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Since my family (and I really, though I enjoyed getting the experience and knowledge that come from keeping marine for a while) don't really prefer the looks of a FOWLR tank over a good planted tank, we are converting the big 60-gallon tank to freshwater. It will be a heavily planted (I already have a few plants growing that will give it a jump start on big ones) community tank. Hopefully with DIY CO2. That will help get my dad involved in running it I think he will enjoy having a homemade piece of equiptment in there doing a good job and he can take pride in it. Going to have as much filtration as possible. Already have a small biowheel for it, will probably get a big Aquaclear filter in addition to that. Here is the pre-emptive stocking list:

2 Synodontis eupterus (total 10 inches)*
6-8 Indian glass cats (total 18-24 inches)*
1 pair of kribensis (total 7 inches)
7 rummy-nose tetras (total 7 inches - I know they get bigger than that, but they're long and narrow)
7 lemon, black phantom, or serpae tetras (total 10.5 inches)
8 cherry barbs (total 14 inches - they're very peaceful ones)
1 pair pearl gouramis (total 8 inches)
2 bristlenose plecos or 12 otocinclus catfish (total 12 inches) - possibly a combination of 6 ottos and one bristlenose)

* I already have the 2 Synos (one seems to have stopped growing at 2.5", but we'll see how it does with more space and less competition) and 3 of the glass cats in other tanks.

With all the moving around of fish that will take place, I will have one 10-gallon tank that is empty that I would like to breed sparkling gouramis in, and another 10-gallon with only Odessa barbs. I am also considering selling most of my N. brichardis from the colony, including the breeding pair, keeping a fish or two for display, and breeding something else in that 20. I am thinking of Port cichlids but I've never seen one, much less one for sale. Possible Nannacara anomala, or a different cichlid entirely. I would like to do a good-looking cichlid, and one that you don't see in shops every day.

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the kribs with the glass fish might not be such a good idea. i dont know how glassfish do with agressive fish but kribs can get pretty mean when breeding. just a thought i had i wanted to pass on.

I think the glass cats will be ok if they're in a big enough group. I don't know too well because I've only ever had these three, and not in a really big tank, but they're pretty smart about hiding from threats and they're very fast swimmers.

Last edited by superlion at 24-Nov-2004 18:28

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Hey that's not cool art vanaday...

I am just waiting for a bunch of people to come out at tell me that tank is overstocked. I am keeping it under 90 inches, so it shouldn't be a problem with lots of plants and heavy filtration... I am more concerned with compatibility with some of the species I've never kept (like pearl gouramis).

And maybe suggestions for fish to breed in the 20.

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oh if your looking for a nice fish to breed in the 20g there are alot of dwarf american cichlids that have alot of interaction with out much agression. i cant say im very knowledged with these fish im just starting to get into them myself. so what i say int the bible know what im saying hehe.
anyway, Bolivian rams are very sociable with each other, nice coloring, great parents with eggs/fry,hardy, and are about 2 inches. there is also the German blue ram which looks alot liek the bolivian rams but with far more coloring. they are also sociable but not so much, "ok" parenting, not so hardy depends on the batch, and they are also 2 inches.
another note, bolivians will enjoy the mid to slightly raised ph while the blues will enjoy the lower softer water.
another list you can check out is Apistogramma. there is something for everyone in this list of small fish with tons of personality. 20g tank would suit these guys fine if not great.
hope this gives ya somewhere to start, if nothing good there ya like i hope it leads you to something your looking for, good luck

Sin

Yeah, those are good ones. I like Apistos very much, and I've kept a pretty good variety of them. Maybe if I breed pertensis I will be the first one. Nah, they're evil fish (had a female that chased my peppered cories around and plucked out their eyes ) But there are some of the more unusual apistos that are very pretty and nice. I was also thinking of something like one of the more docile Aequidens species. They're pretty nice fish. Or possilbe a different rift lake cichlid. Maybe electric yellows. It'd be interesting to try a mouthbrooder...

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Personally I don't think it would be overstocked. A lot of those fish are small and it sounds like you know what you are doing. Plus you are prepared to have good filtration (hard to strike a balance with plants though, as too much surface agitation reduces c02).

As for the 20 gallon, it's not really suitable for electric yellows, especially a breeding colony. If you want to go rift lake Africans, shellies are the best choice. Othewise I'd go with the SA dwarfs as has been suggested!

The only way to get rid of a temptation is to yield to it. - Oscar Wilde

hmmm shellies... a possibility I guess.

I was also going to mention that if at all possible the kribs in the 60 will be P. taeniatus (sp?) I think they're even more beatuful than P. pulcher. On the other hand, I could get more of them and move any that want to breed to the 20...

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I agree about the taeniatus. Beautiful fish!

The only way to get rid of a temptation is to yield to it. - Oscar Wilde