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Big community tanks (filtration; stocking);
Serrasalminae (behaviour, compat.) 8/18/08 Hello There, I have
been reading over and over your website for close to 4 years now, and I
can't tell you how wonderful you guys are at educating people...
and for free... This will be my first post to you and I just want to be
sure on what I am getting into next. But more praise first... One could
probably earn the equivalency of a masters degree in aquatic biology
from the information accumulated here along with references of
others... If only we could study major after major... Doubling in
Sociology and Music performance took up a bit too much of my time to
consider anything else, and what a shame! <Ah, your education
doesn't end when you graduate! I've known people who've
published in the scientific press despite their science being a hobby:
their day jobs were completely different!> A little about me: I have
worked at 2 different aquatics related businesses in the past and have
been steeped in the hobby for about 20 years now. I maintain 4
aquariums; a 75 gallon mixed species rainbow fish and gudgeon biotope
(river rock, driftwood, Vallisneria nana [where might I find some v.
caulescens?], sand), a planted 125 gallon with a quintet of (Peruvian)
Rio Nanay wild discus cha ching!!!, a school of black morpho tetras
(Poecilocharax weitzmani... [once one understands Latin vowels it's
not so difficult he-he.]), some cories, 2 Farlowellas and a pair of
ramirezi, some nice chunky driftwood, peat/sand substrate, and sword
plants (e. tenellus, e. ozelot, and e. bleheri, with a bed of jungle
Val), an iwagumi style 30 gallon with Kuhli loaches, celestial pearl
Danios (trying to breed them) and an SAE, plants include blyxa
japonica, Hemianthius calichitroides, and Rotala wallichi. And finally
a 20 gallon low tech crypt tank with only crystal red shrimp. Maybe a
Betta bowl/java moss :-). I use Eheim filtration and t5 lighting on all
these systems, I conserve rainwater, and supplement that with R.O.
during dry times along with my additives. I go through lots of water...
So, I will quit my introductory rambling for now. <Well, does sound
as if you've kept more fish than me...> I have just purchased a
300 (6"lx36"w25"h) gallon glass tank, and I am in the
process of building my stand (and wreaking havoc on my basement). (4x4
hardwood beams framed with 2 x 4s on each side w/ plenty of bracing)
and filtration system. My question is about my entire filtration idea,
as I have not ever tried to maintain a system this large, I bought this
tank used in great condition, and I am too afraid to attempt drilling
it and installing an overflow. So, I am using an overflow box with 2 U
tubes. Water will be prefiltered and run through carbon bags in the
outflow box. My sump is going to be a chambered 75 gallon aquarium;
first through filter pads then into a chamber overflowed onto a drip
plate. Then the water will drip into a chamber with bio-balls atop egg
crate with air stones underneath. This will be overflowed into a
vegetable chamber, [what is the best plant I may use here for nutrient
export? <Most anything floating and fast growing. Floating because
it's closer to the light, and fast growing because that's where
the nitrate/phosphate goes. This said, freshwater fish are generally
fairly tolerant of nitrate, and water changes are comparatively
inexpensive compared with marine systems. So I'd tend to view
plants more as tools for algae control than water purification. Mind
you, "vegetable filters" have been done, and I'd direct
you to the book 'Dynamic Aquaria' for a scientific review of
the subject.> I was thinking a larger type of Vallisneria or
Watersprite, although I have read that emergent plants may be even
better... I am just not too familiar with this...] <Emergent plants
receive even more light than floating plants, hence growth rate is even
more rapid. Hygrophila polysperma and especially Hygrophila corymbosa
for example do very well like this, and growth of both species is
astonishing if they're getting natural sunlight or intense
artificial light.> Then water will be run through another filter
pad, through another drip plate and pumped back into the display. I am
going for around 1500 gph with the return pump here. Also, I am going
to run 2 emperor 400's on the display to help out with large waste
that might not be overflowed. I'd really like your take on this
idea. <For reasons I've discussed here many, many times I
don't think much of hang-on-the-back filters. Advanced aquarists
certainly shouldn't be looking at them. In short, I don't like
the fact the inlet and outlet are close together; I don't like the
very poor mechanical filtration characteristics; I don't like the
fact you're "locked" into using proprietary filter
modules such as useless carbon and Zeolite. Infinitely better to use a
standard canister filter, internal or external, depending on your
tastes (external canister filters being better value but less easy to
maintain). If you're keeping a bunch of big fish, it would be
insane to go with some Chinese-made hang-on-the-back filter, and
you'd be better off investing in a super-reliable Eheim filter that
will keep these messy, sensitive fish in good health. Eheim make some
great "pro" filters if you're deep of pocket; otherwise
multiple "classic" filters like the 2217 will provide a good
value alternative. With big fish, you're after 8-10 times the
volume of the tank in turnover per hour. Arrange the inlet pipes and
spray bars all around the tank to produce strong current working all
the way around the tank.> This tank is going to house, for now, 6
3" cichlid orinocensis( I want a pair, and I plan to sell the rest
once I grow them), <Nice fish.> some rotkeil Severums,
<Gorgeous fish: marine quality colours, if you can get some decent
stock.> a royal Pleco (L-190). a goldy sunshine Pleco (L-014) <Do
not underestimate the territoriality of large Plecs. Also Panaque spp.
MUST eat wood, and they produce masses of chippings in the process.
Hang-on-the-back filters will be totally overwhelmed and simply
won't remove the woody debris from the substrate, lacking the
"suction" required. Again, canisters are the way to go,
ideally combined with a reverse flow undergravel.> and maybe a
tigrinus catfish if I can find one small enough and in an acceptable
price range. <A "small" Tigrinus? No such beast. Adults
quickly get to 45-60 cm. Not tolerant of other catfish and markedly
territorial. Would perhaps recommend slightly smaller, more easy going
species like the excellent gregarious species Sorubim lima. But given
you have 300 US gallons to work with, you should find lots of options
in the 30-45 cm range that will work in this community. But do always
remember big catfish not only demand good water quality but also put a
huge strain on the filtration system. Before spending any money on big
cats, it's always worth balancing the impressiveness of a catfish
in a photo with the fact many species hide away all the time and get
pretty boring. Since you're stuck with a big catfish for something
like 20 years, you may as well choose a species that is
entertaining!> Nothing is in it now, so my options are open, I have
already got the ball rolling on the peacocks as soon as the tank is
cycled they are a definite. <OK.> One more question and I'll
get out of your hair, he-he. I ventured to the public aquarium close to
my home in Chattanooga, TN a couple weeks ago, and I noticed that they
are housing their peacock bass with piranha species. the tank is not
too humongously big and it seems fairly crowded. <Do remember their
may be water capacity out of view, so the size of the tank you SEE can
be misleading in terms of water volume. In any case, public aquaria
have the luxury of moving fish around from one big tank to another, or
even selling on unwanted livestock, and that's something you may
not be able to do.> I don't understand how they can do this in
captivity without major major aggression, the peacocks and piranha both
have amazing color and all seemed to be in decent finnage. <Cichla
and Serrasalminae have a complex relationship in the wild. Adults of
each species compete for the same resources, but there's more to it
than that. Many piranhas feed on the fins of large fish, and Cichla
have evolved behavioural characteristics that allow them minimise such
attacks. Furthermore, the eyespot is believe to be a way to confuse
fin-eating fish. Conversely, adult Cichla eat juvenile piranhas. What
these all means for aquarium maintenance I couldn't say, but
it's interesting to speculate that a "stand off" might
exist where specimens of similar size were kept together. How stable
that would be in the long term or within the confines of a home
aquarium is up for debate though.> Everything I have read about
piranha has warned they should only be kept as a solitary species,
<Does depend on the species: some are gregarious at certain times of
the year, and only become markedly territorial when breeding. The size
of the school makes a HUGE difference, and that's where aquarists
come a-cropper. It's really a case of the more, the better, and
successful displays in public aquaria often include dozens of
specimens. Hobbyists often try with five or six fish, and end up with
just the one male at the end.> and for some more aggressive species
only as solitary animals I would like to know about how they achieve
this... I took a behind the scenes tour with a great friend of mine,
even got to see young weedy sea dragons that were hatched there at the
facility, but most of the questions in regards to husbandry I had, the
guide couldn't answer. Although, being feeding those massive sand
tiger sharks and the green sea turtles was well worth the extra money.
<I'm not a huge piranha fan, and consider them among the least
exciting fish in the hobby. That said, if you're prepared to keep
10+ species of Serrasalmus spp. of moderate size, you can get lucky and
create a stable group. Experienced keepers tell me the very small
specimens (coin-sized) you see in shops are often much more nippy than
the sub-adults, so one mistake is buying a bunch of babies hoping to
rear them together. While that approach works with many fish,
apparently it doesn't with Serrasalminae. For most aquarists,
Exodon paradoxus is a much better piranha-like fish for maintenance in
groups. It's smaller, forms stable schools more readily when kept
in large numbers, and is far prettier (in my opinion). Does the same
feeding frenzy thing, but eats anything, so can be easily maintained on
chopped seafood. I'll also make the point that there seems to be a
relationship between aggression and the use of live foods. Fish fed
dead/frozen foods are consistently less aggressive than ones fed live
foods. Unfortunately many people who buy piranhas choose to feed them
live animals, particularly goldfish, and apart from being a death
warrant in terms of healthcare, that habit likely makes maintaining a
stable school less easy.> Hope you have a good one, Adam
Double check I'm headed in right direction, FW set-up,
community 9/5/08 Re: Double check I'm headed in right direction 9/6/08 Hi Neale Thank you so much. The thought of a reverse flow undergravel never accrued to me. That in conjunction with the power filters so work great. Thanks again. <Hello! Glad to help. Reverse-flow undergravel filters are indeed wonderful things, and I'm sure you'll be impressed with the excellent balance of cost against performance. http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebindex/fwugfiltr.htm http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebindex/ug5proscons.htm Cheers, Neale.>
Community tank recommendation 1/29/08 Hello, <Ave,> Thank you for providing this wonderful service to people. I have a 40 gallon tank (with driftwood and gravel it is probably 35). I use a magnum canister filter with a micron cartridge to keep the water clean and a penguin to filter peat into the water. My ammonia, nitrite and nitrate are 0. The pH stays between 6.8 and 7.0. The temperature is 79 degrees. I have several Anubias plants (that are growing beard algae, but then that's another topic). <Absolutely normal for Anubias when kept in direct light. These are shade-loving plants that need to be planted below something that filters the light a bit.> Now for my question. The tank is occupied by 8 glow light tetras (2 are very fat), 5 Rasbora hengelis (2 are just babies), 7 brilliant rasboras, 6 Amano shrimp and 1 albino Bushynose Pleco (without a bushy nose). <All good. The Ancistrus will develop its bushy nose once its mature, though males more so than females.> I am wondering if I should stop with just these fish. <In a 40 gallon tank? There's a bit more space, certainly.> I am torn because my main concern is the health and happiness of the fish, however, I would like to add 5 - 6 diamond tetras because they are pretty and slightly bigger than the others. <Would work nicely. One of my favourite tetras. Try not to get too many males though: in small groups, the males sometimes play rough, and you eventually end up with just one male! That's exactly what I have now... bought six, they bumped each other off, and for the last 2-3 years, just the one male who mostly schools/fights with the Glassfish!> I have read extensively about the diamond tetras and can find nothing that suggests that they would pick on or terrorize the other fish. <Hmm... watching mine now, and yes, he's chasing the Glassfish. Not in a serious way, and definitely not to the point of nipping or stressing the other fish. But they do view similar-looking fish as rivals, I guess. Different fish -- such as your Rasboras and Glowlights -- will be completely ignored. I've mixed Diamonds with Cardinals and so on, and never had problems.> However, if you know something about them that I don't please educate me. I don't want to overcrowd my tank because I want everyone to be comfortable. It is so hard for me to figure out the 1 - 1.5 inches of fish per gallon because I can't judge what constitutes an inch of fish. <It's a pretty rubbish rule. Surface area is a better guideline in my opinion: one inch of small fish to every 10 square inches of surface area. But anyway, these guidelines are all rather vague and not like calculating how much paint you need to cover a wall. At the end of the day you have to do things slowly, check the nitrite level, and if everything is OK, and the fish are behaving normally, you're fine.> So if you can find a moment, please offer me some guidance. I have made so many mistakes so far trying to learn about fish I would like to do the right thing. <Very good.> Thank you so much and bless you, Stephanie <Cheers, Neale.> New Tank Community, FW 1/3/08
Hello. I would like to request a recommendation on a good community of
freshwater fish for my new 20 gallon tank - now about 1 month old. I
currently have three neon tetras, two Serpae tetras, one Burmese Botia,
and one black molly (appears to be ailing). All appear to be doing fine
(except the molly). Community stocking scheme: food for thought 10/26/07 Hi, <Hello,> Following Neale's advice on filter cloning, it took around 10 days to fishlessly cycle my ~73g tank; I added a little flake or a cube of bloodworms every other day. <Very good.> My first fish, 13 Melanotaenia praecox and an Ancistrus Pleco (Longfin), have been there two weeks and all is well. I'm still measuring, pH, ammonia and nitrites daily. pH tends to the high side, 7.5-8, I think due to the substrate, which has a few pieces of shell in it. I'm not too worried as it will provide buffering capacity when more fish are added. After cycling, ammonia remains at zero reading according to my kit, nitrites rose a little to 0.3-0.8 but now after a couple of 50% water changes are <0.3 (the lowest measurement on the test card). <That pH is just fine for most aquarium fish. So long as the high pH is concurrent with a relatively high hardness (rather than, say, excess ammonia) you're fine. Indeed, hard, alkaline water is wonderfully stable and in some ways the optimum for basic fishkeeping. Soft, acid water comes into its own when breeding water chemistry-sensitive fish, but otherwise it's lack of stability can make it more trouble than it's worth.> While everything has been settling in I have been reading through WWM FAQs and have emerged better informed, VERY cautious, and a little overwhelmed! Having seen the neon rainbows in situ, I want to pursue an 'iridescent' theme for this community and have therefore decided against moving the 4 blood parrots to the 75g tank. They are too big and gawky for what I have in mind. I take Neale's point that their 20g won't be enough as they get bigger and am boosting the filtration meantime. <Very good.> Now I'm pondering how to complete the community. The tank is 23 inches tall, 42 inches wide and 18 inches deep, and I would like to add 5 or 6 Pterophyllum scalare (platinum), and Xiphophorus hellerii (wild-type green colour, 1 male and 3 or 4 female). I could stop at that, but I'm tempted to have a final pair of top-dwellers, possibly gouramis. <Check out Moonlight gouramis (Trichogaster microlepis) -- they're completely silver. Silver Hatchetfish (Gasteropelecus sternicula) might be another option, though they are not "easy" fish and need good conditions and a rich, varied diet to do well. But in terms of sheer iridescence, it's hard to beat characins such as Congo tetras (Phenacogrammus interruptus) or Niger tetras (Arnoldichthys spilopterus). Their big, metallic scales catch the light reflecting shades of green, violet and blue.> However, I'm aware that with a water surface area of 5.25 sq feet, the bio-capacity of my 75g is not much more than some 50-60g set-ups, so I'd like your advice on how far that plan would be pushing the limit. <As it stands, sounds fine. Depends a lot on the size of the fish. Angels become territorial when mature, so you're likely going to have to remove all but one pair from the tank anyway. In which case, you can trade the surplus adults in for some more fish.> I'm also concerned about disease (I live in Singapore, ground zero of dwarf Gourami disease) and potential aggression with larger gouramis. I was wondering how sparkling/croaking Gourami might fare, or whether these would be too small and be intimidated by the angels? <Trichopsis pumila, at up to 4 cm, is too small. Even if it doesn't get eaten by the angels (by no means a certainty) its small size and shy disposition would make it difficult to feed and observe. Trichopsis vittata is bigger, around 7 cm, and consequently that bit more robust. The two species are quite similar in looks. Perhaps better bets might be some of the larger Betta and Colisa spp; Colisa labiosus for example, or Betta bellica.> Which gouramis, if any, would be most suitable for both this theme and community, or is there another 'iridescent' middle-to-top-dweller which might be a better choice? <A lot of the "wild" Betta species are iridescent, typically bluish or greenish, as in the case of Betta bellica. Wild-type Kissing gouramis are a nice metallic green, especially when mature. From Africa, some of the Climbing perches might be pressed into service. Ctenopoma fasciolatum is a species that changes its colours seemingly at will, and at times is dark steel blue, at others metallic grey. It always has shiny pearl spots on its flanks. In a planted tank, it's altogether a very attractive fish, and unusually for Climbing perch, is a good community fish.> Or should I call it quits at the angels and swordtails for now? <Up to you. In your tank, you should comfortably be able to house half a dozen rainbows, half a dozen medium-sized tetras, a pair of adult angels, four or five swordtails, and a couple of catfish without any problems at all. By my reckoning, you have 792 square inches of surface are, and at 1 inch of fish per 10 square inches, that's almost 80 inches of fish. You need to be more conservative with bigger fish, so let's say 40-60 inches of Dwarf Gourami-sized fish.> Dave <Hope this helps, Neale> New Community Tank Setup, FW stkg. 9/20/07 Hello, <Good Morning, Terri, Andrea here.> Great informative site, thanks for all the wise advice! <Thanks, I agree.> I am planning to start my first ventures into keeping an aquarium as a hobby and wanted to make sure I was heading in the right direction. I have done lots of research <Excellent! Keep up the research and good work.> on fish compatibility and have so far come up with the following for a 30 or 33 gallon tank. 6 Neon Dwarf Rainbowfish, 3 yoyo loaches, 4 angelfish and 3 red honey gourami's.<The gouramis, while small, may nip the angels and like a slightly higher pH, KH than Angelfish. Likewise, the Angels, unless you cull down to a mated pair, will quickly outgrow a 30-33 gallon tank.> The questions I have are: 1) I have tried to come up with a suitable number of each species to suit them, but I am concerned that I might be overcrowding the tank (and I even read that angelfish and gouramis should be kept more than 3 to reduce aggression.) Are these numbers ok for my tank? <I'd say you are pushing it. I'd suggest starting out with the yo yo loaches and Angels. Get 6 juvenile angelfish and wait for a pair to form. Once one does, return the remaining four. Then stock accordingly from there. I feel the dwarf rainbows would be a good addition at that time.> 2) Also I am quite excited to have a heavily planted aquarium. Do you have suggestions for types of plants that would suit these fish species? <In this tank, the Angels are more or less the centerpiece fish. Choose wisely, and choose healthy, nice specimens. Read http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/fwangelfishes.htm and the linked articles at the top of the page. These are South American Cichlids. I'd suggest plants from the Amazon/Pantanal region, where these fish are native. They create a lovely biotope. Have you done your research on what a heavily planted tank entails and are prepared with the proper lighting, substrate, pressurized CO2, and fertilizers? You might look into some planted tank sites online. Try http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com and also the articles on WWM.> 3) I would like to have a fish group that are aware of their outside surroundings and have interesting behaviour, do you recommend replacing the gouramis with 2 of either German Blue Rams or Bolivian Rams? Would they be compatible with this group? <My main concerns with the gouramis is that despite their small stature, they are nippers, and will go after the angelfish. Likewise, they tend to prefer solitary life, and will sometimes turn on each other. This is less common with dwarf honeys, but not unheard of. Also, gouramis are an Asian fish, and I tend to suggest people stay within the same continent when choosing stock. The German Blue Rams and Bolivians however are a good choice for pairing with angels, as they are also peaceful South American cichlids from the same region. But I feel the breeding behavior of both groups (Angels v. Rams) would eventually result in conflict. Choose either Angels or Rams.> 4) Is their a particular order that I should stock my fish after I have cycled the tank or just add all the fish right away? I read that yoyo's can be sensitive so wondering how long (if any) I should wait before adding them. <General rule of thumb is to introduce the most "shy" and "peaceful" fish first. I encourage you to research the behaviors of your stock selection and go from there. I'd start with the yo yos.> <In closing, with Angelfish (a fantastic choice for a 30 tank if you go with just a pair, also for planted tanks), make the pair your "centerpiece" fish, then stock one or two small groups of schooling fish in a planted aquarium. Stay away from tiny fish, however that will fit easily in an angels mouth. Neons Tetras, for example, are their natural food in the wild. However, the six dwarf rainbows, and perhaps a small school of other, slightly larger, tetras would make a stunning display.> Thank you very much for your time and I look forward to hearing from you guys. <Most welcome.> Cheers <Back at ya.> Terri <Andrea> Re: FW Angelfish, Stocking plan, planted tank start up. 7/21/07 Hi Andrea, <Hi Terri!> Thanks for responding so quickly! <No problemo.> This website is great and lots of helpful advice. In regards to your reply about stocking my 30 or 33 gallon tank, I have a few more questions: 1) You suggested getting 6 baby angelfish and wait for 2 to pair up after a year or so, and then take the 4 extra out of the tank. I don't have anywhere to put the 4 extra and the pet store does not take specimens back. Can I just try to buy 2 directly from the store and see if they get along? I know its hard to sex juvenile angels, so also assuming I got 2 males, will they display territorial aggression in a 30 gallon space? <You can always give it a shot, and keep a close eye on them. You want to try to get a mated pair, which is why it is suggested to start with a larger number, and cull down once a pair forms. Also, I'd ask the pet store why they won't take fish back. That is unusual, except with (Gah!) the large chains. Do you have an aquarium specialty, local, fish only store anywhere near?> 2) After considering your advice I will not get gourami's and rams since I guess my tank would be too small for them to be compatible, but what about 2 Apistogramma fishes? I really would like to get Apisto bitaeniata in particular. I realize they too like rams are South American cichlids but still wanted to know what you thought if there might be a difference if I changed the rams for the Apistos. <Good choice on the Gourami/ram combo. However, Apistogrammas and Angelfish aren't going to get along well either. You'd be better going with angels and gouramis if you must have one of the three (Gourami, ram, or Apisto), but I encourage you to investigate another, non-cichlid, non-nipper option. Angelfish are generally slower moving, slightly nervous, and long finned fish. This should be your consideration when choosing the tank mates.> 3) In addition to the Rainbow neon dwarfs, what about adding platies to the mix? I would like red fish in the tank to contrast against the blue of the dwarfs and shape of the angelfish. It doesn't matter to me if the angelfish eat platy spawn as Im not interested in breeding fish. <I don't see a problem with platys.> 4) If the platies are not a good mix can you recommend another pretty red fish that would go will with my setup? <Platys should be fine. Another good choice would be something like a Serpae or Von Rio Tetra.> 5) I have been reading a lot that clown loaches and angelfish go well together, but I don't want to get clowns as they grow too big. Would a different loach species be better suited compared to the yo yo loach? I am also concerned that loaches are from India and like gentle currents and angelfish are from S.A and like still waters, will this be a problem if I put them together? <The loaches would be just fine. I suggest going with something smaller, such as a small school of Botia Sidthimunki or a trio of Botia striata.> Possible revised setup, 30-33 gallons: 6 neon dwarf rainbows <-- Fine.> 2 angelfish <--Fine.> 3 yo-yos <--See above about the loach question.> 2 Apistogramma <--Swap for a pair of dwarf gouramis (preferably honeys) with close attention, or other non-cichlid fish> 5 platies (or less?) <--Fine, but this would be your maximum limit.> <You would be FULLY stocked. Go slowly, and keep up your water changes weekly. Plenty of plants and excellent filtration will be of great help.> Thanks so much again for your help. <Sure thing!> Cheers, <Yep!> Terri Community Tank Water Chemistry. 9/5/07 Hi Neale, <Lisa,> I'd appreciate your advice on "community tanks" concerning water chemistry. <OK.> I am "fostering" a 29 gallon tank. In the tank are 3 albino Corys, 3 black shirt tetras, 3 Glowlights (I tried to identify them last night - their bodies are pinkish/flesh color with a red marking on the dorsal fin), 3 very pretty orange and red mollies and 1 Pleco (plump and about 5-6 inches in length). <Those don't sound like Glowlights. Glowlights (Hemigrammus erythrozonus) are transparent with a coppery band from nose to tail along the midline. Need a photo to identify them, as they don't sound immediately recognisable to me.> Due to the tap's very soft water (which I understand is preferred by Corys), my pH swings (as noted from my established community tank). I am not sure how to buffer it as in this situation it doesn't make sense to buffer using peat or crushed coral on either sides of the spectrum to stabilize. <Corydoras couldn't really care less about water pH or hardness. Anything from pH 6-8 and hardness 5-20 dH is acceptable, particularly with tank-bred forms (which is what you have). I've said this repeatedly on WWM in answer to many other questions -- the exact pH and hardness almost never matters: what matters is stability. So, if you have very soft water, then adding some crushed coral to the filter DOES make sense. Maybe you won't need much -- experiment! Perhaps half a cup to start with. Measure the pH and hardness each day for the following week, and plot a little graph. Once you've seen what effect it has, you can raise or lower the amount of crushed coral so that it meshes with the amount of water you change each week. What you're after is around 10 dH and a pH around 6.5-7.5. That's the "sweet spot" for virtually all tropical community fish.> Similarly, where does one draw the line in stabilizing pH and hardness/softness in a community tank where for instance guppies (tank 1: 5 guppies, 5 Corys, 2 bumblebee cats, 2 Plecos, 1 giant Danio) and mollies (tank 2: combo mentioned above) prefer more alkaline water and Cory's like neutral, soft water? I also understand mollies prefer brackish water (no salt has ever been added to their tank). <Except for the mollies, what I suggest above will suit all of these. The guppies might prefer harder water, and certainly not a pH less than 7.0. Mollies, unfortunately, just don't do well in regular community tanks with 100% reliability. I know some people are fine with them, and that's cool. But 5 times out of 10, the mollies just don't thrive. So there's no way, ever, you're going to get me say "this set of freshwater conditions is ideal for all your fish, mollies included". Mollies just plain do better in brackish/marine aquaria. End of story.> Also, as you can imagine the Pleco in the 29 gallon barely has room to turn around. I'd like to move him to the 55 gallon Mbuna tank. I have not yet moved my other Pleco from my established tank to the Mbuna tank because I have not finished aquascaping it yet (I'm in phase 1). The 55 gallon has 11 2-3 inch Mbunas and the nasty CAE. Will both Plecos be okay in the 55? <This is a "suck it and see" situation. If you have two male Plecs... don't bank on them getting along. Two females, maybe. One of each... who knows?> At least they'll have room to swim (I watched the video on YouTube you referred to about the Plecos in the wild!)...? <Isn't it cool!> One other question please! Can a tank have too much aeration? I'm running 2 powerheads in the 55 and a "full length" airstone - I have two filters that break the surface with the water flow. I'm trying to equip tanks according to biotope - I haven't been able to find if the Rift Valley Lakes have strong currents or are rather still... <Realistically, no, in freshwater tanks over-aeration and over-filtration aren't usually a problem. Yes, you can supersaturate water with gases, and these bubble out inside the fish, causing tissue damage. But this happens more in marine than freshwater aquaria, I think because of differences in gas solubility between fresh and salt water. Regardless, to get to this point you need A LOT of aeration and filtration, and freshwater fishkeepers rarely run systems with even 50% the water movement of comparable marine tanks. As for water currents in the Rift Valley lakes... it depends! Some parts of the lakes have strong currents, with some cichlids even living in the surf zone. But other parts are relatively still, particularly where there is a thick growths of plants (Potamogeton and Vallisneria, mostly). But provided you're aiming for about 6-8 times the volume of the tank in turnover per hour, you should be fine.> Thank you Neale! <Hope this helps, Neale> |
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