Low Tech 29 Gallon of Amazing Unamazement

[lauraleellbp]

Looking pretty nice! Now it's time to let it grow in, and start working on pruning techniques with the stems as they grow.

[LetThereBeFish]

Originally Posted by lauraleellbp

Looking pretty nice! Now it's time to let it grow in, and start working on pruning techniques with the stems as they grow.

Thanks for the kind words laura. Now I have to go through the ever so loved torment of waiting for the plants to actually grow.

[LetThereBeFish]

Today I noticed my emperor tetras were stressing out the other fish with there constant bickering. Sadly, Im probably going to be taking them out soon (they are my fav fish). Now I think I want to redo the fish list and make a SE Asia themed tank (fish wise), besides the bristlenose which I think is doing fine in the tank.

This is what fish I plan to have:
8x Harlequin Raspora
6x Threadfin Rainbowfish
2-4x Gold Barb
1x SAE
1x Bristlenose Pleco
2x Peacock Gudgeon ( hopefully!) or Dwarf Gourami

Im not sure if I should keep the cherry barbs. Im thinking there would be too many fish if I keep them. Let me know what you guys think.

[lauraleellbp]

Yeah unfortunately a 29gal is on the small side for Emperors. They're a bit better behaved when they are in bigger tanks where they can be kept in bigger schools. Not quite as territorial.

I don't know that I'd mix Threadfins with Barbs. I think the barbs would be too boisterous and likely nip at the threadfins. What about some Ember tetras instead? Similar overall shape and color, just much smaller and more peaceful.

You're getting awfully heavy on the bioload with both an SAE and a BNP. I'd probably pick one and go with a few Amano shrimp instead of the other.

[plecostomouse]

hey steve!
sweet tank!
your plants seem very healthy.
im 17 too, is this your only tank?
if so that pretty impresive i have kept fish for little over a year now and have 2 2foot tanks my riperium and a fry tank!
the rocks and driftwood that you were thinking about look great!
cherry barb probably would be a good mix with thread fins and gourami as in my experience they finn nip.

[LetThereBeFish]

Originally Posted by plecostomouse

hey steve!
sweet tank!
your plants seem very healthy.
im 17 too, is this your only tank?
if so that pretty impresive i have kept fish for little over a year now and have 2 2foot tanks my riperium and a fry tank!
the rocks and driftwood that you were thinking about look great!
cherry barb probably would be a good mix with thread fins and gourami as in my experience they finn nip.

Hi plecostomouse! Yeah its my only tank sadly haha. Well, I do have a pond, but yeah, only one tank. And I have funny aka bad news about that driftwood. Someone else got to the goods before me, so now I have to wait for the next ideal piece. :/

Im terrible when it comes to picking fish that "complement" each other, so Im open to suggestions. All I know is that I want to keep the two gold barbs (which have spawn numerous times and have grown on me) and the bristlenose pleco. I also want to keep the two black skirts (which actually dont fin nip at all), only because they have been in the tank since the beginning, and I dont think I could have the heart and get rid of them. In my case, I might aswell have a mix biotop community, so im open to suggestions...ANY SUGGESTIONS!!

[plecostomouse]

Originally Posted by LetThereBeFish

Hi plecostomouse! Yeah its my only tank sadly haha. Well, I do have a pond, but yeah, only one tank. And I have funny aka bad news about that driftwood. Someone else got to the goods before me, so now I have to wait for the next ideal piece. :/

Im terrible when it comes to picking fish that "complement" each other, so Im open to suggestions. All I know is that I want to keep the two gold barbs (which have spawn numerous times and have grown on me) and the bristlenose pleco. I also want to keep the two black skirts (which actually dont fin nip at all), only because they have been in the tank since the beginning, and I dont think I could have the heart and get rid of them. In my case, I might aswell have a mix biotop community, so im open to suggestions...ANY SUGGESTIONS!!

if you like the gold barbs so much, why not get a large school of them? fish always look better in higher numbers

[lauraleellbp]

Originally Posted by plecostomouse

if you like the gold barbs so much, why not get a large school of them? fish always look better in higher numbers

+1

[LetThereBeFish]

Originally Posted by plecostomouse

if you like the gold barbs so much, why not get a large school of them? fish always look better in higher numbers

Thanks for the suggestion.

So new idea:
8x Harlequin Rasporas
5x Gold Barb
1x Bristlenose
2x Black Skirts
5x Leopard Cories
2x Dwarf Gouramis or Bolivian Rams

Well thats what I came up with. I think it could work.

[plecostomouse]

Originally Posted by LetThereBeFish

Thanks for the suggestion.

So new idea:
8x Harlequin Rasporas
5x Gold Barb
1x Bristlenose
2x Black Skirts
5x Leopard Cories
2x Dwarf Gouramis or Bolivian Rams

Well thats what I came up with. I think it could work.

if i where you i would get more black skirts, tetra usually do bets in large groups, my cardinals are super active now that i have increased the school size to 10. maybe ditch the rosporas and get more black skirts.

also when selecting fish think of where they swim in the water, you fish list is a good example, cories bns rams and golden barbs tend to be close to the bottom, not sure about black skirts, best effect is when the whole water column is occupied, try danios or something to get a fish that lives close to the surface, or hatchet fish.

get some pics up when you do have new fish!

[kcsport]

Great looking tank! How do you like the Coralife Aqualight fixture? I am looking at it myself but hopig its enough light for my 26gal Bowfront. Thanks!

[LetThereBeFish]

Originally Posted by plecostomouse

if i where you i would get more black skirts, tetra usually do bets in large groups, my cardinals are super active now that i have increased the school size to 10. maybe ditch the rosporas and get more black skirts.

also when selecting fish think of where they swim in the water, you fish list is a good example, cories bns rams and golden barbs tend to be close to the bottom, not sure about black skirts, best effect is when the whole water column is occupied, try danios or something to get a fish that lives close to the surface, or hatchet fish.

get some pics up when you do have new fish!

If I must get rid of the gold barbs (later on), I could have more liberty on what to put in this tank. Im not sure If I want to get more black skirts, im still debating on that. I know that bloodfin tetras are pretty tight schoolers, so I might replace the harlequin with them.

So how about this:
7x Bloodfin Tetras
5x Hatchetfish sp.
5x Leopard Cories
2x Black Skirt Tetras
2x Bolivian Rams
1x BNP
2x Gold Barb (until I know what to do with them)

In the end, I would like it to be:
7x Bloodfin Tetras
5x Hatchetfish sp.
5x Leopard Cories
2x Bolivian Ram
1x BNP

Originally Posted by kcsport

Great looking tank! How do you like the Coralife Aqualight fixture? I am looking at it myself but hopig its enough light for my 26gal Bowfront. Thanks!

Thanks! Yeah the Coralife fixture is doing wondors for my tank. Plus the bulb's quality seems to last longer than standard flourescent.

[plecostomouse]

Originally Posted by LetThereBeFish

In the end, I would like it to be:
7x Bloodfin Tetras
5x Hatchetfish sp.
5x Leopard Cories
2x Bolivian Ram
1x BNP

that list looks awesome!

[LetThereBeFish]

Originally Posted by plecostomouse

that list looks awesome!

Woot! Now were getting somewhere!

Next week, hopefully the list will be:
6x Harlequin Rasporas
2x Gold Barb
2x Black Skirt Tetras
1x BNP
5x Leopard Cories or Hatchetfish sp. or both

[LetThereBeFish]

*UPDATE!!*
Last week I took out the emperor tetras and now I replaced them with a pair of bolivian rams. I didn't have good luck with them in the way past, but hopefully they will make the acclimation period this time. So far so good. In other news, I think I will be taking out the cherry barbs sooner than I thought. The one male is in breeding season over-drive and is terrorizing all the barbs and rasporas ( all which are in the cyprinidae family, hmmmmm). So after the holidays, those cherries are out!

Equipment: Coralife Power Compact, Aqueon Power Filter, Eheim 2213, Hydor Theo, Hydor Koralia.
Substrate: Eco Complete
Ferts: Flourish, Flourish Root Tabs, and DIY Co2
Inhabitants: 6x Harlequin Rasporas, 4x Cherry Barbs, 2x Gold Barbs, 2x Black Skirt Tetras, 2x Bolivian Rams, 4x Amano Shrimp, 2x Nerites
Plants:Bacopa sp, Ludwigia Repens, Ludwigia Palustris, Rotala Indica, Nesaea, Crypt Wendtii, Crypt Spiralis, Jungle Val, Cardamine Lyrata, Dwarf Sag, Hygrophila Compact, Wisteria, Tiger Lotus, and Melon Sword or Ozelot Sword.


Notice how all the fish are staying in the left side of the tank, while the lone cherry barb stays to the right of the tank.


Ram looking a little stress. Colors should come out soon.


BNP! Man I love this guy