my 75 the fish were fine afterwards
 
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