Blast From The Past

[Confish]

hello everybody not been on here in ages!

still have same setup as before but now i have found a home for my jewel and convict (no where would take them ect.)
one post on here and straight away someone said they want them result lol
so now come the question stocking...

wills (on here) and i came up with stocking awhile back

1 Rotkiel Severum
4 Cupid Cichlids (or rams) ?
5 pencil fish
8 Bleeding Heart Tetras (or any other suggestions?)
3 Hoplo Catfish or 5 Brochis Catfish or a larger school of a larger growing species of cory any other ideas?
1 dora talking catfish

however i want to change this now so any suggestions i want a large shoal and then a center piece fish and some bottom dwellers so its a lively tank (unlike now)

 

[minnnt]

Maybe a Thoricthys of some kind? Aureus, Ellioti or Mixteco? Then a massive shoal of something colourful like Cardinal Tetras? Or maybe a a group of 8 Golden Barbs and 8 Black Ruby Barbs? Then a group of Sterbai Cories or Gold Lazer Cories?

You don't mention tank size, but if wills recommended them then its obviously a decent sized tank.

 

[Wills]

What are you thinking for your shoal? Could be a good place to start.

Tell you a good tank I have been drooling over in my head - an Africanish tank, if you can find them Pinstripe Dambas a great Madagascan Cichlid, not overly aggressive a bit like Geophagus in a way as they are a little gregarious - mix them with a few species of Synodontis and a Polyterpus and some interesting schoolers from that region there are a couple of Tetras you find in that region but I forget the name - Congos would be a good addition though. Some Loaches are quite common in parts. And a few other oddballs like African Butterfly Fish and African Knives

But that would be a big tank, not sure what size this is.


Wills

 

[Confish]

hey i like the look of cardinal tetras but arnt they quite sensitive? think Sterbai Cories are the type i would want for bottom dwellers but would a dora catfsh try and eat them?

will's i love rummy nose tetras but i know that would limit my selection on which larger cichlids i could have. i really like the look of cupids and rams? what sort of sized shoal could work 10/15

TANK SIZE 4ft rio 240l (uk) (internal filter removed ex1200 external added)

cheers

 

[Wills]

I think with the Cupids and Rams maybe start with a group of 6 of each and see what number of genders you get with an aim to get a well mixed group of Cupids which might mean something like 2 males 4 females or 1 male 3 females for example and then try to get down to 1 or 2 pairs of the Rams - you could keep the Cories and Rummynose with these Not sure how the Dora Cat would fit in with them though as I have never kept them

Wills

 

[Confish]

so what sort of numbers do you think i could have of each? any other ideas? i have someone who wants my old fish (free ) so i need to start getting a good stock plan sorted (y) sterbai cories are my fave and the rummy nose tetras

 

[Wills]

I would do 6 Cupids and 4 Rams Tons of other options but depends on what you like - if your into those Cories and Tetras I reckon this could be your best bet

Wills

 

[Confish]

i think im going to go and see what there is at my LFS plus i need to get some more ornaments and some silk plants too first i think i might pick a group of sterbai cories what sized group would work?

stock so far

2 Rams (which type would work best?) German?
6 large ish cichlids? ..... thats what i cant decide
rummy nose tetras (what size shoal)
Sterbai cories (again what size)
1 striped dora

cheers again for the help

 

[Wills]

There are not many other cichlids that would work like the Cupids probably the closest thing is something like Keyhole Cichlids, Krobia sp.Rio Xingu Red Cheek or Blue Acaras maybe but not sure. The tetras and cories make it quite a squishy tank so things like Rotkiels or anything Central American are out. You could assort a few dwarfs like Apistos or Laetacaras

Laetacara Thayeri would be good if you could find them I believe one or two shops may have them or at least be able to get them to you via postage.

For your schools you could start at 10 and add to it later if you choose - good chance you can get your cories breeding as well.

For decor and substrate why not go natural? With a sand substrate which is a must for the cories really and cupids if you go with them. And get real plants like Valis and Swords and smooth river stones and tanggly wood?

Wills

 

[Confish]

hey wills had abit of a think and now i think a dwarf tank would be nice so have the corys on the bottom just got told they will get on fine with the catfish

then have 10+ rummy nose and then maybe neon tetras??? (my tanks at home while i finish my degree and my dad wants them tbf i think they are pretty #41#### colorful haha so would i be able to get a shoal of 10+ of them too?

then i was thinking apisto the beautiful colourful versions and go for 1M 2F but how many different species could i go for? thats my question

decor wise i have a huge center piece wood then i want to get some root system or simialr wood to the side i have fine white gravel at the moment and i dont think this can be changed as i had sand then change back to gravel.

how would i keep the plants alive what do i buy do i need ferts ect ect. im a noob when it comes to plants

 

[Wills]

Are you still wanting the Rams and/or Cupids? As well as the Apistos? Or do you want to go for pairs and trios of other dwarfs? Loads of Apistos available now through breeders or any good shop so see what you like and what you can find - Seriouslyfish.com has a good list of Apistos in their knowledge section, could be worth a perusal.

Instead of the Neons (just to be a bit different) what about the smaller Green Neons? Or Cardinals just because regular Neons can be problematic with disease at times.

For plants stick to the easy ones, Java Fern, Valis and Giant Valis, various floating plants, Amazon Swords - sites like Java Plants and Plants Alive carry mother plants for reasonable prices so could be worth a go

Wills

 

[Confish]

ye im discarding the cupids and rams want something a bit different.

these are the dwarfs ive been looking at

Dicrossus filamentosus

Apistogramma Hongsloi

Apistogramma agassizii

Apistogramma cacatuoides

anyone kept these any advice im guessing i could not have all four in a set of 3? do they have the same water needs?

and ye my first idea was cardinals but i thought they were quite hard to keep.

ive bought plants before any they seem to just die but the ones i bought didnt have roots so im guessing they are just show plants or would they grow roots? would i need to add anything to the gravel for the plants? also maintience needs to be low as the tank is at home so im not here most the time. so want to keep it simple for my rents

cheers wills should just pm you haha

 

[Wills]

cheers wills should just pm you haha

Good luck hahaha! Anyway moving on...

I have never kept many dwarfs in a 4 foot before so not sure really on what to suggest. For me I would do a group of the Checkerboards and a hareem of the A.Hongsloi maybe 4 of each 1m 3f but then not sure if you could do 3 species with 3 of each 1m 2f?

If the tank needs to be low maintenance I would be tempted to just stick to 2 species.

A big clump of Java Fern would be good to start off with plants - you can get them from Tropica, usually via a shop but I think you can buy online as well where you get a big slab of bogwood with two or three colonies of the Fern on for around £30 I have one in my tank atm as its all my Sev will not eat. Giant Valis is really easy to grow as well just put it in the tank and add water Maybe post in the planted section for more tips as I dont really keep plants properly as my Severum will eat most of them.

I have heard conflicting things on Cardinals and Neons as to which is easier but I sit more on the side of the Cardinal as most Neons you see in shops are pretty weak stock due to being over bred and not culling the weak ones from breeding stock...

Wills

 

[Confish]

cheers wills should just pm you haha

Good luck hahaha! Anyway moving on...

I have never kept many dwarfs in a 4 foot before so not sure really on what to suggest. For me I would do a group of the Checkerboards and a hareem of the A.Hongsloi maybe 4 of each 1m 3f but then not sure if you could do 3 species with 3 of each 1m 2f?

If the tank needs to be low maintenance I would be tempted to just stick to 2 species.

A big clump of Java Fern would be good to start off with plants - you can get them from Tropica, usually via a shop but I think you can buy online as well where you get a big slab of bogwood with two or three colonies of the Fern on for around £30 I have one in my tank atm as its all my Sev will not eat. Giant Valis is really easy to grow as well just put it in the tank and add water Maybe post in the planted section for more tips as I dont really keep plants properly as my Severum will eat most of them.

I have heard conflicting things on Cardinals and Neons as to which is easier but I sit more on the side of the Cardinal as most Neons you see in shops are pretty weak stock due to being over bred and not culling the weak ones from breeding stock...

Wills

small but fun update after looking at a big empty space (except my dora and clown pleco)

I Now have 6 neon tetras and 6 rummy nose tetras in my tank which is funny as they are tiny so they have a fair bit of space.

i want to up the groups and stock some cichlids and the corys.

the sterbai corys i saw today where 4.99 each is that normal amount im new to corys?

i was also thinking whats the largest cichlid i could have with neons? i want a group of dwarfs but for a center piece? Discus? but i they need a higher temp too much for the tetras.

i think instead of buying anymore tetras from the LFS's i will look on here instead to help out other fish keepers and my wallet

pics soon

 

[Wills]

Excellent The biggest I would go with those kind of Tetras would be things like Keyholes, Krobia and maybe Blue Acaras and the other Acaras.

Price sounds about right for Cories they are not cheap any more!!

Wills