Stocking Ideas...

[Gruffle]

Hi

As my tank is getting to the end of if its cycle (as far as I understand anyway ) I'm starting to think of stocking options for it.

My tank is 24" high, 24" wide and 20 deep, so I would need fish that are bottom and midwater dwellers rather than loads of catfish as bottom space is limited.

Another issue is that the tank is an open topped Fluval Osaka so jumpers like hatchetfish and danios are out of the question, although if this gets to be a problem I will probably cover the top with a piece of glass or thick plastic.

I already have a small RTBS and 6 serpae tetras in my smaller tank downstairs which will go in once the cycle is finished.

I was thinking of adding some more places to hide and getting a BN plec and someone at my LFS suggested a single small cichlid (they mentioned a Firemouth or a Krib) to help keep the RTBS in line when it gets bigger and starts to boss everyone around.

Any ideas or feedback welcome!

 

[markandhisfish]

personally if i was going to have a rtbs with some tetras and a cichlid ( specially firemouth) i would opt for a slightly bigger tank.

 

[tyyrlym]

Forty plus gallons is plenty big for those fish. So long as he doesn't get something that grows huge its not a problem. If space is limited I wouldn't put in another territorial bottom dweller, "Keep in line," is code for they'll fight like mad until you have to net one's dead carcass out and come to the store to buy a replacement.

Let the RTBS have the bottom to himself and look for mid dwellers.