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I have a couple of fish that are being picked on by another fish in their tank. I just set up a 55 gallon to get them out of there. But here's the hitch:

I'm going out of town Sunday night for two days. Then I'm coming back for one day, but 24 hours after that I have to leave again for six more days.

My husband will be home and can keep an eye on the tank, but he's not all that observant (once, after a business trip, I come home to find a floater that had obviously been there for more than a couple of hours. Hubby: "Dead fish? What dead fish?"

Is it better to move the fish to the new tank right before I leave and cross my fingers that there's no problem? (I'll be using filter media from my other tanks, so I presumably won't have to cycle).

Or is it better to leave them in their current (somewhat stressful) situation until I get back, which would be a total of 12 more days?

They're pearl gouramis, so the level of actual violence is low -- it's just that the aggressive one has the other two hiding in the plants in separate areas of the plants. (He does let them come out to eat, though.)

All advice appreciated!

Last edited by lmuha at 04-Mar-2005 19:46

I should add that my preference is probably to leave them where they are, as long as another couple of weeks of being intimidated won't take too much of a toll on them.

what i would do is take some of your substrate (gravel) out of the tank they are currently in and use it on top of the new gravel in the 55....also use some of your filter media from the old in the new filter...this will help the tank filter faster than a fishless cycle...you can also go and buy bacteria starter stuff...I get proquatics Bacteria Starter from PetSmart, there is also cycle which is good, your choice. I would move them now, have your husband watch them, and have him call you if anything seems odd about them. As knowing my luck if i left them in the tank they are currently in, the other fish would kill them before you get back...best of luck, heidi

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