[Lupin]

Hi and welcome aboard.:wave:

Did you mean those fish you are asking like the neons will be for the 28 gallons? If so, of course, you can have other fish.
Surface
Danios are good options to occupy the surface. They are also quite hardy and are nout fuzzy with various water conditions.
Middle
Aside from a shoal of neons(6 or more is recommended in number), you can try diamond tetras, lemon tetras, harlequin rasboras and hengeli rasboras. I wouldn't buy neons at the moment until your tank matures to 6 months as neons are not really very hardy. Lemon tetras will be a good start along with diamond tetras.
Bottom
Bristlenose are good options. Get only one as they can be mildly territorial against each other. Otos are also good at consuming algae though I wouldn't get them until your tank reaches 6months of maturity. Otos can be quite sensitive to water conditions.

No fish can really eat detritus which I expect has been said by most people who are quite ignorant of what the fish really needs.:blueworry: I have heard of people here that common plecs eat poo but this is wrong. They need food as other fish do. Ghost shrimps and Malayan Trumpet Snails are good at eating detritus though I must warn you that MTS are a pain to remove but still, they are the best options as the way they dig into the bottom, it helps prevent the appearance of anaerobic spots which can release toxins thereby killing your fish.

What is your filter? You'll need heater to maintain the constant temperature as temperature changes often have dire consequences to the fish.

As for plants, javan ferns, javan moss and anubias are recommended. They require low light so they are good options.

Cycling
What method of cycling will you use? If you use cycling with fish, danios will be the best choice you can have when cycling. As mentioned previously, they are quite hardy and will survive the cycling process unlike most other fish.

HTH
Blue

 

[Lupin]

Nice post, Trreherd. I forgot about cories.:mrgreen:

 

[Lupin]

I know it is kinder to do a fishless cycle but I know we will all be impatient. I have a little castle ornament thingy in the two gallon. If I move this into the 28 g and swish the filter from the 2g in the water of the 28g will that seed enough bacteria over to start with a few small Danios after a few days of just a pinch of fish food? I know I need to add the fish slowly so that the bacteria grow enough to handle the extra ammonia generated.

Should be ok although you may try getting your lfs' filter media. How long has your 2g tank been running? If it has been running for a short time and may not have cycled, your lfs' filter media would be your best option. Oh,I wouldn't use ornaments like castles if I were you. They're just unnatural.:mrgreen: Some bogwood and plants will make your tank loonk more natural. Fake bogwood is fine as it looks natural too. Be aware real bogwood tend to leach out tannins so the water may become yellowish. Not harmful at all and neons and cories will definitely love that kind of environment.

Boy oh boy - is it Christmas yet?

Less than a week yet.:shake: I'm so impatient.:sob: :quiet:

 

[Lupin]

the 2g has been up and running for about 5-6 weeks but I moved the gravel, fish, snails and plants over from the soda bottle ecosystem that was set up in September.

Ok. You can go to that. What filter were you using? Filtration should be sufficient for a 28 gallons tank.

 

[Lupin]

I was going to tell you to take a rubermaid bin fill it up with water,fish,gravel and hook up your filter, start cycling your filter and your gravel in it with some fish and then set is all up christmas morning but i just remembered your kids are yung so how would you explain santa leaving a pre seeded filter and gravel with the tank lol

:bluelaugh: :bluelaugh:
Hide it in the basement?:mrgreen:

 

[Lupin]

Skunk botia loaches or other smaller loaches are a possible choice also but I wouldn't recommend them with cories or other bottom dwelling hiding fish.

Definitely not the skunk loach(Botia morleti).:blink: They are very aggressive loaches and are terrible bullies. I used to have them and they are quite nippy. My lfs also has them and they were nipping the poor Boesemann's rainbowfish.:sob:

Loaches are fine with all bottom dwellers with the exception of predatory and large catfishes.:wink2: However, I'll make exceptions with some loaches like the Botia morleti as they are a nuisance to almost all fish. Cories are fine along with doradids.

Pls avoid the Botia morleti and Botia modesta at all costs. Both are very aggressive. Avoid the clown loach(Chromobotia macracantha). Not aggressive but their size is something to consider. Clowns can reach 16 inches in a few years and need company. 28 gallons is far too small. Two clowns will need 55 gallons alone but I would not recommend keeping only two.

HTH
Blue

 

[Lupin]

That's odd, I have never had a problem with theloaches battling with anything but my cories. They are in a community tank with swords and a common pleco and no fin nipping in there. The large female even shares a cave with the pleco.

Guess I got lucky. But take the advice, they are not a fish to mess with if they are that aggressive.

Are your loaches the Botia morleti?:shock2: I had them and they are troublesome.:shake:
My clowns and yoyos already ripped several plants last July.:sob: You lucky git.:sob:

 

[Lupin]

Is it time yet? LOL

Nope. Until you have zero ammonia and nitrites in a few days(without detectable levels that is) and nitrates lower than 40, you can't buy fish yet.

 

[Lupin]

ok its something like pantrax. i cant think of it but it starts w/ a P and ends with an X. i saw them being sold as yellow 'pantrax' or whatever that word is...

Panchax.

 

[Lupin]

Could be Pantrax,

You're driving me crazy, fish_4_all.:crazy: It's panchax.:mrgreen: