35 gallon long, skittish community, breeding set-up?

[ZanaZoola14]

Getting two new 35gallon longs, around 3 foot, 140 ish litres.

What would people say would be their favourite sort of fish or things to do with such tank? Community, breeding, crab?

I'm thinking about possibly doing a skittish community including scarlet badis, sparkling gourami and the such. What wojld people think on something like this? How would people set something up like this in their opinion? I'm used to cichlids, so going something new here and want to fish for ideas.

What set ups do people have in tanks of similar size? What would you like to do in a tank like this?

 

[AdoraBelle Dearheart]

Ooohh, exciting!!

To get a better idea, we'd need to know a bit about the source water you plan to use, since that has a big impact on the type of fish that would work for you. If you know the GH and pH of your source water, that's great - if not, you can find the info on the website of your water supplier, or take a sample to a fish store and have them test it for you. @Essjay is the guru when it comes to this sort of thing if you're not sure.

Personally I'd be trying to breed cories in at least one of them, since there's a large footprint, and I'm a big cory nut, so I'm biased! Or possibly plecos, if you're into them, although while the footprint is good, plecos are messy, so maybe not suitable for as many plecos as you'd want for a breeding project.
But more importantly - what sort of fish do you like? What have you kept before, what fish attract your attention when you wander the store, is there anything you've always wanted to keep?
Do you really want to breed? Or do you want them to be more like display tanks with a lot of visual impact? If you do want to breed, do you have space to set up some smaller tanks to raise fry, or will it need to be stuff that can community breed?

 

[ZanaZoola14]

Ooohh, exciting!!

To get a better idea, we'd need to know a bit about the source water you plan to use, since that has a big impact on the type of fish that would work for you. If you know the GH and pH of your source water, that's great - if not, you can find the info on the website of your water supplier, or take a sample to a fish store and have them test it for you. @Essjay is the guru when it comes to this sort of thing if you're not sure.

Personally I'd be trying to breed cories in at least one of them, since there's a large footprint, and I'm a big cory nut, so I'm biased! Or possibly plecos, if you're into them, although while the footprint is good, plecos are messy, so maybe not suitable for as many plecos as you'd want for a breeding project.
But more importantly - what sort of fish do you like? What have you kept before, what fish attract your attention when you wander the store, is there anything you've always wanted to keep?
Do you really want to breed? Or do you want them to be more like display tanks with a lot of visual impact? If you do want to breed, do you have space to set up some smaller tanks to raise fry, or will it need to be stuff that can community breed?

My tap ph is 7.5 and gh of 10dgh, however, I also use ro for my dwarf cichlids. I also use botanicals and tannins, so that the water is correct for the fish, and not just 'pretty'.

I used to breed cories; that is how I'm getting these tanks and racks! Trading a breeding group of black cories C. Schultzei. I also have two plecos, bristle noses, currently only just coming into maturity as a male and female.

As said above, I am keeping and breeding dwarf cichlids. Previously had two pairs of kribs, including a super red pair, and now have a trio of cockatoo apistos, two agassizii double red, a pair of gold-black rams, and one male A. Gephyra that I am trying my hardest to get a female for. I also keep a tropical pond with livebearers and five or so different danios which reguarly breed, alongwith three colonies of neocardinia shrimp. I also have a pair of black tiger badis (dario. Myanmar) that I am hoping to source more of and breed. Previously had badis buxar on order but the shipment got cancelled, which is part of the reason I have these tanks.

I do already have many smaller tanks set up to raise fry and such from breeding, and a time out tank (Chopstick used to be very agressive but has mellowed out now). These tanks our more, "out of the way" as such, so don't need to be visually pretty or the such. I already have visual displays, so don't need to do others as I have those to show.

Many many fish catch my eye, but I do admit I have a thing for shiny (almost reflective) fish, which is why I want to locate a ginrin doitsu platinum ogon for my larger pond.
Fish I've always wanted to keep I've been able to source and keep already, from what I remember, and it I also want to know what other fish others like to try and broaden my horizon or help me see beyond what I've already seen in the store.

I hope this information helps!

 

[Colin_T]

It depends on what fish you like and if you want to breed them. The price of aquarium fish has gone up and if you can find a shop that will take fish, perhaps use them as breeding tanks.

 

[ZanaZoola14]

It depends on what fish you like and if you want to breed them. The price of aquarium fish has gone up and if you can find a shop that will take fish, perhaps use them as breeding tanks.

I should be able to negotiate with my job to take some, or I can do postage.
I do want to breed, currently got a couple projects going with apistos and rams. Would like to do something different. Got two spare now, so maybe thinking one community one breeding or both doing one. I want to see what others like to help broaden what I look at.

 

[WetPetMum]

Have you ever thought about a coral reef? Sounds like you need a challenge, I know nothing by the way my new 58ltr tank is still cycling

 

[ZanaZoola14]

Have you ever thought about a coral reef? Sounds like you need a challenge, I know nothing by the way my new 58ltr tank is still cycling

Love to do something like that, not sure I could afford that at the moment sadly. Only recently got a job again, and every price is going up. That is definitely a challenge I'll go for in the future unless I locate some for slightly cheaper.

 

[WetPetMum]

Love to do something like that, not sure I could afford that at the moment sadly. Only recently got a job again, and every price is going up. That is definitely a challenge I'll go for in the future unless I locate some for slightly cheaper.

I know what you mean I’m reluctant to even stick a heater in mine

 

[ZanaZoola14]

I know what you mean I’m reluctant to even stick a heater in mine

Which is why I'm also looking into coldwater again (lost my whole tank in the heatwave). Maybe fork out on wave maker and go strong current coldwater fish for one of the tanks as the room has one of the biggest fans in the whole house.

 

[WetPetMum]

Which is why I'm also looking into coldwater again (lost my whole tank in the heatwave). Maybe fork out on wave maker and go strong current coldwater fish for one of the tanks as the room has one of the biggest fans in the whole house.

I’ve seen videos of those wave makers wish I had space for a big tank! I’ve not even 100% decided what little fish to put in there yet but they’ve gotta be hardy and colourful.

 

[ZanaZoola14]

I’ve seen videos of those wave makers wish I had space for a big tank! I’ve not even 100% decided what little fish to put in there yet but they’ve gotta be hardy and colourful.

Look into rainbow shiners, that is what I used to have. Brilliant colourful fish, sell for a lot as well.

 

[Beastije]

I have three more setups other than those I already have, that I want to try, maybe one will inspire you:

• a rice fish paddy with some oryzias fish and some grass like plant sticking out of the tank to look like a rice field, the youtuber MD fish tanks did a similar one, and it looked wicked
• australia/oceania fishtank, either including rainbowfish or just one species like Pseudomugil gertrudae or furcatus or signifier
• tank for loaches, like kuhli loaches or small botia loach

 

[WetPetMum]

Look into rainbow shiners, that is what I used to have. Brilliant colourful fish, sell for a lot as well.

Yes the pet store has them at around £20 each… minimum of 3
They said we could put with cloud minnows x 6 but someone suggested that it may be over stocked.
Can’t afford to lose £60 worth of fish so getting my tank right is top priority. For my benefit and the fishes health of course

 

[ZanaZoola14]

I have three more setups other than those I already have, that I want to try, maybe one will inspire you:

• a rice fish paddy with some oryzias fish and some grass like plant sticking out of the tank to look like a rice field, the youtuber MD fish tanks did a similar one, and it looked wicked
• australia/oceania fishtank, either including rainbowfish or just one species like Pseudomugil gertrudae or furcatus or signifier
• tank for loaches, like kuhli loaches or small botia loach

A rice paddy tank would be interesting, and I have some plants that would work well in that situation.

I've got pseudomugil gertrudae at the moment, had the others previously and getting the neon red blue eyes. Although that would certainly be an interesting tank.

A loach tank would be awesome, I was already thinking about doing a large group.of kuhli loaches, and that sort of tank would allow such.

 

[ZanaZoola14]

Yes the pet store has them at around £20 each… minimum of 3
They said we could put with cloud minnows x 6 but someone suggested that it may be over stocked.
Can’t afford to lose £60 worth of fish so getting my tank right is top priority. For my benefit and the fishes health of course

Yes, they are massively expensive, sadly. I got mine for £25 for a pair, and I was lucky for that cheap. I would love to get more, but as you said, they're too expensive really.