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Redoing My Freshwater Aquarium, Opinions Please :D

3K views 5 replies 3 participants last post by  Dylan 
#1 ·
Hello, i have decided to redo my Freshwater Aquarium as it is not what i want, ive had troubles with types of fish i have put in it and how they act towards eachother, for example Kribensis, forced evry fish away while breeding, even killing some. and have now OVERUN my tank. :-(

Ok so heres what i want you to think about :D

My fish tank is 24 Inches High, 17 Inches Wide and 47 Inches Long, i have worked this out to be close to 83 Gallons (US) or 314 Litres (AU).

What i am going to do is ge trid of my Kribensis completely, leaving me with my Bristlenose Catfish, Clown Loach, Bronze Catfish, and 5 Neon tetras.

My Question to other felow fish lovers is what would u add to this tank, and why? Plants include. all Opinions are welcome.

Im after a colourful tank, with varieties of fish, from Bottom Dwellers to Surface Dwellers. I wouldnt mind if fish would breed in the tank. But would like to avoid the instance of the species over running the tank like my Kribensis did.

Thanks. I look forawrd to seeing your opinions on this :-D
 
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#2 ·
Dylan, my first recommendation is to resolve some of the problems with the present fish (aside from the Kribensis I mean).

Clown loach must, and I really mean must, be in a group of at least 5 or 6. Given that these fish can attain 12 inches, a 90g is not sufficient space. I won't repeat all that is in the profile of this fish about their highly evolved social structure, so please have a read of that and you'll understand what I'm saying. You can go to the profiles by clicking the second tab from the left in the blue bar across the top, or click on the shaded name in posts.

There are other loaches suitable for a 90g, check out the profiles; I am currently adding species to make it more complete.

Second point is the Neon Tetra. A shoaling characin, it also needs a group and with the space of a 90g a group of 10 or more would be excellent. I posted a link to a scientific study on this only the other day in the Freshwater Fish section, where they have shown that shoaling fish kept in larger groups have less stress and far less aggression, which in turn means even less stress and thus better health.

Similar point with the Bronze Catfish which I assume is Brochis splendens or perhaps Corydoras Aeneus, both of which go under this or similar common names. These are also shoaling fish requiring groups of 5 or more to be settled and free of stress. Species can be mixed, but a minimum of three of each is best with more than one species.

My only comment on future fish would be if plants are in the picture; this has quite a bearing on appropriate fish, along with water parameters of course.

Byron.
 
#3 ·
Hey, Thanks for your reply. about the Clown Loach i will be getting rid of that also now that i know how big they grow. The guy that sold them to me said they dont grow that big and that it wouldnt be a problem, seems like he wanted the quick buck. I originaly had 2 but one died.

As for what i am thinking to add to my tank, i will put in:
5 Neon Tetra to make a group of 10
4 Bonze Catfish to make a group of 5
7 Guppys
7 Swordtails
and keep my Bristlenose catfish as is.

I have read up on these fish and it doesnt seem like there requirements will clash together, and the groups should keep them happier, if this is all right so far i am now up to selecting plants. I am still not sure on which to get, i already have some Driftwood. Im thinking of buying some Java fern or moss, along with other types but again am unsure. any ideas on what types of plants would go well with these fish?

Thanks :-D
 
#4 ·
Hey, Thanks for your reply. about the Clown Loach i will be getting rid of that also now that i know how big they grow. The guy that sold them to me said they dont grow that big and that it wouldnt be a problem, seems like he wanted the quick buck. I originaly had 2 but one died.

As for what i am thinking to add to my tank, i will put in:
5 Neon Tetra to make a group of 10
4 Bonze Catfish to make a group of 5
7 Guppys
7 Swordtails
and keep my Bristlenose catfish as is.

I have read up on these fish and it doesnt seem like there requirements will clash together, and the groups should keep them happier, if this is all right so far i am now up to selecting plants. I am still not sure on which to get, i already have some Driftwood. Im thinking of buying some Java fern or moss, along with other types but again am unsure. any ideas on what types of plants would go well with these fish?

Thanks :-D
There's no mention of water parameters, so assuming you have slightly basic water (medium hardness and pH 7.0 to 7.6) that group of fish will do. Neons prefer soft acidic water but are tank-raised and have adapted to slightly basic though they still have problems if the water is hard. Corydoras anaeus is very variable as it occurs over a wide area and in differing parameters (as explained in the species profile) and Brochis splendens is similar, so they are fine. Livebearers all need basic water on the medium hard+ side, so that should work.

As for plants, I am a great fan of swords, many of the Echinodorus species will do well and require very little maintenance (unlike stem plants). Java Fern and Java Moss are good, both are attached to wood or rock, not planted in the substrate. Vallisneria and Sagittaria should do well in slightly basic water. Floating plants are almost always a plus for fish, and floating plants are generally very easy maintenance.

Byron.
 
#5 ·
You did mention that you didn't want fish that would overrun your tank. The livebearers you mentioned (guppies and swordtails) are not aggressive fish but if you mix the sexes they will reproduce and, in all likelihood, some fry will survive to adulthood, meaning you'll have an ever-increasing population. If you want to avoid this problem, get all male fish.

In my experience, kribensis become a lot more aggressive when paired up and especially when breeding. You could keep a single fish in a community tank like that with no problems. If the tank were well-decorated, you could probably have multiple males or females living comfortably in the tank without aggression issues.
 
#6 ·
Went down to the local fish shop and sold 20 of my kribensis, got about 20-30 left in my tank so taking them down next week. I have rocks and driftwood, am getting more plants tomorrow to cover the tank better so the kribensis wont attack the other fish if they were to breed again as i have decided to keep the breeding pair after realising how much money i can make from their offspring. :lol:

My tank is on track to looking better :-D When its done ill gladly post up some pictures to show u guys. Thanks for your suggestions :)
 
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