HELP!!!!!!!!!! i just bought 11 zebra's

[AndyAps.com]

Please help.
hi i'm new to the site and need some advice, i have been a guest for a while but just registered.
ok here goes. i have purchased 11 Zebra plecos and dont have anywhere to keep them yet!!! i know very stupid but i couldnt resist the little guys, wanted some for ages and had to have them when i saw them. i have set 2 X2 foot tanks up but the guy in the shop says i should run theese for a month before adding the plecos cos of the amonia cycle (i think he means nitrogen cycle) does it really take a whole month???????? i already put in some fish to help cylce them and also added some of the filter gunge from my other very mature tank as well as off the shelf CYCLE every day. been running 5 days now. My other option is to move around my 3footer. if i move my oscars out of that into the 2x2foots and put the zebra's in there?????/ wich do you guys think would be best??? the only reason i am swaying to the 2footers by the way is they are in my spaceheated office with constant temp. the 3' is in the conservatorty, cold over night but holds 2x300W heaters to keep it steady. I am also worried about the acclimatisation. the shop ph is 8 mine is 7, the guy says it will burn the plecs gills but i have drip acclimatised before over a large ph, are the zebra's really that fragile??? my GH is 50ppm and kh is 20ppm (very soft) is this ok?. Please give me as much advice as possible and any suggestions you come up with will be highly appreciated. Please help me

[AndyAps.com]

i should also add that which ever tank they go in could be temporary if you dont think they suit as wharf aqautics have built me a 110 gallon 3' x3'x2' cube that is going in my lounge as soon as the floor has been reinforced it was originally for the oscars but the zebras take prioraty now lol. yeah i bought a 110 gallon tank that weighs 0.7 of a ton to go on a wood floor, by the way if you hadn't guessed yes i am very impulsive and pretty stupid.

[Mindy]

I wouldn't advise putting the Zebras or the Oscars into an uncycled tank. My zebras are also temporarily housed while their own tank matures. And yes, it generally takes around a month to cycle a tank. The more you can put in the new tank to help it, the better. Like seeding the new filter from your old one, putting some bogwood and/or other tank furniture from a mature tank. All these things will have essential bacteria on the surfaces which will help. Also, maybe use some water from your established tank, but this is just for aged water. The bacteria you want doesn't live in the water column, only on surfaces. Having some fish in there will also help to establish the cycle as they will continue to produce ammonia which the bacteria feed on. 'Cycle' (the product) helps, but isn't a substitute for cycling a tank.

After a couple weeks you could still get spikes of ammonia or nitrite and that will hurt your fish. I don't think the Zebras or the Oscars would handle that.

As far as pH, I also had to acclimate mine down from a pH of 8.0-8.2, down to my pH. As long as you do it slowly, over a few hours, they will be fine. Mine were, and they look much better for having more suitable water. I noticed the change in their appearance within a few days.

I'm really not sure what to suggest but I'm sure someone else might have a more ideas. Are the Oscars very big yet? If you put the Zebs in there, would the Oscars try to eat them? Would it be possible to make a pile of rocks and wood that they could really get inside and hide themselves until their tanks are ready? I don't know how vigorously the Oscars will hunt out small fish.

Do you have a friend with a more suitable tank that could hold some while you get yourself sorted?

[Tom2600]

Do you actually have these 11 zebras or is the shop holding them?

If you have them I would kick the oscars into the smaller tanks and give your larger mature tank a quick clean (e.g. syphon gravel and perform 30-40% water change) and put the zebras in here. DO NOT risk putting them in a new tank. I imagine you have spent a large sum of money on these fish and you will probably lose some/all of them if you were to put them in a new tank. Something that is often banded around is that is takes 1 month to mature a tank. This is true in essence but this does not mean your tank is fully mature. This will take approx. 6 months. In the first few months of any new tank water conditions can fluctuate so with zebras I just wouldn't risk it.

Zebras are hardy plecs but they need relatively strong curents and a good to high level of dissolved oxygen. They prefer temps around 28-29C and obviously lots of cover to hide amongst.

With regards to pH, GH and KH. Yours sounds fine. Just make sure your parameters are steady and don't fluctuate. Certainly don't try to change them just yet.

To acclimatise your zebras to their new water place them into a water container (bucket) and drip feed water from your tank. After an hour or to the zebras can be placed in the tank.

They really are quite simple to keep. Just keep the water changes regular and the water conditions stable. Food recommended is frozen bloodworm and tetra prima but they will take most things. Don't feed too much for fear of them not getting enough. Feed after lights out, any left in the morning just syphon out. Keep the water warm and the quality good and they will eat.

BTW... I think 11 zebras in a 3 foot tank is too many. Your 3x2x2 sounds very nice though.

Regards

Tom

[AndyAps.com]

ok first things first
yeah the oscars are quite big and would make a lovely meal of the fish so thats a no no. i have cleaned out the oscar tank this morning and siphoned out all the crud and the sand substrate as it was quite dirty, the oscar tank has 1 internal filter and an ehiem external and the 2' tanks have 2 internals each. basically all have a very high turnover and flow rate and high oxygen levels. if i put the oscars in the new tanks i reckon the old 3' tank would hold them ok but i just wanna check that the tank is ok after my major maintanence this morning then maybe i will put them in there. the 2 X 2' tanks are currently holding 10 zebra danios in each to help them cycle. any other suggestions????

[Tom2600]

To be honest your 3 foot is the only option until the other two are mature. If the filters have been supporting messy oscars they should cope fine with some regal zebras

The best way to mature your two footers would be to stick with the danios but add some of the tank water from your mature tank.

I would personally not risk placing so many zebras (if any) in new tanks.

A few water test kits would help to monitor the water conditions. I would go for an ammonia and nitrite test kit. I think Hagen currently have an offer of buy two get one free. They are decent test kits. Let your zebras settle before considering altering their pH etc.

I would say again though, the 3 foot tank should only be a temporary measure as 11 zebras will need more space than this. I assume you'll be using your 3x2x2 for the zebras.

Good luck, sounds like some sleepless nights coming up for you. Get those torch batteries charged.


Cheers

Tom

[AndyAps.com]

Tell me about it, i sat up all night last night making sure the temp in the 3footer did not fluctuate over night so as not to temp shock them. i am excited as i want them home now but scared witless that i will kill them. Keep havin nightmares about the heater in the shop tank blowing up and killing them while still in the shop and blaming myself cos i didnt collect them soon enough.
<<<<<<<<<needs counselling. pmsl

I have put the oscars in the 2footers 1 per tank and cleaned the 3footer out big time. there is and ehiem external running on it as well as an internal. both have been running over 2 years so are well mature. i am also going to add another ehiem external 2126 thermo model this afternoon so the water will be turning over so the water will be turning over at least 7 times an hour with a venturi type outlet on the filter adding more oygen. i hope this is gonna work. I have spent 2 years reaserching these fish and have a folder full of info on them and now i have some i am doubting everything i know and questioning everything!!!!!!! im going mad.

[McEve]

I have spent 2 years reaserching these fish and have a folder full of info on them and now i have some i am doubting everything i know and questioning everything!!!!!!! im going mad.

That sounds familiar You'll find that they are pretty hardy cats, but there's no need not to treat them like the treasures they are! I don't have any additional advice to give, as you've been well adviced already, just wanted to say welcome to the forum and congrats on your find

Good luck!