So my paludarium is fully cycled and ready for fish. I've been super excited and super patient for the last 8 months since the spectacular structural failure of my 55 gallon display tank. I'm ready to stock the new one but I want to do it right.
Here's the situation. I was able to save 6 otos, 6 pygmy corys, my farlowella, and my rubberlip pleco from the carnage of the 55. They are currently housed in my QT tank with my 5 home-raised black tetras, my female bristlenose, and a few more otos. I plan on getting a school of pygmy corys and a school of one-lined pencil fish from my favorite LFS. Of the fish in my QT, all 6 pygmys and 7-8 of the otos will eventually live in my paludarium.
Question: who should I stock where?
Options:
1) All new fish go straight into the paludarium with the corys and otos from my QT. Pro- I get a full new tank and my QT stays disease-free. Con- Could cause major loss in the new tank due to disease.
2) All new fish go straight into the paludarium. Wait 4-6 weeks until introducing my current stock into the new tank. Pro- I get a mostly full new tank and my QT stays free of disease. Con- paludarium won't be fully stocked for a while.
3) All new fish go into the quarantine, AFTER moving existing stock into the paludarium. Pro- the new tank stays disease free. Con- new tank has very light bioload which may cause a mini-cycle when additional fish are added.
4) All new fish go into the quarantine for 4-6 weeks. Only then do I move any fish to my new tank. Pro- new tank stays disease free. Con- possible introduction of disease into the QT could lay waste to ALL my fish, and it would be even longer until I get to enjoy fishwatching in my living room.
Addendum. I'd like a colony of RCS. Bad idea with pygmy corys, pencil fish, a farlowella, and possibly a rubberlip pleco?
My inclination is to go ahead with the RCS and option #2.
Thoughts?
