Aquarium Analyses: 17 Tanks

[Fish Folk]

Thinking / analysis / planning “out loud” here. Your input most welcome!

Here are all 17 tanks in my basement-fishroom. Indicated info: tank size, current stocking, and future plans.

(1) 20 gal. long / 17-20 German Blue Rams grow-out, 15-18 Glowlight Pygmy Barbs.

— 2022 Goals: sell all healthy RamS

— Not sure what’s next in here…

(2) 10 gal. Firecracker Guppy and Cherry Shrimp Colony (I never count) / 1 male Bristlenose Pleco nearing breeding age

 

— 2022 Goals: sell all livestock, do something different in here

(3) 10 gal. Metallic Snakeskin Guppy Colony

— 2022 Goals: Selectively breed and sell trios

(4) 20 gal. tall: Banded Darter species-only tank (ca. 6 Darters)

 

— 2022 Goals: one successful breeding of this species in springtime

(5) 55 gal. Electric Blue Acara and Bristlenose Pleco Growout … hundreds and hundreds of fish …

— 2022 Goals: sell these fish online and ship to buyers in lower 48 USA

(6) 33 gal. long. Emerald Killifish colony / pair of breeding Bristlenose Plecos

 

2022 Goals: Sell killis online and at Fish Club

(7) 5.5 gal. Daisy’s Blue Eyed Ricefish 

— 2022 Goals: Either breed them, or sell them and repurpose

(8) 5.5 gal. Golden Whitecloud colony

— 2022 Goals: Sell these off and repurpose the tank

(9) 10 gal. Emerald killifish breeding tank

— 2022 Goals: Either keep breeding, or sell off and repurpose… not sure

(10) 20 gal. long. Mutt Guppy Colony

— 2022 Goals: Continue to cull and sell colorful specimens. Possibly move to outdoor ponds for summer rubbing breeding projects

(11) 2.5 gal. Killifish fry tank, also overrun with cherry shrimplets

2022 Goals: Let them grow, and eventually rehome to new tanks

(12) 20 gal. long. Redbelly Dace and Darter tank, cold water, US natives

— 2022 Goals: try to have one successful breeding of the RBDs

(13) 55 gal. Discus Tank, 3x Electric Blue Acaras, 3x Enerald Killifish, 4-5x Bristlenose Plecos

— 2022 Goals: Work with stocking (lessen) to procure one pairing… successfully breed Discus at least once

(14) 40 gal. breeder. Electric Blue Acaras, 2x adults, 8x juveniles, ca. 10x Colombian Tetras, 2-4x Bristlenose Plecos

— 2022 Goals: Not sure here… might sell them all and try a totally new species in here.

(15) 20 gal. long Xenotoca doadrioi (Redtail Goodeids) colony

— 2022 Goals: Keep this going. They’re an endangered fish. Sell to responsible buyers to keep propagating the line.

(16) 20 gal. long. Rainbow Shiner fry growout, ca. 20x

— 2022 Goals: Keep these growing out to full color and maturity

(17) 10 gal. Quarantine Tank, filled with wild type guppies

— 2022 Goals: Sell off as feeder fish… perhaps sell better looking males at fish club as “skittles” guppies

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There we are. End of 2021 with some goals looking ahead. Would love to hear from other NERMs.

[lefty o]

i think i see the problem with this set up, its got an odd number. you cant successfully breed fish with an odd number, better get 3 more so that you have a nice even 20.

[Beardedbillygoat1975]

@Fish Folkim curious about your 33 L. How do you like that size vs 40 breeder or 20 L? Pros and cons?

I admire your efforts and appreciate being able to follow along and aspire to do some similar setups in the new year. Also inspiring me to do something similar while I walk around my house and tanks! 

[Fish Folk]

@Beardedbillygoat1975 I really enjoy my 33 gal. long. For smaller fish, I enjoy it more than a 40 gal breeder. Larger fish -- Angels, Larger cichlids, etc, I'd prefer a 40 gal breeder. I do use a tiny water pump to help with water flow with my 33 gal, and I use 3x sponger filters just to keep it from getting any really "still" spots. Because it's a shallower tank, the plants seem to appreciate my cheapo lighting. It's the same footprint as a 55 gal, so any stand built for one works fine with the other. It's just 7 inches shorter than a 55 gal.

Here are three shots from back when we set it up as a Mutt Guppy colony at a local grade school...

Because it is not as tall as a 55 gal, you'll really appreciate having a large stand for it. Honestly, it's probably one of my favorite tanks. I'm not sure what to try breeding in it once I sell all of the Emerald Killifish . . . not sure at all . . . maybe a huge blackwater Apistogramma Cacatuoides tank?? 

[Beardedbillygoat1975]

That's really a good point in terms of the inconvenience everyone talks about ie 55 g is the depth and lighting it whereas the 33L that's not an issue. I am leaning toward a 40 breeder vs 55 to do angels, hatchets and corys maybe some black or gold or both rams. She may come at me about the weight and amount of water of a 40/55 so a 33 L with no angels but the rams, hatchets and corys may be a good compromise. 

[Fish Folk]

@Beardedbillygoat1975 Angels could breed in a 33 gal long, but a full-sized, mature Angels would not do well. We bred angels in a 20 gal. long. But they were _not fully mature_ and definitely needed a much larger tank down the road.

[Beardedbillygoat1975]

I always try to think ahead and what's best for the fish. I would not want to do Angels in a lower tank, a pair in a 29 g is a consideration but breeding pairs of angels aren't cheap. Easier to get a group and let them sort it out. I am also kind of picky in terms of the type of angel I want to breed so I am bidding my time until I can do it right.