55 G Sa

[Soup21]

Here's my plans just running out some ideas.
55 gallon planting with biotope correct plant.
fish as follows
-6 Bolivian rams or 2 Bolivians and a trio of appistos
-1 keyhole or similar size cichlid as somewhat of a center piece
-2 bristle nose plecos
-20-30 bleeding heart or black widow tetras


I was also throwing around the idea of ditching the center piece cichlid and replacing with a school of hatchets for top strata. Any other insight on the fish list, plants, or anything similar would be much appreciated. I'm planning on over filtering a fair amount, and like said earlier my goal is to try and keep it as biotopic (based around the bolivians) as possible.

 

[Wills]

Sounds good - I would keep the species to a minimum and do

6 Bolivians
2 Bristlenose (a bit of a boring/common species IMO, if your going for a cracking SA tank why not go for a rarer plec or something like starlight BNs or Medusas?)
20 Flame Tetras (Bleeding Hearts could possibly compete with your rams for size, if you had a large tetra and a small ram lol so would be a large school - black widows can be nippy but in a good sized school might be okay - don't underestimate the size of adult disk tetras though, they can be quite big fish)

Instead of a centrepiece cichlid what about a group of Checkerboard cichlids? You could always split your tetra into a school of 10 and get some pencil fish for the top. Or instead of the checkerboards what about a group of Spotted Headstanders?

As for decor, get a fine sand substrate, smooth cobbles of various sizes and branchy wood. Leaf litter would work in this tank as well. Cant suggest on plants as not really upto scratch on them and locations. But most of the common easy plants will work in this tank.

Wills

 

[Soup21]

I'm going to look into a different variety of pleco. But the bolivians are in. For tetras i'm going to do 20 black skirt tetras, and maybe 10 hatchet fish. Could anyone help with some low light plants that are biotope specific?

 

[Wills]

Sounds good Possibly best to have a look in the planted section a bit further down the forum, plenty of people that will be able to help you out there

For good guides on Plecs check out Planet Catfish

Wills

 

[Electric Warrior]

I'm going to look into a different variety of pleco. But the bolivians are in. For tetras i'm going to do 20 black skirt tetras, and maybe 10 hatchet fish. Could anyone help with some low light plants that are biotope specific?

i have just started a 55G S.A. tank as well, with some apistos and bristlenose plec, and plan on adding some hatchets and cardinals in another month or so. I am using some amazon sword, vallis, cambomba (red and green). The red cambomba looks great, but is way more difficult than the green. MIne started melting when I first put it in while I was cycling, but I am dosing ferts, using root tabs, and lighting my tank for 8 hours a day, and now it's looking great. A lot of people say it really takes off with c02, but I am not using that, and it's fine. I have also added some water lettuce as a floating plant, because I am going to hatchets, but not totally sure how biotope specific that is? Just wanted to get some floaters in there growing.

 

[Soup21]

thanks for the plant info, do you have pictures of the tank/plants? and if you don't mind me asking what variety of apisto do you have?

 

[Electric Warrior]

thanks for the plant info, do you have pictures of the tank/plants? and if you don't mind me asking what variety of apisto do you have?

No, I don't have any pics yet. I just set it all up this morning, including adding fish (after a 7 week cycle!). I have a trio of apistogramma cacatuoides that seem to be loving the tank so far. I also should mention that I have some Indian almond leaves that I had soaking for a few weeks, lining the bottom of the tank on the sand, and the apistos seem to like those the most, as they spend most of the time swimming through them/hanging out underneath them, rather than in the mini clay flowerpot caves I hid in there.

 

[Soup21]

yes, having bolivians i was only going to ad a few leaves. but i'll definitely look into those plants you mentioned. my goal with the plants is to do mostly low light plants. i already have a play sand bottom(love the color of the sand) and a few rocks placed. soaking some driftwood. my tank is cycled all i have left is planting and finishing my list of fish.