Stocking

[thapsus]

What do you think I shoud do?

128l/33g tank. Planted, wood, rocks, quite strong current.
pH 7.2, gH 5, kH 3, temperature 24C=75F, NO3 0.

11 lambchop rasboras, Trigonostima espei
5 Gastromyzon loaches
1 bristlenose female, adult, 8cm with fin
1 Apistogramma borellii female

I would like to take more loaches and maybe some cichlid pair or similar. No borelliis anymore, I'd like some new species. Maybe Nannocara anomalas? I would also like to have some pleco. It would have to be small ad fit to my water parameters.

Ideas, suggestions please.

 

[blitztidus]

you will need a LOT bigger tank if you want cichlids. they like their room.

 

[bluefire]

you could probably add another apisto, maybe a ram or something but you could,t really add too much more.

 

[Angel Lady]

The rule of thumb is a inch of fish per gallon of water. So what you need to do is see how big the fish you are wanting is going to get. Then see if you are going to have the room when they are grown.

 

[cometcattle]

you will need a LOT bigger tank if you want cichlids. they like their room.

[snapback]867242[/snapback]​

You're wrong. Thaspus wants dwarf cichlids. 35g is PLENTY of room for a trio.

Thaspus - your tank would be perfect for a pair of dwarf cichlids and I like your stocking plans. My personal favorite dwarf would be Apistogramma agassizii:
http/www.cichlid-forum.com/profiles/species.php?id=230

 

[thapsus]

Do you think it's full already? In here we roughly calculate 1cm fish per 1 l of water. In inches and gallons thats less fishes than in here. Lets see:

lambchops: 11 * 3 cm = 33 cm = 13,2
gastromyzons: 5 * 5 cm = 25 cm = 10
bn: 8 cm = 3,2
apisto f: 2,5 cm = 1

= 68,5 cm = 27,4 inches of fish

Hmm. Approaching to limits according to inch/gallon rule. But then again nitrate level stays 0. I think I'm still quite safe.

cometcattle is right. I want dwarf cichlids. At least nothing bigger than my bristlenose. I'm fan of small fishes.

A. agassizii is nice fish. My parents had pair of them. Very very pretty and relatively kind cichlid. Maybe I could try very similar Apistogramma cacatuoides.

This is the tank by the way. Not ready yet thought, I'm changing gravel to sand:
http/photobucket.com/albums/v504/thapsus...nt=P1010004.jpg

 

[jkrekord]

Do you think it's full already? In here we roughly calculate 1cm fish per 1 l of water. In inches and gallons thats less fishes than in here. Lets see:

lambchops: 11 * 3 cm = 33 cm = 13,2
gastromyzons: 5 * 5 cm = 25 cm = 10
bn: 8 cm = 3,2
apisto f: 2,5 cm = 1

= 68,5 cm = 27,4 inches of fish

Hmm. Approaching to limits according to inch/gallon rule. But then again nitrate level stays 0. I think I'm still quite safe.

cometcattle is right. I want dwarf cichlids. At least nothing bigger than my bristlenose. I'm fan of small fishes.

A. agassizii is nice fish. My parents had pair of them. Very very pretty and relatively kind cichlid. Maybe I could try very similar Apistogramma cacatuoides.

This is the tank by the way. Not ready yet thought, I'm changing gravel to sand:
http/photobucket.com/albums/v504/thapsus...nt=P1010004.jpg

[snapback]868333[/snapback]​

have you considered dwarf gouramis they are great i have two they are so lively look good fairly peaceful an arent to big

 

[thapsus]

Thanks jkrekord. I havent concidered them to this tank but I've concidered them a lot before. I had trio, 1+2, so maybe some new species would be nicer. What color dwarfs you have by the way? Any females?

 

[@ombomb]

Are those Hillstream Loaches you have in there?

I'd avoid the Gouramis and Cichlids in the same tank, it will just lead to squabbling. A couple more apistos would be nice though.

 

[jkrekord]

Are those Hillstream Loaches you have in there?

I'd avoid the Gouramis and Cichlids in the same tank, it will just lead to squabbling. A couple more apistos would be nice though.

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i have 2 blue dwarf gouramis sory my reply is so late the goiramis are great value for money

 

[stephend]

In here we roughly calculate 1cm fish per 1 l of water.

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How does this rule chime with the 'surface-area rule' in your tank (1cm of fish per 12cm² of surface area)?

Can't recall where I saw the surface-area rule (it was in here somewhere), and for my 190 litre corner tank that gives me a whopping 320cm of fish! I am only stocked to about 180cm just now.

Cheers,

Stephen

 

[@ombomb]

Can't recall where I saw the surface-area rule (it was in here somewhere), and for my 190 litre corner tank that gives me a whopping 320cm of fish! I am only stocked to about 180cm just now.

No it doesn't. You have the calculation wrong. It's 1 inch of fish for every 10 square inches of surface area.

 

[freddyk]

Thapsus, I for one think you've got a good plan going.

Apistogramma are perfect for this tank, and you can do a pair or a harem of 3-4 specimens, decided based on what species you go with. I highly reccomend going with this, instead of just one. The interaction between these fish is what makes up most of the character - character gourami's could never come close to matching. The squabbling is very entertaining.

You'll want to make sure there is lots of ground cover, and plenty of hiding spaces. It is very important that the loaches and any other bottom feeders have a place that is not the Apisto's territory. If you are concerned about the stocking levels in general then just reduce the school of Rasbora's to 8 or so. Right now the only fish in the tank substantially contributing waste to the water is the pleco - they're very messy.

These rules of thumb, despite the name, are not rules dictated by god, but guides to get new aquarists started. Sometimes I get sick of hearing people count ever last millimeter of fish and telling people to get rid of some because it's against the 'rule'. Anyone who really wants to learn the potential of the tank and nature of the fish must let go of these preconceived notions and be willing to experiment -rules can be bent and broken by gaining an understanding of the variables involved. There is no debate on this - it's fact, and anyone who would rather play it safe and stick to the 'rules', well, there's just nothing wrong with that either.

 

[thapsus]

@ombomb:
I have 1 Gastromyzon punctulatus, 2 G. ridens (?) and 2 G. ctenocephalus.


jkrekord:
Any pictures?


stephend:
Sorry I don't know. I'm not that good with not-metric measures yet.


freddyk:
Thanks for tips. I don't actually believe the rules either. It just clears thing out to calculate fish amount and load in "paper". In my case for example Gastromyzons can be unfamiliar to many.

 

[jkrekord]

@ombomb:
I have 1 Gastromyzon punctulatus, 2 G. ridens (?) and 2 G. ctenocephalus.


jkrekord:
Any pictures?


stephend:
Sorry I don't know. I'm not that good with not-metric measures yet.


freddyk:
Thanks for tips. I don't actually believe the rules either. It just clears thing out to calculate fish amount and load in "paper". In my case for example Gastromyzons can be unfamiliar to many.

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sory im afraid ive got no pics but they are beutys i will try and sort some pics soon