stocking suggestions

[thapsus]

I'm going to buy a third tank soon and eager to buy some new fish. I'm going to divide fishes from overcrowded 80 litres as following:

80 litres (old):
2 borellii ciclids
2 hillstream loaches

~90 litres (new):
13 (?) mosquito rasboras
7 exclamationpoint rasboras

2 myersi loaches
1 kuhlie loach

Any suggestions what I could put to tanks now when I have some free space. I like uncommon species and it's not a problem if I have big troubles getting fishes you suggested. B)

Both tanks have slighly acidic and quite soft water. Temperatures are 23-24C at old tank and about 26C in new.

So if you can give me some ideas, I would be very pleased and gratefull.

Thapsus

 

[WILDER]

I would move the the loaches you have mentioned to the bigger tank, as that tank will still not be big enough.

 

[thapsus]

I dropped. Could you explaine what you mean? Which loaches?

 

[WILDER]

According to what I read the 2 hillstream loaches need a 40gal tank.

 

[modernhamlet]

Not at all. Hillstream loaches should do fine in a tank that size. My concern would actually be the temperature at which you're keeping them. Hillstream loaches are coldwater fish and though they tolerate the low 70s alright, I'd keep an eye on them if you're keeping them near 75. Also, do you have good circulation for their tank? Given that they live in fast moving streams, a powerhead would be a sensible addition. Perhaps if you swapped the cichlids with one of the rasbora schools, who would handle the waterflow better than the borelliis?

I've wanted to create a rocky coldwater stream aquarium with white clouds and hillstream loaches since I got into the hobby. This just gets me thinking about it even more. Thanks.

Sounds like some great fish you've got though. I'm also a huge fan of rasboras. Where do you get all of your uncommon species? Are they readily available in finland?

 

[thapsus]

Temperatures. Temperature is the reason why I'm buing a new tank. I have quite strong circulation in hillstreams tank. I've noticed that rasboras don't like that at all. Instead, borelliis are doing fine since it's much more easy to make shallow places for them than for rasboras that are keeping in the surface level of the tank.

I've never had a trouble with hillstream loaches thought. They have been very active in warmer water also. I believe that the most important thing for them is rich oxygenous water. But I don't want to keep fish in wrong environment just because they seem to be okay as some people do But now cause of the new tank I can lower the temperature in hillstream loaches tank and maybe occasionally increase it a little for borelliis breeding acts.

And cause of new tank rasboras don't have to freeze anymore. They are my treasures. I've always admired them but I thought I've never see one in finland. But I got lucky, I found them accidently from finlands front-runner store . Thought I only got urophthalmoides then an brigittaes from another store little later. So mine are from among the fist imported to finland and I'm hoping that they will become more general in future so I can get bigger shoals of them. Just lovely little fishes.

thapsus

 

[thapsus]

By the way Wilder. Do you remember where you read that? Just would like to check.

My hillstreams are grownups and about 5cm long (2inc). I can't see why they would need so big tank...

thapsus

 

[Cheese Specialist]

Hillstream oaches don't need a big tank at all, even a 10gallon would be a nice home for them.

I also would be worried about the tempature you are keeping them in. I used to keep a species tank with them until recently and ypu are right about oxygen but they do need cool and very fast flowing water. Most other fish would not like the level of flow they need, an exception who is good with tempature and flow is white cloud mountain minnows. Also, higher tempature water has less capacity for oxygen thn cooler.

I am not sure about the other situation so I am sorry for going off topic, you might want to split your loaches to stop overcrowding and also get a couple more kuhli loaches as they do better in groups.

 

[WILDER]

Here I remember looking at it.http/species.fishindex.com/species_3806beaufortia_kweichowensis_hillstream_loach.html

 

[thapsus]

Thanks wilder. Yes that page really say that hillstream loaches need that big tank. My loaches are by the way gastromyzon punctulatus.

 

[thapsus]

Ou, I'm not so sure anymore. What are these really?

 

[Cheese Specialist]

Here I remember looking at it.http/species.fishindex.com/species_3806beaufortia_kweichowensis_hillstream_loach.html

That's all well and good but their tank really need not be that size, my species tank was 20gallons. Think about it, what would a non aggressive, small fish need with a 40gallon tank? Maybe I am wrong but I did a lot of research into thm before setting up my tank. I had 4 in a 20gallon.

Thapsus, I think you are right about the species that you have. Yours looks like the second one up on this page. They come in a few different guises and yours looks like one of them.

HTH

 

[thapsus]

Wilder: that page is quite good, but this makes me wonder:
http/species.fishindex.com/species_145cr...algaeeater.html
Why so big fish only needs a ten gallon tank? Sae ar very active fish and should be kept in big tanks only. Saes are ofcourse usefull in small tanks also but what other species that big would be recommended to so small tank as 10gal.

Stats are propably made by different peoples on that site..or what do you think?

By the way, did you know that in finnish law 10gal is smallest tank you can put fishes without braking law.

 

[Cheese Specialist]

By the way, did you know that in finnish law 10gal is smallest tank you can put fishes without braking law.

Really? Sounds like a good law to me! Should have that everywhere IMO.

 

[WILDER]

I do no what you mean, it's the same for neon tetra's 10 gallon for them but people keep them in smaller tanks, reverse for goldfish poor things they get a raw deal, they grow big and it's only 10gal per fish.weird.