Tank Advice Welcome

[Zac]

Hey all,

I’ve finally gotten the water in my tank to clear from the black sand and I think in a few days it’ll finally be ready for plants (the HOB is there just for clearing the water and will be removed). This is my first serious aquascape attempt and I don’t think it turned out too bad (given the fact it doesn’t have plants yet lol). The idea is for this tank to be an Endler breeding tank. 3 females and 1 male until I can figure out how much fry I can handle. Some otos as well for cleanup and maybe nerite snales if I get green spot algae. Anyways…I need plant advice! Here’s what I’m thinking:

-A little bit of frogbit at the top

-a lawn of hair grass at the base of the tree

-dwarf sag in the open space in front of the slate

-a lush jungle of Vallisneria around the sponge filters and in back of the tree

      -I also need something to glue on the tree. I want to try and create either a bush or some leaves 

-scarlet temple next to the heater (speaking of…is the heater in an okay spot or should I move it?)

-some sort of anubias glued onto the cave

-maybe a little bit of baby tears somewhere

This is my first headfirst attempt at a fully planted tank too so fingers crossed it doesn’t end in a disaster. Give me advice on what I can do to make it better, plants, placement ideas, etc. I’d love to hear what you guys think!

Edited May 3, 2022 by Zac
Typo

[lefty o]

looks like its ready for plants right now.

[nabokovfan87]

On 5/2/2022 at 6:28 PM, Zac said:

This is my first headfirst attempt at a fully planted tank too so fingers crossed it doesn’t end in a disaster. Give me advice on what I can do to make it better, plants, placement ideas, etc. I’d love to hear what you guys think!

I don't know what the other side of the wood looks like but I would try to....

1. Move the sponges where the blue arrows are to try to hide them slightly.
2. Rotate the wood so it gives a hide in the back corner area and also blocks the sponge. Basically, take exactly what you have and rotate it so that the section marked "rear" is the back corner.  If a different side of the wood is more appealing from the front, that's entirely up to what you prefer 🙂

Edited May 3, 2022 by nabokovfan87

[Guppysnail]

I absolutely love the cave.  That looks like a fabulous foundation.

[Brian]

I am relatively new to plants.   Only successful the last 5 or 6 years.  I’ve always kept big cichlids, so I never really tried plants.   So recently I started keeping live plants.  I find they do best in a well seasoned (not cycled) tank.  Maybe after 8 or 9 months.  With the help of decent lights and I have been using all of the Easy Fertilizers.  
Good Luck.

[SC Fish]

the "little bit of frogbit" will very quickly turn into TOO much frogbit, and will take over your tank, and keep returning even after you think you have removed it all. You could try Salvinia natans instead, they are flaoting plants , a bit more intersting than frogbit (IMO) and they basically double every 2 days.

 

Also if you are using glue, i always say to my friends to use gorilla glue because i cures very fast, but you can use silicone if you want, (both good options) . Also if your concerned about using glue or silicone you can glue everything u need and put it into a different container for a few days (in water) so any toxins that may be in it "leave" (not sure if thats the best word, but i think you will get the point)

 

also for your clean up crew, the nerite snails will do great for spot algae but they will populate pretty fast so you may need to give some away, im sure your local pet store will take them (not sure if they will pay you for them though , unless you have literally hundreds) 

the otos will do very good for hair algae tho so good choice!

[Zac]

On 5/3/2022 at 12:23 PM, SC Fish said:

the "little bit of frogbit" will very quickly turn into TOO much frogbit, and will take over your tank, and keep returning even after you think you have removed it all. You could try Salvinia natans instead, they are flaoting plants , a bit more intersting than frogbit (IMO) and they basically double every 2 days.

 

Also if you are using glue, i always say to my friends to use gorilla glue because i cures very fast, but you can use silicone if you want, (both good options) . Also if your concerned about using glue or silicone you can glue everything u need and put it into a different container for a few days (in water) so any toxins that may be in it "leave" (not sure if thats the best word, but i think you will get the point)

 

also for your clean up crew, the nerite snails will do great for spot algae but they will populate pretty fast so you may need to give some away, im sure your local pet store will take them (not sure if they will pay you for them though , unless you have literally hundreds) 

the otos will do very good for hair algae tho so good choice!

Should I worry about toxins in aquarium safe super glue gel (I’m don’t have the one aquarium co-op sells).Also, I thought nerite snails needed brackish conditions for their eggs to hatch. Maybe I’m thinking of something else?

Edited May 3, 2022 by Zac
More info

[SC Fish]

On 5/3/2022 at 5:31 PM, Zac said:

Should I worry about toxins in aquarium safe super glue gel (I’m don’t have the one aquarium co-op sells).Also, I thought nerite snails needed brackish conditions for their eggs to hatch. Maybe I’m thinking of something else?

The glue is sold on this website so its ok, but if you are stressed about it just soak the glued ornaments in a seperate container with water 🙂

and about the nerite snails needing brackish water , they do breed in freshwater and lay eggs, however in my experience they have successfully bred in freshwater but not many of the babys had survived, only 3-4 . but like you said the larvae struggle greatly to survive if the water isn't brackish!

hope this helps

[Guppysnail]

Super glue is cyanoacrylate.  It uses moisture from air, skin or water to cure (get hard). If it worries you just pour water over it and go.  Some talented quick folks like @Odd Duck glue it in the tank under water.  I am neither quick nor talented 🤣

[Odd Duck]

On 5/3/2022 at 11:23 AM, SC Fish said:

the "little bit of frogbit" will very quickly turn into TOO much frogbit, and will take over your tank, and keep returning even after you think you have removed it all. You could try Salvinia natans instead, they are flaoting plants , a bit more intersting than frogbit (IMO) and they basically double every 2 days.

 

Also if you are using glue, i always say to my friends to use gorilla glue because i cures very fast, but you can use silicone if you want, (both good options) . Also if your concerned about using glue or silicone you can glue everything u need and put it into a different container for a few days (in water) so any toxins that may be in it "leave" (not sure if thats the best word, but i think you will get the point)

 

also for your clean up crew, the nerite snails will do great for spot algae but they will populate pretty fast so you may need to give some away, im sure your local pet store will take them (not sure if they will pay you for them though , unless you have literally hundreds) 

the otos will do very good for hair algae tho so good choice!

You might be thinking of duckweed.  Frogbit is much larger and slower growing than your Salvinia you recommended.  It is extremely easy to remove all of it since it produces leaves that can get as big as quarters.  I’ve never had a speck of trouble clearing frogbit out of a tank if I wanted to do so, duckweed is something else entirely with its tiny leaves that divide me grow even faster than your Salvinia.

Most species of nerite snail simply do not reproduce in freshwater.  If you have managed it, please document it since that would be the first ever documented case as far as I’ve heard.  They certainly would never take over a tank.  Their eggs might get applied in many places if someone ends up with a lot of females, but they certainly would never have an over abundance of snails.  I’m certainly not an expert, but it’s well documented they have a veliger form that is highly likely to get filtered out or eaten by any fish in the tank long before it had a chance to complete its life cycle, which most species can’t do in fresh water.  There have been many experts and amateurs fail at deliberately breeding nerite snails, converting the free-floating larvae to brackish or even full marine, while trying to sort out the secrets of breeding them.  I’m not going to say it’s impossible that yours successfully reproduced in freshwater, but please enlighten us on your technique with pictures, pretty please.  I’m very interested to hear how you did it.  I would be able to sell them like hot cakes!

I adore my otos, but haven’t really had much luck getting them to eat hair algae.  IME, they like soft green algae, but not really any filamentous types.  They also seem to hit diatoms since I don’t ever see diatoms in my tanks that have otos.  But I do run a variety of clean up crew so it’s hard to tell who’s eating what.

On 5/3/2022 at 12:06 PM, Guppysnail said:

Super glue is cyanoacrylate.  It uses moisture from air, skin or water to cure (get hard). If it worries you just pour water over it and go.  Some talented quick folks like @Odd Duck glue it in the tank under water.  I am neither quick nor talented 🤣

I have varied luck with superglue gel.  I sometimes have more on me than there is sticking things together.  I’ve never had any issues in a tank that I attributed to superglue remnants.  I certainly wouldn’t put silicone in a tank with water and any animals until it had cured completely (which depends on how thick it is).

[SC Fish]

On 5/3/2022 at 6:36 PM, Odd Duck said:

You might be thinking of duckweed.  Frogbit is much larger and slower growing than your Salvinia you recommended.  It is extremely easy to remove all of it since it produces leaves that can get as big as quarters.  I’ve never had a speck of trouble clearing frogbit out of a tank if I wanted to do so, duckweed is something else entirely with its tiny leaves that divide me grow even faster than your Salvinia.

Most species of nerite snail simply do not reproduce in freshwater.  If you have managed it, please document it since that would be the first ever documented case as far as I’ve heard.  They certainly would never take over a tank.  Their eggs might get applied in many places if someone ends up with a lot of females, but they certainly would never have an over abundance of snails.  I’m certainly not an expert, but it’s well documented they have a veliger form that is highly likely to get filtered out or eaten by any fish in the tank long before it had a chance to complete its life cycle, which most species can’t do in fresh water.  There have been many experts and amateurs fail at deliberately breeding nerite snails, converting the free-floating larvae to brackish or even full marine, while trying to sort out the secrets of breeding them.  I’m not going to say it’s impossible that yours successfully reproduced in freshwater, but please enlighten us on your technique with pictures, pretty please.  I’m very interested to hear how you did it.  I would be able to sell them like hot cakes!

I adore my otos, but haven’t really had much luck getting them to eat hair algae.  IME, they like soft green algae, but not really any filamentous types.  They also seem to hit diatoms since I don’t ever see diatoms in my tanks that have otos.  But I do run a variety of clean up crew so it’s hard to tell who’s eating what.

I have varied luck with superglue gel.  I sometimes have more on me than there is sticking things together.  I’ve never had any issues in a tank that I attributed to superglue remnants.  I certainly wouldn’t put silicone in a tank with water and any animals until it had cured completely (which depends on how thick it is).

i thought it was pretty common breeding nerites in freshwater???

it just didnt have much luck most the time?

 

Edited May 3, 2022 by SC Fish

[Odd Duck]

On 5/3/2022 at 12:58 PM, SC Fish said:

i thought it was pretty common breeding nerites in freshwater???

it just didnt have much luck most the time?

 

There is apparently a freshwater nerite from Israel but that’s the only one I’ve ever heard about and I’ve never even seen anybody post pics of one.  Loads of people have tried to breed nerites but 99% are unsuccessful, even when switching them to brackish, etc.  Nerites will absolutely lay eggs in freshwater, sometimes abundantly bedazzling everything they can including each other.  Those eggs will even hatch in freshwater.  But the larvae don’t survive.  Do you have pics of your baby nerites?  Maybe there’s some confusion as to what is, or isn’t, a nerite snail?

[SC Fish]

On 5/3/2022 at 7:02 PM, Odd Duck said:

There is apparently a freshwater nerite from Israel but that’s the only one I’ve ever heard about and I’ve never even seen anybody post pics of one.  Loads of people have tried to breed nerites but 99% are unsuccessful, even when switching them to brackish, etc.  Nerites will absolutely lay eggs in freshwater, sometimes abundantly bedazzling everything they can including each other.  Those eggs will even hatch in freshwater.  But the larvae don’t survive.  Do you have pics of your baby nerites?  Maybe there’s some confusion as to what is, or isn’t, a nerite snail?

also you ask how i did it.. the truth is im no expert either i have kept tanks for just a 1 year now, honestly , they bred by themselves, i dont have any technique, infact when i bought them i thought they where all males which i was disproven quickly (because i spotted larvae and smaller snails) . If you are interested on how well they lived, the snails certainlyd dint grow to the adult size, but they did live for 2 months, or close to 2 months , active and seemingly healthy.

the snails where called "tiger nerite snails" , and i dont believe i have any photos, but i did used to record the aquarium so i could look back and see if i had any clips of them as babys? but that might take a while if you are willing to wait?

[Zac]

On 5/3/2022 at 1:36 PM, Odd Duck said:

You might be thinking of duckweed.  Frogbit is much larger and slower growing than your Salvinia you recommended.  It is extremely easy to remove all of it since it produces leaves that can get as big as quarters.  I’ve never had a speck of trouble clearing frogbit out of a tank if I wanted to do so, duckweed is something else entirely with its tiny leaves that divide me grow even faster than your Salvinia.

Most species of nerite snail simply do not reproduce in freshwater.  If you have managed it, please document it since that would be the first ever documented case as far as I’ve heard.  They certainly would never take over a tank.  Their eggs might get applied in many places if someone ends up with a lot of females, but they certainly would never have an over abundance of snails.  I’m certainly not an expert, but it’s well documented they have a veliger form that is highly likely to get filtered out or eaten by any fish in the tank long before it had a chance to complete its life cycle, which most species can’t do in fresh water.  There have been many experts and amateurs fail at deliberately breeding nerite snails, converting the free-floating larvae to brackish or even full marine, while trying to sort out the secrets of breeding them.  I’m not going to say it’s impossible that yours successfully reproduced in freshwater, but please enlighten us on your technique with pictures, pretty please.  I’m very interested to hear how you did it.  I would be able to sell them like hot cakes!

I adore my otos, but haven’t really had much luck getting them to eat hair algae.  IME, they like soft green algae, but not really any filamentous types.  They also seem to hit diatoms since I don’t ever see diatoms in my tanks that have otos.  But I do run a variety of clean up crew so it’s hard to tell who’s eating what.

I have varied luck with superglue gel.  I sometimes have more on me than there is sticking things together.  I’ve never had any issues in a tank that I attributed to superglue remnants.  I certainly wouldn’t put silicone in a tank with water and any animals until it had cured completely (which depends on how thick it is).

What kind of algae eaters would you recommend for a 29 gallon Endler breeder? I don’t want a ton but enough to cover most of algae 

[SC Fish]

On 5/3/2022 at 7:07 PM, Zac said:

What kind of algae eaters would you recommend for a 29 gallon Endler breeder? I don’t want a ton but enough to cover most of algae 

otos , i want to say corydoras but im not sure how good of algae eaters they are of they are just bottom dwellers

 

[Odd Duck]

On 5/3/2022 at 1:05 PM, SC Fish said:

also you ask how i did it.. the truth is im no expert either i have kept tanks for just a 1 year now, honestly , they bred by themselves, i dont have any technique, infact when i bought them i thought they where all males which i was disproven quickly (because i spotted larvae and smaller snails) . If you are interested on how well they lived, the snails certainlyd dint grow to the adult size, but they did live for 2 months, or close to 2 months , active and seemingly healthy.

the snails where called "tiger nerite snails" , and i dont believe i have any photos, but i did used to record the aquarium so i could look back and see if i had any clips of them as babys? but that might take a while if you are willing to wait?

I’d love to see a video of them.  I suspect you were deceived (whether intentional or accidental) or maybe you got sneak in snails from another source that you assumed were nerite babies?  Take your time finding pics or vids.  They way my work schedule is going, on my days off I fall asleep at the drop of a hat, so I could be out of touch for hours or days with no notice.  😆 

[Zac]

On 5/3/2022 at 2:08 PM, SC Fish said:

otos , i want to say corydoras but im not sure how good of algae eaters they are of they are just bottom dwellers

 

I think corys are more bottom feeders. I haven’t really heard of them being reliable algae eaters. Maybe unless they’re starving 

[Odd Duck]

On 5/3/2022 at 1:07 PM, Zac said:

What kind of algae eaters would you recommend for a 29 gallon Endler breeder? I don’t want a ton but enough to cover most of algae 

I do love nerites as clean up crew.  Just don’t expect them to reproduce for you beyond the females doing some bedazzling, AKA laying eggs.  Amano shrimp ate great cleaners and cherry shrimp (of whatever color) AKA Neocaridinas, are excellent cleaners and come in many different colors and patterns.  Neos will reproduce in your tank, Amanos will not successfully reproduce to adulthood since they also need brackish water to complete their life cycle.  Their pelagic larvae will serve as fish food if they do try to reproduce.  Nothing wrong with otos, either, but they do better in a well aged tank.

On 5/3/2022 at 1:11 PM, Zac said:

I think corys are more bottom feeders. I haven’t really heard of them being reliable algae eaters. Maybe unless they’re starving 

Cories adore worms of all sorts and tiny crustaceans like scuds or Daphnia, but I don’t think any of them are considered algae eaters that I’ve ever heard or read.

[Odd Duck]

On 5/3/2022 at 1:14 PM, SC Fish said:

gotcha , i will see what i can do with the videos, but as of right now i cant even find where my videos are stored on my computer so im gonna have to dig them up elsewhere but i should have them, is it ok if i message u the vids or pics later?

 

Sure!  But we all love vids and pics and no one here will ever mock you if the pics are bad or they aren’t nerites.  Lots of us would be interested to see if you did get some nerite babies to survive or just learn the outcome of the mystery.  As a group, no meanness is tolerated and the forum moderators would delete or edit posts if necessary to remove it.  It’s one thing to discuss opinions, disperse information, etc, but there is absolutely no meanness tolerated here.

[Zac]

On 5/3/2022 at 2:17 PM, Odd Duck said:

I do love nerites as clean up crew.  Just don’t expect them to reproduce for you beyond the females doing some bedazzling, AKA laying eggs.  Amano shrimp ate great cleaners and cherry shrimp (of whatever color) AKA Neocaridinas, are excellent cleaners and come in many different colors and patterns.  Neos will reproduce in your tank, Amanos will not successfully reproduce to adulthood since they also need brackish water to complete their life cycle.  Their pelagic larvae will serve as fish food if they do try to reproduce.  Nothing wrong with otos, either, but they do better in a well aged tank.

Cories adore worms of all sorts and tiny crustaceans like scuds or Daphnia, but I don’t think any of them are considered algae eaters that I’ve ever heard or read.

Any recommendations on how to get rid of nerite snail eggs? Will they pollute the tank?

[Jeff]

I would push each sponge filter to it's own corner, and cover them up with plants. 

Also, if you're able to get between the tank and wall, either paint the back of the tank, or cover it with a background - it'll hide your cords.

[Fish Folk]

I’d choose easy, bulletproof plants. Try Amazon Swords in back, with some Moneywort. In front, several Anubias Nana petite. Throw in some Marimo Moss Balls. Rotalla Indica all around the edges of the stones and wood. Hygrophilia is hardy if you can find it to accent everywhere. Java moss here snd there. I prefer the “ferny” types.

[Zac]

On 5/3/2022 at 2:39 PM, Jeff said:

I would push each sponge filter to it's own corner, and cover them up with plants. 

Also, if you're able to get between the tank and wall, either paint the back of the tank, or cover it with a background - it'll hide your cords.

I have a background I’m just waiting until I remove the HOB to put it on. Plants will go in in a few days 

On 5/3/2022 at 2:44 PM, Fish Folk said:

I’d choose easy, bulletproof plants. Try Amazon Swords in back, with some Moneywort. In front, several Anubias Nana petite. Throw in some Marimo Moss Balls. Rotalla Indica all around the edges of the stones and wood. Hygrophilia is hardy if you can find it to accent everywhere. Java moss here snd there. I prefer the “ferny” types.

Would those plants be good for fry to hide in? I’m trying to go for an Endler community breeding tank 

[Odd Duck]

On 5/3/2022 at 1:31 PM, Zac said:

Any recommendations on how to get rid of nerite snail eggs? Will they pollute the tank?

I suspect my other snails or my bristlenose plecos may remove them.  I have just a very few of many different species of snails in my 100 G nanofish tank so there aren’t a bunch of any one species.  They would have to work pretty hard to find a compatible mate.  I also have so many different species of snail that there isn’t a lot of algae for the nerites to eat and I’ve read in a few places that they are completely algae dependent.  I don’t know if that’s true since I haven’t confirmed that from any type of scientific paper or a source that I 100% trusted.  I may have also gotten very lucky and not gotten many females?  I know I have at least a couple female horned nerites because I’ve seen them lay notably smaller eggs than the other nerites.  They don’t last, though, and I haven’t noticed anybody in particular specifically removing them, they just don’t stay.

One of my wood pieces was fully bedazzled when I got it.  I used a wire brush to try to remove most of them (semi-successfully).  It no longer has even those remnants visible on it.  I don’t see bedazzling on the slate I have in that tank, but whether they don’t like that surface or somebody cleans them up before I see them, I don’t know.  I see nerites on the slate regularly but haven’t seen any eggs deposited there.

I think you would have to have a LOT of nerite eggs (like thousands?) opened at once in a fairly small tank to see any more than a hint of problems from them.  Even freshly laid, they are small, nearly flat, and can’t contain much biomaterial.  I get more “pollution” and debris in the water from having lots of bottom feeders and wood eaters always stirring up things.

[Fish Folk]

On 5/3/2022 at 2:45 PM, Zac said:

Would those plants be good for fry to hide in? I’m trying to go for an Endler community breeding tank 

Endlers will explode in population. Parents don't eat as many as you'd think. If you get good Brooders to start with, you'll end up with MILLIONS in no time. I would build the tank to look beautiful, and not worry too much about fry hiding. But that's just my opinion.