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Amazon biotope

19K views 103 replies 9 participants last post by  CaliforniaFishkeeper 
#1 ·
I recently got a 20 gallon high aquarium and plan on making it an amazon biotope. Here are a few questions:

1) Would an AquaClear 20 work for a filter or do I need a 30?

2) What should the substrate be?

3) What would you do for stocking? (water is approx. 8-9dH and 7.8pH)
 
#77 ·
The Compacta will take up a fair area. If you're doing the right side in swords, I'd just go half and half with the Compacta in the front.

That is a nice piece of wood. Once you have the substrate in I'd fidget with it a bit and get everything set up nice.
 
#80 ·
That's a good idea with the slate, and I did something similar a while back--but it didn't really work. First, E. tenellus will send runners over the slate, and while the plants can't root in the slate, they will still appear, so it is no different picking those out (and breaking the runners) than in regular gravel or sand. I have this plant growing over rocks very nicelyl I keep open areas in the front, and it is not much effort to pinch off a runner when it starts, as during the weekly water change; I never havemore than one or maybe two each time. Second, the corys like to root in the substrate, and this is entertaining to watch--at least I think it is. Feeding them on slate loses that, plus mine didn't seem too keen on the slate anyway. Just my experiences.
 
#81 ·
That's a good idea with the slate, and I did something similar a while back--but it didn't really work. First, E. tenellus will send runners over the slate, and while the plants can't root in the slate, they will still appear, so it is no different picking those out (and breaking the runners) than in regular gravel or sand. I have this plant growing over rocks very nicelyl I keep open areas in the front, and it is not much effort to pinch off a runner when it starts, as during the weekly water change; I never havemore than one or maybe two each time. Second, the corys like to root in the substrate, and this is entertaining to watch--at least I think it is. Feeding them on slate loses that, plus mine didn't seem too keen on the slate anyway. Just my experiences.
Ok then, I won't but slate in.
 
#82 ·
Would Bolivian Rams or Apistogramma borelliis be able to happily breed in my aquarium and not be too aggressive to co-exist with the other fish?

Would I need a seperate tank to put the fry? (I know the parents will raise them, but if I have to grow them to 1 inch won't the males become aggressive with each other?)

Just curious...
 
#83 ·
I have had spawnings of the Bolivian Ram (twice in the past couple of months) and the common Ram previously--both fish in large community tanks. And while not Apistogramma borellii, I have bred A. bitaeniata a couple of times, in a breeding tank (a planted 15g with just the group of five apistos). In a community tank you are highly unlikely to have fry survive to maturity. The parents are very good at protecting the eggs and fry, but once the fry become free swimming and the parents are herding them around the aquarium, they are almost certain to be gobbled up by the other fish. All catfish which are nocturnal will often get the eggs during darkness. My common Ram fry were eaten within minutes by a few corys when they spotted them. And both Bolivian spawnings have been eaten, one as eggs by corys at night, the second as fry by tetra during the day. In both cases the other fish "ganged up" and the parents had no hope of fending them off.

Turning to your question on aggression. I would not have a pair of Bolivians in a 20g community tank. On their own, this is plenty of room, and you would have maturing fry if they spawned. I would not even consider one sole Bolivian in a 20g, these may be "dwarf" cichlids but at 3.5 inches (males) they are not "small" when they are in a mixed tank. I had the male on his own for 18 months, and periodically he would decide it was time to spawn and clean a pit in the gravel, even though no female was in the tank; at at these times he defended that territory quite well, and this is in a 115g tank. I added a female a couple of months back, and when they spawn the male (and female too) are pretty rough fish. This is still in the 115g; in a very confined space there would also be considerably more stress to the rams themselves--they are constantly "chasing" other fish to maintain their territory, and in the confined area of a 20g the territory is basically the tank. Both the rams and the other fish would be stressed out by this, unless the other fish were all upper-water inhabitants. Rams remain close to the substrate, so their prime targets are all fish in the lower 1/3 or 1/2 of the tank.

The A. borellii reach just over 2 inches (males), and a pair when spawning would create much the same issues as the ram even though slightly smaller in size.

Byron.
 
#84 ·
Ok, then what cichlids would be good for my tank and how many? (Doesn't matter if they breed or not)
 
#85 ·
Aside from spawning times, most of the true dwarf cichlids (genera Apistogramma, Dicrossus, Taeniacara) would be fine in a pair. The A. borellii would work out; sorry if I was a bit unclear earlier. As I mentioned previously, these are not quite the problem that the larger Rams are when spawning, and upper-level fish are basically ignored. The pleco might get harassed a bit; with plenty of hiding spots (caves, wood) it would be OK.
 
#87 ·
Yes...sorry, missed those before. H'm, maybe I need a rest:shock:.
 
#89 · (Edited)
I just got a Co2 system... It was on clearance for $9 so I thought I mine as well get it. Just wanted to let you guys know.

Also, would I be able to add a small school of serpae tetras to my current stocking list (in my sig) or would I have to reduce the amount of bloodfin and/or neon tetras?
 
#91 ·
Have you read the profile of the Serpae Tetra? I think it answers you quite clearly, they are not a normal community fish.
 
#95 · (Edited)
I just got a magazine to THATfishPLACE which is only online or in this magazine of whatever, not an lfs... (I didn't even know I was on their mailing list, but it works for me ;-)). Here are their sponge filters:

- Lustar Hydro Sponge Filters
- Hydro Pro Sponge Filters
- Lee's Dual-Action Foam Filter

How often do you have to replace the sponge for these? True, they're only like $10 at the most, but the replacement (actually the first one is the only one with them available to buy) is $4. If you have to replace it every month, doesn't that end up to be a lot? I can't get them at my LFS so I don't know if this makes sense...


Also, their heaters are pretty inexpensive $16.59 - 21.09 for the cheapest ones for 20 gallons. It is the Marineland Visi-Therm Deluxe Submersible Heater, Hydor THEO Heaters, and the Eheim Ebo Jager Aquarium Thermostat Heater.

Any comments about any of the products?
 
#96 ·
As far as heaters, The brand is pretty irrelevant in my opinion.

I don't think sponge filters have to be replaced often at all- I would imagine you just replace them when they fall apart... (I'd imagine a year or two?)
Periodically you should probably remove the sponge and squeeze it out into aquarium water to remove the detritus and 'unclog' it.

I would strongly reccomend that you find a sponge filter that can be attached to a powerhead rather than an airstone... Airstones drive CO2 out of the water- a bad thing even if you are supplementing it.

In planted aquaria, there is some speculation that supplemental CO2 does strange things to the substrate bed. I've heard of several people (many of them professionals) that use CO2, have explosive plant growth for a year or two, and then the balance in the aquarium suddenly and inexplicably collapses resulting in a sudden and massive outbreak of algae, usually killing the plants within a week or two.

I don't think there's been any research done on what exactly happens... It's pretty safe to assume that it's some sort of domino affect that stacks silently overtime until the organisms in the aquarium can no longer keep it in check.
 
#98 ·
Sponge filters, I agree, they basically never wear out, though I suppose eventually they might start to fall apart. Treat them the same as filter pads in canisters or HOB filters. Rinse them so they don't clog (sponge does clog, as does any filter material intended to trap fine particulate matter); how often depends upon the tank and fish load. Every week during the partial water change works. If live plants are in the tank, they can be rinsed in tap water; if no plants, I would rinse them in tank water to avoid killing the bacteria.

Heaters, my advice is to buy the best. There is probably no equipment more important than the heater. If the filter stops, esp in planted tanks, you have time to repair/replace it before trouble (fish loss). If the heater malfunctions overnight, either overheating or no heating, all the fish could be dead by morning. I speak from experience. And the better heaters have a much better track record for reliability. The higher wattage heaters are the same, they work better. My 150w and 200w heaters have never failed in more than a decade; but I've lost 4-5 50w heaters over the same period when they just failed (some overheated, some didn't heat at all). There are some things where saving a few dollars is not wise, and the heater is one of these. For a 20g, I would get a 100w or 150w. I have read several times here that Stealth heaters are good. Eheim I would trust. My last heater purchase was a Fluval that has the LCD display of the temperature; I like this heater. I've had it for just over a year, as one of two heaters in the 115g, and no issues yet. I got it because of the temp digital display, more reliable than thermometers.

I would not use a powerhead on a sponge filter esp in small (20g) tanks. I have a sponge in my 10g, 20g and 33g tanks, hooked up to an air pump in the 10g and 20g, they work fine. The 33g is an enclosed Eheim sponge filter with its own motor; I believe they don't make these any longer, too bad, a super little filter.
 
#99 ·
For a 20g, I would get a 100w or 150w. I have read several times here that Stealth heaters are good. Eheim I would trust.
I think I'll go with Eheim, but probably a 75 watt. It (the chart) says that 75 watts is for 16-26 gallons, 100 is for 26-40, 125 is for 40-53, and 150 is for 53-79. I would be concerned with the 125 overheating the tank and would be weary about purchasing a 100...

Any thoughts?
 
#102 ·
As for the filters, I plan to get the Lustar. I will get two IIs, and will keep 1 tube with 2 sponges on it, so I can keep it cycled for the quarintine. Should I get an extra sponge or do you think I'd be fine for now?
 
#103 ·
I'm not familiar with this particular brand/model, but I can't imagine a true sponge needing replacement for years and years. Sounds like a gimmick to sell sponges by the manufacturer, same as filter media--replace every two weeks sort of nonsense.:roll:
 
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