Help with my new fish that's too large

[Jess]

I ordered some new fish for my 17 gallon jungle...ahem, aquarium.  It currently has some chili rasboras that are being moved to a smaller tank with less flow (17gal has an Eheim 2213 that produces more flow than they care for) and 4 licorice gouramis who mostly hang out in the "underbrush" plant growth.  The tank has two big branches of manzanita wood covered with moss and other plants, as well as a couple of dragon stones (big one on the left...and two very small ones).

I got 12 dwarf spotted danios because they like higher flow, and a panda garra.  These were at the suggestion of customer service at The Wet Spot (I don't live anywhere near the Co-op, sadly), and I have gotten all my fish from them so far.  They are really great.  The fish just arrived today; just put them in the tank a couple of hours ago.

The problem is this: this panda garra is HUGE.  I had no idea how big he was.  He's over 3 inches...and he just looks really uncomfortable.  Like he doesn't have enough space.  I feel SUPER bad for him.  I have named him Mr. Jumbotron, and I would like to keep him if possible.  To be clear, my concerns here surround his physical size and comfort/mobility in the tank...I am confident my water change schedule + plant mass can keep up with regular waste generated.  Here are my two options:

1. Take out some of the hardscape (branches?) so he has more swimming space

• Potential issues: about half my plant mass is on the hardscape, so I'm concerned about creating a stability problem by removing them; also my licorice gouramis use them for cover (I could move them to the smaller 7.5-gal with the chili rasboras...not sure whether they might be more territorial in that smaller space).

2. Rush to set up my 45-gallon tank.  It has hardscape in it already, but no substrate or water.  I was planning on setting it up later in the year because I still need a few more things (a light, CO2 system).

• Potential issues: it would take a month to cycle the new tank AND get enough algae going that Mr. Jumbotron can be happy in there.

3. Contact my LFS and see if they could take Mr. Jumbotron as a donation or a trade.

• Not really an issue, but... I really love Mr. Jumbotron already and I don't want to donate him. But I do want the best for him...so I have to consider this option too.

Questions for the group:

1. What would you guys do?

2. How long can Mr. Jumbotron stay in this tank? (i.e. how long do I have to come up with and prepare the solution...I want the best for him and he just seems uncomfortable where he is)

3. Any thoughts/suggestions on my possible solutions and the potential issues I have raised?

I attached some pictures of Mr. Jumbotron in the jungle/aquarium.  Sorry it's dim...the lights are very low to help the fish chill out.  He's in the top-left of the first picture, lower-right of the second picture.

Thank you in advance for your advice in fixing this terrible mistake.

 

[Patrick_G]

First of all, nice tank! I have a smaller rimless that’s headed towards a similar looking scape. I love that you have a bit of everything in there! 

I would get the new tank set up with some filter media from the established tank. You should be ready for Mr Jumbotron right away. You can add some established plants and bits of hard scape for even more biological filtration. This method really works well, I’ve set up four tanks in the last six months and haven’t ever seem Ammonia. 
 

 

[Nordlys Fish Room]

I don’t think you have to rush anything. I had a group of (4) panda garra (also from Wet Spot) in a 20 long quarantine tank for almost 2 months before moving them to a 75. 

[CalmedByFish]

I recently had to keep a too-big fish in a tank for 1-2 months while I replaced his usual big tank. Not ideal, but he's fine now. I think I'd just take a deep breath and start setting up the big tank. You can use some bacteria-covered stuff from your current tanks to jump-start the cycling. 

You really don't need to worry about the light yet (stick a lamp nearby?), or the C02 yet (if at all?). And if he wants to eat algae, algae wafers might be a great option.

Based on pictures, you've probably got plants that will do fine with low light and no C02. 

So in answer to your specific questions. 1) That's what I'd do. 2) At least a couple months - long enough to not worry while you set up the big tank.

[Eric R]

Agree with everything that's been recommended so far. I insta cycle all my new tanks by transferring over enough existing plants and filter media for the new bioload. Works great unless you need to add a bunch of fish at once and don't have enough established plants or media. You can add a decent bacteria starter like Fritz 7 in such a case to help things along.

[Jess]

Thank you all so much.  Yesterday I bought the few things I still needed for my bigger tank (like extra filter media...I will split the existing media in my new tank and use half to cycle the new one).  I also planned to make a DIY lid for this tank...which I was thinking only because the danios look like they will take flight any day...they zoom around like crazy.

Unfortunately, last night Mr. Jumbotron jumped out of the tank while I was asleep.  

Additionally, while I was netting the chili rasboras to move them to the tank with lower flow, one of them darted between the net and the glass, where he got trapped and instantly died.  

So, I've lost two pets in one day and it's all my fault. 😭😭😭😭

I think I will just keep my existing fish until they pass on...I don't want to have fish anymore...I hate killing things.  I feel so guilty and I miss them.

[KaitieG]

6 minutes ago, Jess said:

 

So, I've lost two pets in one day and it's all my fault. 😭😭😭😭

I think I will just keep my existing fish until they pass on...I don't want to have fish anymore...I hate killing things.  I feel so guilty and I miss them.

I'm so sorry this happened--it's so hard to lose pets!  Your tanks are beautiful, and they look like great places for your fish to live.  I'm so sorry for the two losses...sometimes mistakes/accidents happen, but knowing that doesn't really make it any easier 😞 

[Tanked]

Sorry to hear about Mr, Jumbotron.  It hurts when a prized fish passes.  His passing gave you some time to set up the new tank and make room for his replacement.  

[RockMongler]

Sounds like a case of live and learn (or, learn and carryon)!  Some species are more apt to jump out of tanks, making lids necessary.  I haven't kept panda garras myself yet, but I do have hillstream loaches.  And from what I've read and seen videos of online, is hillstream loaches do more than just jump out of the water; they will climb up the glass.  It's an adaptation they have so that during times of less flow in their natural environment, they can climb from isolated pool to isolated pool looking for the perfect place to hang out (with some species doing it a lot more than others). 

A quick look at panda garras online tells me they have a similar skillset, and are known to climb up glass, and out of a tank.   Its one reason to be careful of rimless tanks with no lid.  They definitely are aesthetic, but if you have climbers or jumpers, they are a liability. 

I know it feels awful to lose an animal in your care, but don't let it get you down too much.  Keeping fish is not always easy, and good advice can be tricky to come by for many species.  

[Jess]

Thanks, everyone.  Your supportive words are helpful...my partner, who is not really into fish, does "get it" because he is used to me getting upset when I accidentally kill a bug or something like that.  For me, the lost dollars are like the last thing I care about...but it's deeply painful to know that he died because of my negligence (in not putting a rim on the tank).  That was the plan for this weekend - go buy some plexiglass and just put it on top of the tank, then cut it to fit and get supports to hold it on later.  He was wild-caught, which makes it more horrible...he could have kept living happily in the wild and instead I basically just cut off who knows how many years of his life.  And he suffered lots in many transits, which are stressful for them no matter how well-carried-out.

Cory said in one of his livestreams that seeing something/someone die is the worst you can feel as a human.  I couldn't have said it better myself.

RockMongler - you're right.  It's not worth the risk; both of my rimless tanks are getting lids, and my still-empty 45-gallon already has one.  The bright side (I guess) is if I do get any more fish, I can choose from ones that previously have been "off limits" because of their tendency to jump/climb out of a tank with no lid.