Six month hobby update and a question about choosing a centerpiece fish for a 12 gallon tank.

DaPrawf · December 3, 2022

After many years away from the hobby, I got back into it in June 22. One of the first things I did was join the Aquarium Coop forums, which have been incredibly helpful and welcoming. Thanks to all who have been so supportive.

So here's an update. My 29 gallon community tank is doing really well. Ammonia and nitrites are zero and have been for a long time. Nitrates have been between 10 and 20. KH I 3 to 4. GH is 8 to 9. pH is 6.8. I picked up some mini ramshorn snail hitchhikers somewhere along the line but I added three assassin snails who have kept the ramshorns in check. All epiphyte plants. Community: female betta, honey gourami, 3 guppy females, some baby guppies I haven't been able to sex yet, ~12 green neon tetras, 6 orange Venezuelan corydoras, the snails, and about a dozed red cherry shrimp. I plan to go with a female-only guppy group.

Today I started working on two new tanks. A 12 gallon long and a 7 gallon cube. I plan to heavily plant both. The 7 gallon will house a male betta. (I really want a mustard gas.) Plus a mystery snail and some shrimp. (I know they may end up as expensive betta food but my female betta has left the shrimp alone, so fingers crossed.) AqAdvisor says that stocking list will put me at 85% capacity, so I might be able to add a tank mate or two in the future. But I'll let the tank mature before doing anything.

For the 12 gallon I was thinking about a school of harlequin rasboras, some nerite snails, some shrimp (see above; I'm an optimist). Maybe another male betta as a centerpiece fish, but I'm open to suggestions for a nice centerpiece fish. OTOH, I'm also thinking about a species-only tank of Red Neon Blue Eye Rainbowfish with some invertebrates. Thoughts?

Fish Folk · December 4, 2022

If you could put a glass lid on that smaller tank, I'd suggest a trio for some species of Killifish. There are so, so many to pick from. I've worked with Fundulopanchax scheeli (Emerald Killifish), Nothobranchius guentheri (Redtail Notho), and Nothobranchius rachovii (Blue Notho)...