Aspirations for a 29gal tall.

[Morganna]

Just spent the entire day working on switching the substrate! This was my first time doing something like this, and I didn't realize how hard it can be!
@Byron, the sand isn't white, it is more of a beige.
I'll post a pic update once the water clears up.
It took forever to get the few fish out! I didn't even see one of my plecs, I assume it was holding onto a piece of decor or something (all items immediately went into some more water in case this was true). I had to remove absolutely everything in the tank before I even had a chance at the SAEs. Unfortunately, one hopped out onto the floor and lost quite a few scales, I hope it will make it.
So many crypts! Will definitely see if I can give them to LFS for store credit. Really happy so far with the make over though!

 

[Morganna]

Nitrates 0
Nitrites 0
Ammonia 0
GH 100
KH 80
ph 7.0

 

[Morganna]

I am so sorry for never uploading a new pic! I have been too lazy to close all the windows necessary to get a good picture.
Both of the SAEs are okay and doing well from the transition. Oddly though, I never did find that other BNP. It's just gone. Disappeared. Poof. Same for the one tetra I had left.
That leaves me with just 3 fish now. My remaining BNP insisted on shoving all the new sand substrate out from underneath it's piece of driftwood, and sleeping there in the crevice it has created, instead of using the two perfectly good caves I provided.
My budget is slim at the moment, so I haven't gotten any new plants, ferts, or fish as of yet, and it might be a few more weeks before I do.
I went into a lfs the other day just to see some fish in person, and I loved their bolivian rams. I really liked the CPDs too, but I knew I couldn't get a shoal when they were $9 a pop. I wasn't really leaning toward the ember tetras, simply because my experience with tetras usually winds up with more than half dead, but they were considerably cheaper, so are now a contender again. I also like the harlequin rasbora.
I happened to see some yellow apistogramma agassizi, and had done some research on them, but didn't realize till then how fancy their price tag was (for me at least)!
I also saw some kuhlis for the first time in person, and I thought they were so cute!

Sorry for the long story about my quick trip into a lfs (I don't get to go often).
My params have been stable, which is good, and no algae as of yet.
Lfs says they will take my plants for store credit, which is good, I just need to keep them alive till I'm ready to get the fish.
I renounce what I said about rehoming my SAEs. They aren't aggressive (as of right now at least, when they practically have the whole tank to themselves). If they develop aggression with the addition of new fish, then I will reconsider, but they are way too cute right now to say "hmm, yes, you must go because you might be mean".
They are very lazy sometimes, those two. Instead of looking for algae, they just kinda look at me and say "could you drop in some flakes?"

Again, sorry for going off topic. Any personal thoughts on how I should stock the tank is welcome. I still consider myself a newbie, and I don't have any personal experience keeping any of the fish listed in my first post.
I don't like stocking to the full maximum, I prefer to go light on the fish.

Some of the fish I have been considering breed if you get more than one (like the apistos, bolivians, or kribs). My ten gal is empty, is it big enough to raise fry in?

Thanks!

 

[Morganna]

The tank is stocked!!!
A few weeks ago, I finally got to go pick out some fish!' Im really happy with them, and how the tank has turned out in general.
I went with 10 cherry barbs (5 males to 5 females) and a Bolivian ram. I've always read that cherries are really laid back for schooling fish, but mine choose to be contrary! The males are constantly chasing the females and each other, but I hope that they'll settle down in a few weeks. I'm happy with my choice of going with the Bolivian ram, because he's very chill and takes everything in stride.
The plants have all settled back in nicely, and are continuing to thrive.

 

[Rocky998]

Congrats!

 

[Fishmanic]

One benefit of pool sand is it doesnt require as much rinsing as play sand. I have it in my 29 gallon tank.

 

[Morganna]

First off, I'd just like to announce to every one that I am sorry for never keeping up with these threads that I've started. I simply set them up, get to a point where I am happy with the situation, and forget to ever come back and update.
So, now that it has been quite awhile since my last update, I guess I'll update now:
The tank is stable, and doing extremely well plant wise without ferts and only the occasional root tab.

All my cherries are doing awesome! I have found that their crazy energy all depends on how much I feed them. If I give them food about every other day then they are pretty chill, but if I feed once a day or more, they get into breeding mode and start going nuts. So right now I have 13 cherry barbs: 7 males and 6 females. I have three surprise fry and are being kept in a handmade breeder box that you can see in the photo attached. I'd guess they're a couple weeks old at this point.

Ramsey my bolivian ram passed away from an unknown cause back in March. I didn't have time to get on here and ask for help, it was that sudden.
But today I adopted 2 kerri tetras and a male apistogramma baenschi from someone who needed to find them a new home. They are currently acclimating, as you can see by the photo. I'm really excited and happy about the apisto, as I've been really wanting one for awhile.

p.s. please forgive the lamp reflection!

 

[Morganna]

I will try and remember to post a better picture of all the fish tomorrow once they've been let out of the bag

 

[Rocky998]

First off, I'd just like to announce to every one that I am sorry for never keeping up with these threads that I've started. I simply set them up, get to a point where I am happy with the situation, and forget to ever come back and update.
So, now that it has been quite awhile since my last update, I guess I'll update now:
The tank is stable, and doing extremely well plant wise without ferts and only the occasional root tab.

All my cherries are doing awesome! I have found that their crazy energy all depends on how much I feed them. If I give them food about every other day then they are pretty chill, but if I feed once a day or more, they get into breeding mode and start going nuts. So right now I have 13 cherry barbs: 7 males and 6 females. I have three surprise fry and are being kept in a handmade breeder box that you can see in the photo attached. I'd guess they're a couple weeks old at this point.

Ramsey my bolivian ram passed away from an unknown cause back in March. I didn't have time to get on here and ask for help, it was that sudden.
But today I adopted 2 kerri tetras and a male apistogramma baenschi from someone who needed to find them a new home. They are currently acclimating, as you can see by the photo. I'm really excited and happy about the apisto, as I've been really wanting one for awhile.

p.s. please forgive the lamp reflection!
View attachment 326467

I love the way all the plants grew in!

 

[Morganna]

I know.... I'm thinking that I'm going to need to remove some at this point if I want to put in any new plants (maybe a tiger lotus like yours?).

 

[Byron]

Keep an eye on the kerri tetras. I had this species in the 1990's, and it is not a problem in sufficient numbers. Not your fault, but having been just two in their former home may have affected them, depending upon the time. My group of 12 were fine, but other sources report fin nipping which usually means too few of them.

 

[Morganna]

Keep an eye on the kerri tetras. I had this species in the 1990's, and it is not a problem in sufficient numbers. Not your fault, but having been just two in their former home may have affected them, depending upon the time. My group of 12 were fine, but other sources report fin nipping which usually means too few of them.

Thanks for the heads up! Will definitely keep a closer eye on them here on out to look for that. If I see anything, I will have no qualms about trying to gift them to a different home. They seem do be doing okay for now, bolder and not as shy as I thought they'd be considering there's only two of them.
It's the apisto that's rather shy. He doesn't dart away or anything, but whenever I come near he just kinda swims backwards until he's thoroughly hidden by the crypts. I don't mind fish having natural behaviors, in fact I prefer that they maintain instincts, but it's just going to make it harder for me to make sure he's eating enough.
BTW, does anyone know of any foods that apistos specifically like? I think the fluval bugbites I have are too small, thinking about getting the bigger size for this guy. What do y'all think?

 

[Byron]

Thanks for the heads up! Will definitely keep a closer eye on them here on out to look for that. If I see anything, I will have no qualms about trying to gift them to a different home. They seem do be doing okay for now, bolder and not as shy as I thought they'd be considering there's only two of them.
It's the apisto that's rather shy. He doesn't dart away or anything, but whenever I come near he just kinda swims backwards until he's thoroughly hidden by the crypts. I don't mind fish having natural behaviors, in fact I prefer that they maintain instincts, but it's just going to make it harder for me to make sure he's eating enough.
BTW, does anyone know of any foods that apistos specifically like? I think the fluval bugbites I have are too small, thinking about getting the bigger size for this guy. What do y'all think?

Dwarf cichlids are bottom feeders, so foods for cories and loaches usually stand out. Bug Bites is my #1, and there are a couple of sizes, but I would probably use the mini or the next larger. The apisto will pick them off the substrate. Shrimp pellets also work. Frozen daphnia and shrimp as treats. The prepared foods have more nutritive value than frozen so I use them as primary.