Jump to content

Recommended Posts

IMG_7384.jpeg.628932204779d84c96f65bd829e35013.jpeg

(Keywords at the end so you don’t have to read all this to give advice lmao) 

So my 54L stands (basically) empty previously housing my 3 apparently transgender platy (I observed them since birth, had always been 3 females, now suddenly 2 of them are males 🤷‍♀️) and my giant betta Kiyoshi. They weren’t doing too well in here and Kiyoshi was really territorial of the feeding ring corner for some reason, moving them to my 60L worked wonders and everyone seems to be getting along okay.

This tank is pretty overgrown full of hiding places, plants and floaters, and currently it’s being occupied by my oto and mystery snail. I want to stock it though, but have no idea what to get. 
I’m gone for about 5 weeks total each year, 4 on summer vacation and 1 on christmas, so I rely on autofeeders each year.

Since I have to rely on autofeeders I need stock that can eat all that it dispenses without fattening them up or risking anything.
It doesn’t dispense too much but for one fish it’s too much, and for my previous 6 neon tetra it was too much. (when they ate dry food they’d have buoyancy issues, and that was with less than a pinch of flakes, I can only imagine how it’d go with the autofeeder) on the lowest setting it dispenses barely anything; tried it with pellets last year with my betta who had to be on a diet and it fell right at the time I had to leave for a week, and on the lowest setting it dispensed like 5 pellets twice then quit dispensing anything completely, and with the second setting it dispensed almost 8 at a time even with a modification. With flakes too, it dispenses more with those actually, and on the lowest it still dispenses too much. (It’s a Juwel autofeeder btw)

I was thinking some guppies maybe, as there’s some gorgeous completely white ones at my LFS that would create a beautiful contrast, but I dunno if there’s enough space for them in this, which is why I’m asking for advice XD

Sooo stock ideas? And if there’s a way, I would love to have a female betta in there, but it’s not necessary, after all I just want happy and healthy fish ^^

All advice and criticism is welcomed!!
Thank you all in advance!!

Keywords: 54L, overgrown, relying on autofeeder ~5 weeks total, stock ideas?

IMG_7404.jpeg.28f35257b24bcaa09a9470b1baca6274.jpeg

(Unrelated): Kiyoshi looking happy chilling with one of the platy >:) 

  • Like 1
  • Love 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

A lot depends on what you enjoy seeing for most of the year, combined with what species will take dry foods readily during your auto feeding periods.

A nice healthy group of red swordtails could stand out beautifully. As with so many Livebearers, you’ll find best stock from local breeders.

I’m a fan of US Natives, but typically the Shiners and Dace do best with dry foods. Rainbow Shiners are beautiful. No heater needed, but you’d probably want to boost your air and flow.

A nice big Gourami with some hardy barbs could be stunning.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

That tank looks like a shrimp heaven.

So first, I would def do shrimps that you like.

I'm having %100 success with black roses on my betta tanks with lots of plants and black substrate. I know they blend a lot, so you can't see them that well like any other popping color, but I love my black roses. So you may consider black roses with a betta friend.

I think the rest depends on the betta as you know it. I have endlers, green jelly shrimps and snails with one of my males.

I have black roses with my female. She doesn't care shrimp friends but not a fan of fish. She was annoyed by endlers before.

And lastly, with another male, I have sparkling gouramis, red lizard whiptails, pleco and pygmy cories in a 125Liters tank. This male is friendly too. Used to be in a shrimp tank with black roses again. Only didn't like sparkling gouramis at first but they make it work all together.

Bettas are my fav fish lately. If I didnt have my big tank stocked, I would directly make it a sorority 😄 

If I were you I would get black rose shrimp, a school of pygmy cories and a group of red lizard whiptails and keep the betta and mystery snail but also be ready to seperate betta anytime just in case she becomes a bully. That way, you can get another centerpiece fish if betta does not work

 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

All sort of options - you could do a pair of A. pucallpaensis; or badis. You could do a group of shrimps and Pangio shelfordii; you could do some ember tetra or guppies. In my 10 where i keep a. pucallpaensis - i use shrimps and mystery snails to eat excess food. They will breed (though the frys should be fed bbs after a few days if you wnat them to make it); they arean't as colourful as some fishes but they are peaceful enough to exist in such a small aquarium. Badis are more colourful but should be fed live food which sounds like a no-no for your setup. Btw you didn't mention your water hardness and that makes a big difference on stocking - for example i would not put guppies in soft water (i suspect your water isn't that soft since you keep platies such). A 15 is pretty small for a perpetuating group of guppies - of course if you don't add females that won't be an issue.... While the size of the aquarium does limit what you can keep there are still hundreds of options.... 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 5/10/2023 at 8:25 PM, anewbie said:

All sort of options - you could do a pair of A. pucallpaensis; or badis. You could do a group of shrimps and Pangio shelfordii; you could do some ember tetra or guppies. In my 10 where i keep a. pucallpaensis - i use shrimps and mystery snails to eat excess food. They will breed (though the frys should be fed bbs after a few days if you wnat them to make it); they arean't as colourful as some fishes but they are peaceful enough to exist in such a small aquarium. Badis are more colourful but should be fed live food which sounds like a no-no for your setup. Btw you didn't mention your water hardness and that makes a big difference on stocking - for example i would not put guppies in soft water (i suspect your water isn't that soft since you keep platies such). A 15 is pretty small for a perpetuating group of guppies - of course if you don't add females that won't be an issue.... While the size of the aquarium does limit what you can keep there are still hundreds of options.... 

Embers are prone to being fat and lazy, pairing them with a feeder is a disaster in the making. I loved the brief periods of my honey gourami in my 54l, they enjoyed the space too 

You do recommend an apistogramma pair for this size? I am toying with the idea of getting some but am afraid the tank is too small for two.

 

For the OP, wouldn't it be easier if someone showed up week two and fed your fish? Many not nano fish survive two weeks very easily. Nano fish do only week, small mouth, small stomach, prone to starving.  For one week at xmass i wouldn't bother feeding at all, it is not like we all can't use a diet :))

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 5/10/2023 at 1:42 PM, beastie said:

Embers are prone to being fat and lazy, pairing them with a feeder is a disaster in the making. I loved the brief periods of my honey gourami in my 54l, they enjoyed the space too 

You do recommend an apistogramma pair for this size? I am toying with the idea of getting some but am afraid the tank is too small for two.

 

For the OP, wouldn't it be easier if someone showed up week two and fed your fish? Many not nano fish survive two weeks very easily. Nano fish do only week, small mouth, small stomach, prone to starving.  For one week at xmass i wouldn't bother feeding at all, it is not like we all can't use a diet :))

 

 

I guess you've had fat embers; i've never had fat embers. As to the lazy aspect that is what makes them a good candidate for a 15.

 

I do not recommend all (or even most) species of many fishes to a 15. The species a. pucallpaensis is suitable for a 15. People get hung up on the genus rather than focus on specific species. It is like saying that all tetras are suitable for a 15 and that is not the case; there are many species of tetra that are not suitable for a 15.... 

Edited by anewbie
  • Love 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have fat embers in 360 litres tank!! Had to get rummynose to make some food competitors cause it was crazy 🙂 I have few in my 54l at the moment and granted they are never that still. Nice dithers if nothing else. And the color pops against green. But with honey gourami, it was barely able to find food before the embers scoffed it all down 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 5/10/2023 at 8:42 PM, beastie said:

For the OP, wouldn't it be easier if someone showed up week two and fed your fish? Many not nano fish survive two weeks very easily. Nano fish do only week, small mouth, small stomach, prone to starving.  For one week at xmass i wouldn't bother feeding at all, it is not like we all can't use a diet :))

Man I wish!! I live with my father and he prohibits “strangers” coming over to feed them, saying that’s what we have the autofeeder for :// I don’t have anyone to rely on that my dad is okay with to come feed them either, except my mother which lives 2 hours away. I’m actually gonna ask her to come over possibly one day or two to check in on them and do a large water change for me. Though that depends on if she wants to. 

And yes, I’ve thought about the Christmas week disaster (long story short: betta got Dropsy from overfeeding) for many many nights and I was thinking that maybe I could just feed them well a few days before and leave them without the autofeeder just for the vacation XDD 

And as for tetras, I’ve gotten a bit traumatized (irony) from 6 neons I had in my 60L who were so competitive with food that they would purposefully seek out my betta when they were eating peacefully and bite their fins, even if there was food SCATTERED EVERYWHERE and there was more than enough for everyone 😭 My female betta just got bullied during feeding time and since she was sweet and wouldn’t hurt a fly she didn’t fight back. I did separate them after I saw it for the second time. Then I put in Kiyoshi with them, and they tried that on him too and surprise surprise he retaliated and bit its tail off. Funny thing is that it was just during feeding time, any other time they’d get along with my betta. 

Then there were the buoyancy issues when fed flakes where once one went upside down floating upwards uncontrollably and I had to stand there with the lid open pushing it back underwater so it wouldn’t suffocate for 20 minutes. Had to sell them about a week ago cuz I realized they’d have to rely on that autofeeder soon and I wouldn’t be able to help them if something went wrong. 😭😭 So neons are probably out of the question for this one, and I’m a little bit hesitant to have other tetras but I can take a chance!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 5/10/2023 at 8:25 PM, anewbie said:

Btw you didn't mention your water hardness and that makes a big difference on stocking - for example i would not put guppies in soft water (i suspect your water isn't that soft since you keep platies such). A 15 is pretty small for a perpetuating group of guppies - of course if you don't add females that won't be an issue.... While the size of the aquarium does limit what you can keep there are still hundreds of options.... 

You’re absolutely right, I haven’t tested in a while lmaooo- the GH was at <6* and my PH was at 6,8 - 7,2 in both tanks.  
I have no clue how to raise or lower any of these things… my platy, betta and amano seem to thrive though, is the water too soft? 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 5/10/2023 at 7:23 PM, Lennie said:

That tank looks like a shrimp heaven.

So first, I would def do shrimps that you like.

I'm having %100 success with black roses on my betta tanks with lots of plants and black substrate. I know they blend a lot, so you can't see them that well like any other popping color, but I love my black roses. So you may consider black roses with a betta friend.

I think the rest depends on the betta as you know it. I have endlers, green jelly shrimps and snails with one of my males.

I have black roses with my female. She doesn't care shrimp friends but not a fan of fish. She was annoyed by endlers before.

And lastly, with another male, I have sparkling gouramis, red lizard whiptails, pleco and pygmy cories in a 125Liters tank. This male is friendly too. Used to be in a shrimp tank with black roses again. Only didn't like sparkling gouramis at first but they make it work all together.

Bettas are my fav fish lately. If I didnt have my big tank stocked, I would directly make it a sorority 😄 

If I were you I would get black rose shrimp, a school of pygmy cories and a group of red lizard whiptails and keep the betta and mystery snail but also be ready to seperate betta anytime just in case she becomes a bully. That way, you can get another centerpiece fish if betta does not work

 

I’ve always loved the thought of colorful shrimp!! Could never have any small ones out of fear that they’d turn into a 5 star free meal for my bettas 😭😭 which is why I’ve always stuck with fish that don’t make my bettas wonder: “meal??” 
Shrimp are so adorable though, I have 3 amano currently in the 60L which I got cuz of their size, and they’re so full of personality!!

But hey, maybe I should take some chances and get small ones this time! Cuz it sounds like they’d be a pretty sight in that tank :DD

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 5/11/2023 at 8:02 AM, beastie said:

Did you consider putting the autofeeder on a once a week feeding with some like digital switch?

Believe me, if I could I would. But the juwel autofeeder only has 2 settings: dispense once per day, or twice per day.. it’s battery operated too so a timer wouldn’t work 😕

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 5/11/2023 at 1:36 AM, sharkboxed said:

I’ve always loved the thought of colorful shrimp!! Could never have any small ones out of fear that they’d turn into a 5 star free meal for my bettas 😭😭 which is why I’ve always stuck with fish that don’t make my bettas wonder: “meal??” 
Shrimp are so adorable though, I have 3 amano currently in the 60L which I got cuz of their size, and they’re so full of personality!!

But hey, maybe I should take some chances and get small ones this time! Cuz it sounds like they’d be a pretty sight in that tank :DD

Well you are right. It is hard to know if the betta will show any interest to them. 

With a backup plan, you can try. Without one, it is a very risky decision to make. I also personally believe blending colors have much higher chance compared to colorful ones.

I've created a topic about this back then and some people shared their experience. Maybe you'd like to read more on here:

I ended up getting black roses and green jellies. I used to have orange sakuras and bloodymaries, so I wanted to play safe with not super colorful options also wanted to try something new.

I personally believe bright reds, oranges, blues etc. have nothing like their original wild color, so kinda impossible to blend. I had issues keeping them in community tanks but black and greens work good for now thanks to their blending colors. But it is still too early to talk as it is quite new.

 

Edited by Lennie
Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 5/10/2023 at 4:06 AM, sharkboxed said:

Keywords: 54L, overgrown, relying on autofeeder ~5 weeks total, stock ideas?

Neocaridina shrimp (they can be perfectly fine with 5 weeks to themselves as long as it's been established.  I would also opt to add in a clown pleco to help provide some wood pulp/mulm for the shrimp to graze on.  They do very well with neos and you don't even really need to feed them much of anything.

Once the colony is established, then I would stock in something like a single bolivian ram and call it good.  Autofeeder, very small amount each day and eats basically what the shrimp would want. 

Once that is good you can do something like add in some small green neons or small tetra species to the top of the tank and you're perfect. Small tetra food would just be a powdered type of food which works with the autofeeder and helps to feed the baby shrimp.  It's a win win! 

Lots of great options, it's a really fun tank I think!

On 5/10/2023 at 3:36 PM, sharkboxed said:

I’ve always loved the thought of colorful shrimp!! Could never have any small ones out of fear that they’d turn into a 5 star free meal for my bettas 😭😭 which is why I’ve always stuck with fish that don’t make my bettas wonder: “meal??” 

Just establish the shrimp first.  Betta won't ever be able to get them all. 

On 5/10/2023 at 3:17 PM, sharkboxed said:

You’re absolutely right, I haven’t tested in a while lmaooo- the GH was at <6* and my PH was at 6,8 - 7,2 in both tanks.  
I have no clue how to raise or lower any of these things… my platy, betta and amano seem to thrive though, is the water too soft? 

For neos, you'd only have to add some equilibrium.  Amanos will handle whatever. The fish usually don't mind.  GH = calcium, so the neos or other dwarf shrimp can be much more sensitive to it.  (minimum GH = 6 deg, preferably keep it 7-8 range as a minimum)

Before your vacation, you'd make sure parameters are good, they will absolutely be perfectly fine with it. Everything else doesn't matter and can be based on whatever stocking you choose.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...
On 5/10/2023 at 8:25 PM, anewbie said:

All sort of options - you could do a pair of A. pucallpaensis; or badis. You could do a group of shrimps and Pangio shelfordii; you could do some ember tetra or guppies. In my 10 where i keep a. pucallpaensis - i use shrimps and mystery snails to eat excess food. They will breed (though the frys should be fed bbs after a few days if you wnat them to make it); they arean't as colourful as some fishes but they are peaceful enough to exist in such a small aquarium. Badis are more colourful but should be fed live food which sounds like a no-no for your setup. Btw you didn't mention your water hardness and that makes a big difference on stocking - for example i would not put guppies in soft water (i suspect your water isn't that soft since you keep platies such). A 15 is pretty small for a perpetuating group of guppies - of course if you don't add females that won't be an issue.... While the size of the aquarium does limit what you can keep there are still hundreds of options.... 

Sorry I never replied! I realized maybe keeping it empty while I’m gone is a better idea and to get fish after I’m back. Also it’s exam season I’ve been really busy 😭

But I want to start planning for it already though so I have enough money to buy them and was wondering about what type and how many of each fish?

You mentioned guppies, but what guppy could thrive there and how many could thrive in there? (Like endlers? Or the normal ones?)
I love centerpiece fish (because I like naming them lol) so could I have one as well with the guppies or should I leave it with only guppies? I don’t mind not having one, just wondering!
Also along with the guppies how many shrimp could I keep in there too? Like enough to be understocked, so I don’t need to worry too much about ammonia buildup while im gone in the future..

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share

×
×
  • Create New...