[Livestock]

On 2/2/2022 at 3:49 PM, xXInkedPhoenixX said:

Hi, here is my 2 cents. 

1.) Yes Otos can be difficult the reason for that is they are mostly wild caught and they go through quite the traumatic process to get to your LFS. Once you can get them past the dodgy period they are nearly bulletproof IME. Wild caught fish come with their own issues no matter what species. As a person who has gotten really good at keeping (and multiplying) them looking back at how I started I'd HIGHLY recommend ALWAYS adding ANY bottom feeder LAST. Most of them seem to do better and have more food available to them when put in an established tank. They will however need to be QT'd so I'd recommend started a QT for them once your tank (if it isn't already) established- start running a small sponge filter in the main tank so you can instantly QT cycle- put something in the tank, like wood and maybe floating plants that you can move into the QT when you are ready (letting it grow some good biofilm and algae) to put in with whatever bottom feeders you plan to put in. My Otos have taken to Hikari Algae wafers and Repashy Super Green, they like Soilent but not as much as the other. ***minimum of 6 of either of your cory or oto choices is better. Yes you could go with less but cory definitely are more active with a larger group and otos are similar though they are shoaling- they have a tiny bioload (I have over 40 in a 10 gallon with no parameter issues). 

2.) Bettas are not as easy as some make them out to be (read: the industry). I have had some and despite my best fish keeping efforts cannot for the life of me keep them alive a satisfactory amount of time I have sworn them off. I don't want to discourage you though- just fair warning make sure you have a ***first aid kit**** ready don't buy medicine when your fish get sick it's often too late then- THIS ALONE is the best advice I can give you. If I were to try again I would put them in their own tank, the tank would be a minimum of 80 degrees AND because they they require a higher level of humidity to breathe they would probablly get an extra tight fitting lid maybe even assisted by some plastic wrap over most of the top (leaving some space of course. I would also always have Catappa/Indian Almond leaves in the tank. If you don't believe me about care: just type "sick betta" "dying betta" "injured betta" into the forum search- bettas are far and away the fish people need help with the most. Anyway if you go with a betta, get a floating breeder box so after QT when you plan to introduce the Betta to your tank (LAST, so they are not territorial) you can put them in there and let them and the others acclimate and settle before you release them (the breeder box is also an excellent first aid kit tool).

3.) You don't NEED to stock male/fem guppies. You could go all female or all male. I have a 9 gallon tank that has 4 male guppies and 5 male endlers. While I have to watch them for bullying so far they've done great and it's by far the most fun tank of mine to watch. Your tank is a decent size compared to mine you'd probably have less issue with more room. 

4.) If you decide to look into other bottom feeders, I love my Hillstream Loach. They live in the tank with the Guppy/Endler gang- and they are amusing as well I can't swear but they are. 

5.) IME Neon species can be shy. In order to bring them out of it you'll need more than 5. If you're worried about bioload I would highly recommend Ember Tetras, they are just a flame orange, not as flashy as Neons can be but mine are less than half an inch- add beautiful color and are a very, very tight school and low bioload. I have 7 with alllll the others in my 9 gallon and they are all doing awesome. 

This is my favorite part of building a tank....looking at all the possible stock I could get, what would work, what wouldn't do the parameters get along, behaviors, breeding etc. Take it all in, do you research and let us know what you come up with!! *I'll add pictures of my action tank

 

Great info and and love  the pictures thanks a lot. I do have almonds leaves iny tank already .] I can just get them next door so I always keep a couple In. The exact stock I was going for turn out is kinda rare in my region so I'll stick with neons and guppies a female Betta if any. The Betta will be added last so I have time to think about if I really want one. I absolutely love the hillstream loach!

On 2/2/2022 at 3:33 PM, anewbie said:

When they say seasoned tank for oto; this means you should wait 2 to 4 months after the tank is running to add the otto. Also there are some interesting types of otto if you look around. panda cory tend to be 'weak' unless you find a local breeder so i recommend avoiding them. There are three species of pygmy cory but pygmy pygmy are unique in that they will school when travelling across the tank. Fun little guys. Aquahuna sometime have them (they have cheap shipping) if you are in USA. Also cory should be in group - at least 6 but the more the better. You could easily support 12 or 18 pygmy if you have to a mind to acquire a group.

Been having a hard time to find the pygmy cory .(

[Livestock]

On 2/2/2022 at 1:01 PM, Flumpweesel said:

Very similar size to mine,  so here are my thoughts.  Otto's and pygmy corys are great but I rarely see them on the substrate they seem to favour plants and wood (otto's obviously the glass) so the aren't great at that substrate shuffling I'm guessing you are looking for. I do have about 8 corys paleatus and aeneus and aside from the ladies being on the larger side I I would expect any to do great for you.  Or maybe have a look at kuli loaches or something. 

I can't advise on fry control I have avoided livebearers because of the need for it. But I think you have more options than female betta's I recently gave a feisty lady betta a go in the big tank and she was most unimpressed stayed at at the top in some floating leaves and just did the occasional circuit of the tank she pretty much sulked until I put her back in the small tank  I don't think she appreciated the chaos of communal living or she just wasn't used to having so much space.  She might have adjusted after a bit but I hated seeing her mope.  Might be worth asking about if other people have had a better experience of them in a community tank. 

Oh and yes ottos don't even flinch at feeding time I had one that would check out some crushed food if it landed on a good surface but they are a lot easier if you have something for them to graze on already established.  

 

Taking in all the great advice. Compiling list seems to be the best option.

[Livestock]

On 2/2/2022 at 9:42 AM, Colu said:

Otto's are best added to a season tank with plenty of biofilm and algae you can feed them repashy solient green super green algae wafers some veggies like cucumber blanched spinach and lettuce french beans they are not the easiest to get to get to take prepared foods bristlenose pleco are a good option you 4 in a tank that the males can get territorial so provide plenty of caves wood so they can each have they own cave panda Cory's would be stay small I add no less than 6 Cory are less shy when kept in bigger groups neon would be ok with guppys angelfish are good at eating guppy they would Also eat your neon Bettas are hit and miss when it come to eating guppy 

So Otto's would have to come in last, thanks! Really helpful info. Both the angel fish and the bristlenose pleco get way to big for what I'm going for.

 Thank for the info o/

[Livestock]

Really appreciate the response.

I'll stick with 15 or 16 of stock load at the start.

Forgot the tank size lol.

274 L Total.

Actual water line is about 210 L.

 

So Otto's are fragile good to know thanks. And yes fancy tail guppy.

I'm trying to find pigmin Cory locally but still no luck.

Do female Bettas get less agressive if I pair them?

 

[Noisy Ziss Bubble Filter? How to Quiet It Down?]

I do not have the same bubbler as you here I what I did to solve the noise issue I had.

I went the opposite route of most of the suggestion, I submerged the bubblep exit deeper in the water, but what really solved the issue was reducing the bubble size to as small as possible. I get a fizzing sound from the aquarium know instead of a loud gargling of giant bubbles. Much less irritating.

[Livestock]

Hello folks, I would like to have a better understanding of my stocking plans, so any feedback would be much appreciated. Also I don't intende to add them all at once.

So I need some bottom feeders that will not get big. I settled on 4 Otocinclus. I get mixed information from the web not sure if they take well to dry food or not, plus mix info that they can eat the same dry food ascorydora or do I need a specific food?

I would love to add 4 Cory but I'm having trouble finding ones that stay small locally.

Neon tetras 5.

Guppy: 1 male, 4 females.

A female Betta, this seem to be the hard part a need a predator to eat the Guppy fry (besides their canibalistic parents). And I also get mixed information about if this being a really bad idea or something doable. With out the top pedrator I can't get guppy's or they will in a year over populate the aquarium, I woul like to have it be it's on little ecosystem.

 

 

[Do you guys thinks theses are a bad idea?]

I was going for the floating look. Didn't know that they eventually would sink. 

 

[Do you guys thinks theses are a bad idea?]

Er tis a honest newbie mistake. Thanks for the input on looks and topic. Trying to figure out how to move a post to a different topic/section.

 

[Do you guys thinks theses are a bad idea?]

So this is expanded argila, do you think it's safe for the inhabitants to keep it in my aquarium? I like the way it looks but thought I should ask first. It's still cycling so nobodys in the water yet except for the plants.