Emika_B Posted February 11, 2021 Share Posted February 11, 2021 Aloha all, I think my tank’s finally ready for occupants. It’s about 40 gallons: 36 long, 24 tall, 12 deep. The tall plants aren’t as tall and full as I’d like but they’re getting there. I’ve got octopus on the way, so hopefully that’ll help fill out the backside a bit more. You can see the current set up in my Journal posts. The parameters have been steady at 75-77 degrees (though it will get warmer when summer gets here), 0 ammonia, 0 nitrites, 20 ppm nitrates, 300 ppm GH (my test strips top at 300 ppm so it might be more), 53 ppm KH and 7.2 pH. Based on the hardness and pH, I’m thinking guppies. I’d wanted to do goldfish originally but I have a feeling my water will be too warm and too hard. Do you have any suggestions? Because of where I live I can’t order fish from places like Aquabid or Aqua Huna, so nothing too fancy. I’m particularly interested in the ‘cleanup crew’ and would like to add neocaridina (?) shrimp after things have seasoned for a while. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FrozenFins Posted February 11, 2021 Share Posted February 11, 2021 A big school of celestrial pearl danios, some sparkiling gourami, Dwarf Pencil Fish, Some little shrimpies is what I would do! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fish Folk Posted February 11, 2021 Share Posted February 11, 2021 (edited) Choose any one of these three "centerpiece fish" ideas . . . #1 Angelfish. #2 Rainbows. #3 Gourami. Then balance with a school of your favorite tetras or rasboras. Maybe don't overthink the hardness too much. Edited February 11, 2021 by Fish Folk 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colu Posted February 11, 2021 Share Posted February 11, 2021 Bristlenose for algae control nice group of black phantom tetra and a pair of apistogramma and some nerite snails Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emika_B Posted February 11, 2021 Author Share Posted February 11, 2021 (edited) James Black - I’ve been wanting the celestial pearl danios since I saw them in the various nano videos! I love danios; I used to have a school of long finned leopard (or were they zebra?) danios and I loved watching them. Fish Folk - That’s a beautiful gourami! Any idea which one it is? I’ve had pearl (EDIT: it was a neon blue dwarf gourami, not pearl. It was lovely but I seem to remember it being a bit of a chaser.) I always liked them. Colu - I’ll probably go with the bristlenose as they’re pretty easy to find here. I’ve never had apistogramma (never heard of them before I found Aquarium Co-op) but the photos sure are pretty. Same thing with nerites. I’ve got loads of Malaysian trumpets from my old tank and what I think are bladder snails that hitchhiked on my new plants. Edited February 11, 2021 by Emika_B Wrong fish - not pearl gourami Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yanni Posted February 11, 2021 Share Posted February 11, 2021 If you wanted to add some shrimp in the tank, I would try things like honey gourami's or maybe some platy's. I think that most bigger fish will definitely snack on the shrimp so it would be kind of difficult to figure out a stocking choice for your tank. If you wanted some centerpiece fish, you could always try the gourmai's or maybe some cool livebearer. If you have enough plants then you could always try some angels. I would try a big school on tetras because that always looks good Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MAC Posted February 11, 2021 Share Posted February 11, 2021 Dwarf neon rainbows! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emika_B Posted February 11, 2021 Author Share Posted February 11, 2021 Yanni - I’m hoping I can find honey gouramis. They look so pretty. Mac - Those certainly are pretty. How many would you recommend? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brandy Posted February 11, 2021 Share Posted February 11, 2021 12 hours ago, Emika_B said: That’s a beautiful gourami! Any idea which one it is? I’ve had pearl (I think - blue with orange-ish edging on the fins). I always liked them. The pic is of an opaline gourami. I have always liked them too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emika_B Posted February 11, 2021 Author Share Posted February 11, 2021 Brandy - Thanks! It really is a beautiful fish with the striping. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emika_B Posted February 14, 2021 Author Share Posted February 14, 2021 Well, after visiting 3 different shops (have a few more to go) I think I have a pretty good idea of what's available. Let me know what you think of adding the following in this order: 10 Rummy Nose Tetras 9 Guppies (3 trios, just plain ol' fancy guppies) 6 Pygmy Cories 15 Ember Tetras 10 Lamb chop Rasboras 6 Otocinclus Not sure if I'll go with both the Embers and Lamb chops, thoughts on one or the other? There are a great many more fish on my wish list, but I only have about 40 gallons to play with. Endlers, Strawberry Rasboras, Cardinal Tetras, various Danios, shrimp... yeah, it's a long list. And then there's the centerpiece fish. Do I save room for those? It'd probably be either a pair of Apisto Cacatoides or 3 Honey Gouramis. Now that I've seen the Apistos in person, they're quite cute, but the Honey Gouramis have a certain something. What do you think? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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