My Community Is Not Floating My Boat Any More...

[myrtle]

Well, as the title says really! My 240l planted community is really not doing it for me an more. It's been set up as it is now for about 3 years although the stock has changed over that time the tank is pretty much the same. It currently houses:

1 very large Angel,
5 Lake Tebera Rainbows (well that's what they were sold as but they are really hybrids and more aggressive that normal Rainbows),
9 Dwarf Neon Rainbows,
4 Red eye Tetra (left from and old shoal)
1 Clown Plec
1 soon to be 2 Bristlenose
2 Zebra Loaches
and a lot of Corys (they're on my sig and can't remember off the top of my head!)

Oh and 5 Amano shrimp and 1 Bamboo shrimp

I have read that Rainbows can be kept with some of the lower aggression Cichlids and am thinking of possibly going down this road a bit more than the general community with this tank.

My water is pH 7.5, 10dGH and 15dKH. The current substrate is Eco Complete which I would have to change to sand and the decor is mainly bogwood at the moment. Filtration is via 1 Fluval 405 and 1 Eheim 2224 (I think!).

Does anyone have any suggestions as to how I could work this around some of my current stock (ie which could stay and which would go as obviously I can't just add to this lot without disaster and massively overstocking!)

 

[doresy]

When I became bored with my community set-up I went over to the Tanganyikan side......

Never looked back

 

[myrtle]

Funny you should say that but after reading a few threads here I have been reserching shell-dwellers (particularly Lamprologus ocellatus and meleagris)... I have also seen rainbows in Tanganyikan tanks due to the similar water requirements (hard and alkaline). I have a spare 60l that I'd been considering for shell dwellers as I'm not sure how they'd be in a 240l, could I have one area for them and the other side for something else, with possibly the rainbows staying as mid-water swimmers?
Obviously of the fish I already have the Red eyed tetra and the corys would have to go (bit sad to let the corys go) and the CLown Plec, Oto and probably loaches. I could possibly swap the 2 BN plecs from the 120l to the 240l and put the loaches and oto in there.
Hmm, any thoughts?

 

[elisew]

Hey Jo

If you`re thinking about shell dwellers you might want to consider the Multis over the ocellatus as the occies are pretty aggressive. In my experience with the multis, I`ve so far found them to be pretty chilled, not afraid to nip a fishes backside if it comes a bit too close to their shell but not what I would consider aggressive at all.
A couple of people on forums I use have bought occies and returned/rehomed them after only a couple of weeks due to the aggression towards not only tankmates but also to their own.

It would be nice if you could keep the rainbows as they`re lovely and entertaining but yes I think you`re on the right lines when you say you`d have to look at rehoming the others.

IF you went with the multis in your 60L you could have a good sized colony but you would also have room for them to breed as well. I have 8 adult multis and they`re breeding like rabbits, I won`t be able to keep many of the babies though because mine are all in a 35L

 

[myrtle]

Hmm, I don't really want a war zone especially with this being my first real foray into cichlids (unless you count 1 angelfish!) but I had really taken a shine to them... I was also looking at similis and ornatipinnis. I just casually mentioned changing the 240l set up to my husband and he can't see why. I think I'd be pushing it to set up the 60l even though the fry tank will only be running for another few months, having 5 tanks in the living room would be a bit much for him!
Perhaps multies would be better but I haven't even got as far as thinking what else could go in...