# New Aquarium



## chinamansteve (Sep 13, 2010)

Hello everyone, I've started my tank about 4 weeks ago, so I am fairly new to this. My tank is 45G long, and currently have 3 guppies, and about 17 guppy fry (2 weeks old), 2 plecos, and 6 pentazona barbs. 

I'm planning to get rid of the 2 plecos (and probably 15 of the guppies when they are older), as I am planning to get a redtail black shark in the future, and from what I read, they eat algae's as well? Does anyone recommend having the redtail black shark in the tank with my current fish community? I'm also planning to get 8 more neon tetras and 1 more dwarf gourami in the future to complete the aquarium. Thanks!

EDIT: I have this central water filtration system in my house, and I have fake plants in the aquarium, don't know if this would affect anything.


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## dl88dl (Mar 8, 2010)

The redtail black shark are very aggressive and should not be kept with those fishy you listed but try some otto catfish instead. Also live plants are much better than fake plants.


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## chinamansteve (Sep 13, 2010)

dl88dl said:


> The redtail black shark are very aggressive and should not be kept with those fishy you listed but try some otto catfish instead. Also live plants are much better than fake plants.


Hmm, I would like live plants as well, but don't know a thing to take care of them. I was watching these youtube videos on how to set up live plants, and seems like it could get complicated. I was at Big Al's the other day and saw that the redtail black sharks were labeled with the green "Community fish" tag...


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## dl88dl (Mar 8, 2010)

chinamansteve said:


> Hmm, I would like live plants as well, but don't know a thing to take care of them. I was watching these youtube videos on how to set up live plants, and seems like it could get complicated. I was at Big Al's the other day and saw that the redtail black sharks were labeled with the green "Community fish" tag...


Not sure why they put a green label but it could be kept with large and aggresive cichlids but you will need a very big tank and lots of hiding places.

There are some very easy low/med light plants like java/christmas moss, java fern, anubia, windelow, pelia etc and some can be tie to rocks or wood and they will root on it.


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## bob123 (Dec 31, 2009)

Red tail sharks are very aggressive as they age and are not good algae eaters, I would not recommended them for fish under 3" in size. The community tank tag is not meant that it can be kept with any other fish with a community tag, it means that a fish can be kept with certain other fish with the same temperment and size. Before you buy a fish you should do some research on google about the fish you like and see if all the conditions for each fish you want are compatible with each other. I hope this makes sense good luck.


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## chinamansteve (Sep 13, 2010)

Ok, so I guess the redtail black shark will be out of the question for my tank. Thanks for all the help! Would a Dwarf Gourami, or perhaps 1 male and 1 female be suitable? Since my tank would have guppies, neon tetras and pentazona barbs, I would like to have one or two medium sized fish in there.


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