# 50 litre cube stocking.



## dan4x4 (12 Apr 2015)

Good afternoon,

Tank is still cycling but I want to try and decide on a fish. I originally loved the idea of a Birchir however they grow way to big for the tank.

Priorities of choosing a fish are..
1. I want something that looks a bit different/strange.
2. Would be preferable for it to like planaria/skuds /algae and/or snails but not essential
3. Colour.

Any ideas?


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## Rahms (12 Apr 2015)

pygmy puffers are a lot of fun, and they will eradicate snails for fun... I think they're best in species-only tanks though. Thats all I can think of that meets all 3, hopefully someone more experienced will give you some more options!


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## mr. luke (12 Apr 2015)

Pygmy puffers get along well with ottos too and some are ok with shrimps so thats the algae taken care of 
How about scarlet badis? Interesting little fish


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## dan4x4 (12 Apr 2015)

Thanks im going to have a look into these species further, I also need to make a better lid, which is the next project until this one is cycled ill be sure to upload some pics further down the line.


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## Lindy (13 Apr 2015)

I wouldn't bet on them 'being ok' with shrimp. My dwarf puffers ignored my amano shrimp for 6 mths and then started harassing them, pecking off their antenna at first and then getting close to pecking the shrimps face off so had to separate. Anything smaller than amano would be a massacre. Not straight away, because the puffers like to ignore things until you relax, but they will decide one day that the shrimp look tasty. Saying that I loved mine and would highly recommend as an interesting fish. I would go for a group and hope you get 2 or 3 girls to 1 or 2 males. I had a male and female and he pestered her all the time. Males have tiny irridescent lines around the eyes and sides of the head but often you can't tell if they are stressed in a lfs. A bigger group should stop anyone developing a territory. Your tank wouldn't be big enough for any of the bigger puffers. 
You could also look at bettas as many are pretty striking. I love my betta simplex but they can look a plain silver when not displaying. You could keep a pair in 50l. Betta channoides are very striking but you may never see them unless feeding them. Liquorice gourami(my avatar) are gorgeous and you could keep 5-6 in a tank this size. Get it right and you could see some beautiful displaying.  All of these fish have particular requirements, the simplex being the easiest.  Liquorice gourami and betta channoides make good tank mates as need same parameters


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## dan4x4 (15 Apr 2015)

ldcgroomer said:


> I wouldn't bet on them 'being ok' with shrimp. My dwarf puffers ignored my amano shrimp for 6 mths and then started harassing them, pecking off their antenna at first and then getting close to pecking the shrimps face off so had to separate. Anything smaller than amano would be a massacre. Not straight away, because the puffers like to ignore things until you relax, but they will decide one day that the shrimp look tasty. Saying that I loved mine and would highly recommend as an interesting fish. I would go for a group and hope you get 2 or 3 girls to 1 or 2 males. I had a male and female and he pestered her all the time. Males have tiny irridescent lines around the eyes and sides of the head but often you can't tell if they are stressed in a lfs. A bigger group should stop anyone developing a territory. Your tank wouldn't be big enough for any of the bigger puffers.
> You could also look at bettas as many are pretty striking. I love my betta simplex but they can look a plain silver when not displaying. You could keep a pair in 50l. Betta channoides are very striking but you may never see them unless feeding them. Liquorice gourami(my avatar) are gorgeous and you could keep 5-6 in a tank this size. Get it right and you could see some beautiful displaying.  All of these fish have particular requirements, the simplex being the easiest.  Liquorice gourami and betta channoides make good tank mates as need same parameters



Thanks for the info. Im not going to take the route of the puffers as I want to keep shrimp in there to help with algae.

Probably will go for a betta, I like them a lot. I had a one ages ago and was thinking it would be better to try something new. I'm still undecided though!


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## dan4x4 (15 Apr 2015)

I like the idea of schooling fish too. I was talking to the guy at local LFS and he was advising to use galaxy rasbora's although I don't want to buy anything wild caught.


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## Lindy (16 Apr 2015)

dan4x4 said:


> Probably will go for a betta, I


If you are talking splendens (or any of the bettas really) there is a fair chance it will eat the shrimp. Some are fine but lots are not lol...


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## alto (16 Apr 2015)

yes need to buy your betta from a shop that will allow "trades",  or has sale bettas in planted tanks ... I have a young "koi" plakat type betta that is the most gentle betta ever ... so far!

(shop is excellent, did a "test" in the shrimp tank before bringing him home, he was completely oblivious to the shrimp then & still seems so 4 weeks later)


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## alto (16 Apr 2015)

dan4x4 said:


> although I don't want to buy anything wild caught.


 I suspect that many of the micro-rasboras are still predominantly wc


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## dan4x4 (27 Apr 2015)

Im still undecided. I like the idea of an otto but I think its gonna feel top cramped in this tank.


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## zozo (28 Apr 2015)

Actualy 50 litre isn't really enough for dwarf puffers, it's more breeding ground for stress and disaster if you dont take proper care. It also depends on the character of the individual puffer and they all do have that. As said they tend to be territorial and agresive one more than the other. Next to that they are realy dirtbags, they produce lots of waist, more than other fish of same size. If you're not yet experienced i wouldn't recomend to think of a puffer population in a 50 litre tank. I know quite some people buying dwarf puffers to give them away again after a few months. And that is, if you find a new home!? I would recoment at least 150 litre for a small dwarf puffer family. But that's just my humble opinion. Some people maybe did it with succes and luck in a small tank, but that's no waranty for succes.


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## Rahms (29 Apr 2015)

Well thats a disappointment, I had read this article on PFK which recommends up to 6 in a 60L! Now that sounds a bit too much to me, but I had assumed I'd be fine with 3 or 4 in a TMC signature (~80L).  Bummer.


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## zozo (29 Apr 2015)

Actualy it's better to hold just 1 in a 60 litre tank and need an other 60 litre for the next one and so on. It has a lot to do with personal experiences. You can make it work in a smaller tank, but it will take a lot of love and understanding to put in. Some people do and just take the idea for granted that love works the same for everybody.

Some love the plants more, other their scape, others their fish, you can never know what sommeone is willing to believe in what to love most when they talk about it.

Having an aquarium with fish is a bit like playing God.. But actualy you're not god at all you're nothing but mother natures assistent.. And in this duty the fish should always be the first to get your best. Thrive your tank to the top of the average numbers to keep the fish happy. And in lots of minds in our world there is the idea to keep the tank on top of the optimum regarding the vegitation, where the fish is nothing more than just an other ornament to bring some color and movement in the tank.The freak show..

Anyway someone recomending 6 puffers in a 60 litre tank doesn''t know what love realy means and puts it in the wrong place. Take away his tank and give him a teddy bear..


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## Lindy (30 Apr 2015)

Having kept this fish I would suggest 60l is more than enough for a pair of dwarf puffers. Mine were in 60l with lots of plants and I saw them spawn a few times. I would have liked 2 females to spread the males attention though. Puffers are dirty because they are messy eaters so good filtration and syphoning waste is essential. 




Rahms said:


> Well thats a disappointment, I had read this article on PFK which recommends up to 6 in a 60L! Now that sounds a bit too much to me, but I had assumed I'd be fine with 3 or 4 in a TMC signature (~80L). Bummer.


I think you'd be fine with 3 or 4 in a tank this size. Lots of plants and hiding places needed. This is not a fish for open scapes.


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