Oddballs Anonymous

[sthomas048]

Hello,

I have a 80cm wide X 54cm high X 36cm deep tank, about 125litres. Im trying to work out what to stock as im cycling the tank at the moment. Im quite taken by the Senegal Bichir, but i guess my tank is too small. Could you kindly suggest some other oddball fishies that would be happy in my tank ? Are there any fish similar to the Senegal that would be suitable ?

Big thanks.

 

[demonmagus]

Dwarf snakeheads? I have a channa bleheri, only 2 weeks atm but everything seems to be going well. Approx same size tank as well.

 

[Esfa]

I don't think your tank is too small for a senegal.

 

[Straydum]

i dont know about a senegal. i wouldnt keep them in a tank less than 30g. and that tank is only around 25g or less.

 

[sthomas048]

Im sure i got the tank size wrong, i meant 80cm x 54cm tall x 36cm. Its a Juwel Rio125. Anyway, according to a online tank calc that is about 27.5g in UK/33g in US. I will check out the Channa today, any more ideas, please ?

Thanks.

 

[Esfa]

Im sure i got the tank size wrong, i meant 80cm x 54cm tall x 36cm. Its a Juwel Rio125. Anyway, according to a online tank calc that is about 27.5g in UK/33g in US. I will check out the Channa today, any more ideas, please ?

Thanks.

Yup, a senny would go fine in there.

1x Senegal
1x African Butterfly Fish
6x Congo Tetras

Have a nice african biotope. Have bogwood, plant it with African fern and Tiger lotus.

 

[sthomas048]

Demonmagus, yes ive spent some time collecting info/pics/vids about Channa Bleheri - its a great creature isnt it, plus the amazing colouration ! Only trouble ive found is its availability to buy. I know stock of fish comes and goes and i could just put an order in for one. Esfa, im still fond of a Senegal, there seems to be a mixed opinion on the recommended tank size for these fellas. I wouldnt be putting many (if any at all) other fish in with a Senegal anyway.

Im sure there are other oddballs i could own ? Anyone ?

 

[Esfa]

Demonmagus, yes ive spent some time collecting info/pics/vids about Channa Bleheri - its a great creature isnt it, plus the amazing colouration ! Only trouble ive found is its availability to buy. I know stock of fish comes and goes and i could just put an order in for one. Esfa, im still fond of a Senegal, there seems to be a mixed opinion on the recommended tank size for these fellas. I wouldnt be putting many (if any at all) other fish in with a Senegal anyway.

Im sure there are other oddballs i could own ? Anyone ?

Rainbow fish
bumblebee gobies
Candy stripe goby
dwarf puffer
peacock eel
Half Banded Spiny Eel
red-eye puffers
South American Leaf Fish
Yellow Panchax Killifish
Spotted Climbing Perch

obviously not all together

 

[DarkEntity]

Ive got the Rio125 and have gone a pretty much all African fish tank (excluding the Plecs). Stocking is in the Sig, just be aware ive gone and stuck a 600litre filter on the tank, so it is massively over filtered.

 

[Esfa]

Ive got the Rio125 and have gone a pretty much all African fish tank (excluding the Plecs). Stocking is in the Sig, just be aware ive gone and stuck a 600litre filter on the tank, so it is massively over filtered.

Almost the same as my suggestion.

 

[sthomas048]

Hello DarkEntity, i too have over-filtered my tank. As well as the standard Juwel internal i also have a Tetratec EX700 external filter. Now the question is do i admire your tank greatly and then mimick what you have ? I think so ! You have a nice gang in your Rio125 that i had alreayd noticed in your sig during my trawls through this forum. Do you have any photos of your tank ? Any advice on keeping those fish happy and healthy ?

Cheers to both Esfa and DarkEntity, much appreciated.

 

[DarkEntity]

i will get some pictures up this evening when i get home from work.
Keeping them happy is easy for the most part i replaced my gravel with black sand because the senegal had on more than one occasion swallowed stones then spat them out again, which isn't good. I then just made some darker areas. on the tank (which isn't complete i need floating plants) the ctenopoma seem to like that and with the black sand have really coloured and patterned up. Then its just good diet mine all get hikari predator pellets, sand eels, prawns etc

 

[sthomas048]

I will look forward to seeing your photos. I like the sound of your tank, mine has lots of driftwood but not a big peice with branches, just a few smaller pieces scattered about. I have some Salvinia floating on the surface. Im not sure about my arrangement of wood though, looks boring, i just want to pile it up randomly to look more natural. Here's a photo of my tank -

With feeding prawns, is it just a case of buying a standard pack of them from the supermarket ? Silly question i know, but im a newbie so its okay !

Okay. Cheers mate.

 

[§tudz]

yeah just get them from Tesco's or Asda.

I find the Asda one to be very bity and not great quality. I tend to buy better quality ones, brand names.

Also a good tip is to cut the prawns into smaller pieces, as the fish find them easier to eat, they will eat the full prawn but they rip it apart and i found that it messed the tank water up a lot. My 120gallon was very cloudy until i started chopping the prawns into smaller bits.

Tescos do a large bag of unshelled prawns, as long as you dont mind shelling them, or better as long as you know how to, and dont mind spending ages doing it then they are a good buy as well.

Other foods for your senegalus can be:

- earth worms (chopped for the smaller fish, this is hard to do with a squirmy little blighter)
- catfish pellets
- slices of whiting or haddock (tesco again do very good big bags of them frozen)
- lance fish, again these can pollute the tank if not cut up, fish scales every where
- frozen or live bloodworm

hope this helps and nice tank

 

[sthomas048]

Great advice mate, thanks. Its info you cant find easily in books, its practical and useful info from experienced fishkeepers. Im going to have a seperate shopping list for my fish ! Carnivore Home Delivery at Tesco Good stuff. Mm, glad you like my tank - a bit more work is needed i reckon.

Thats a great help.