Myrtle
Member
It's a bit of a trek from London, but maidenhead aquatics in Basingstoke has loads of Asian Stone Catfish in
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Fish for Hard London Water (20 Gallon)
- Thread starter pollyandpear
- Start date
pollyandpear
Member
Woulld the following be suitable inhabitants for my tank?
. One suitable corydora, eg the elegans or a panda
. Two or three khuli loach
. 6 celestial pearl Danish
. Some snails and shrimp
. One suitable corydora, eg the elegans or a panda
. Two or three khuli loach
. 6 celestial pearl Danish
. Some snails and shrimp
Myrtle
Member
Do you mean one species of corydora? They tend to need a group to be happy, minimum of 6.
mort
Member
- Joined
- 15 Nov 2015
- Messages
- 2,401
Our norwich tap water is extremely hard and most fish do fine. I do find that species like cardinal tetras don't live as long, in softwater I've had them for 5 years plus but in hard water about 3 tops.
I'd echo a clown plec as a good option. I had one when I was a kid and it lived for over 20 years in our water. They are quite shy but have pretty bums (which is what you normally see with plecs). I'm a huge fan of hera jardoni cats but they are shy and not often seen (which I actually like) and it's a very similar situation with khuli loaches.
The fish you are considering like to live in groups. The larger the group the happier they will be. I would want 6 minimum of any you choose and that may mean editing the list so you don't have as many species in there but it will be better. I'd personally probably go for 6 panda cories and 12 celestial danio's (although endlers might work well as well as they are bolder and out in the open more) and see how things go. The snails and shrimp add very little to the bioload and will self regulate to an extent.
I'd echo a clown plec as a good option. I had one when I was a kid and it lived for over 20 years in our water. They are quite shy but have pretty bums (which is what you normally see with plecs). I'm a huge fan of hera jardoni cats but they are shy and not often seen (which I actually like) and it's a very similar situation with khuli loaches.
The fish you are considering like to live in groups. The larger the group the happier they will be. I would want 6 minimum of any you choose and that may mean editing the list so you don't have as many species in there but it will be better. I'd personally probably go for 6 panda cories and 12 celestial danio's (although endlers might work well as well as they are bolder and out in the open more) and see how things go. The snails and shrimp add very little to the bioload and will self regulate to an extent.
pollyandpear
Member
Ah okay got you!
I thought snails and shrimp were good for helping clean the tank and eating algae?
im going to the balham aquatic centre today to have a look round and possibly pick up some stuff to start setting up the aquarium.
my plan is a layer of aqua soil, then a layer of sand, lots of plants, some Wood and rocks.
I thought snails and shrimp were good for helping clean the tank and eating algae?
im going to the balham aquatic centre today to have a look round and possibly pick up some stuff to start setting up the aquarium.
my plan is a layer of aqua soil, then a layer of sand, lots of plants, some Wood and rocks.
Hi all,
Personally I would start with some <"easy / pest"> snails, that way you can get used to managing the tank, and then when it has grown in? Get some Cherry Shrimp.
After a few months you should be ready for some fish, by that time you may have a better idea of what you want, as an example I like very small fish in small tanks and a <"lot of plants">. Have a look at the links from <"First effort - a rod for my back!">.
I'll cc. in @shangman , it is a long time since I started keeping fish, but she started fairly recently and is already much better at it than I am.
You could have five <"Corydoras (ln 9.) panda"> or C. "elegans" (likely to be <"C. napoensis">) in with your shoal of <"Celestial Pearl Danio"> (Celestichthys margaritatus) or a large shoal of <"Corydoras (ln 4) hastatus">, these are fine in harder water and a great fish, but not particularly easy to find or maintain. I loved mine <"corydoras hastatus">.
cheers Darrel
That sort of thing should be fine. Both the <"Khuli Loaches"> (Pangio spp.) and Corydoras spp. are best in bigger group. Personally I wouldn't keep Pangio spp. in hard water, I know you can, but I'm sure they are happier in softer water. Both bottom dwelling fish would need a sand substrate.
Personally I would start with some <"easy / pest"> snails, that way you can get used to managing the tank, and then when it has grown in? Get some Cherry Shrimp.
After a few months you should be ready for some fish, by that time you may have a better idea of what you want, as an example I like very small fish in small tanks and a <"lot of plants">. Have a look at the links from <"First effort - a rod for my back!">.
I'll cc. in @shangman , it is a long time since I started keeping fish, but she started fairly recently and is already much better at it than I am.
My suggestion as well.
You could have five <"Corydoras (ln 9.) panda"> or C. "elegans" (likely to be <"C. napoensis">) in with your shoal of <"Celestial Pearl Danio"> (Celestichthys margaritatus) or a large shoal of <"Corydoras (ln 4) hastatus">, these are fine in harder water and a great fish, but not particularly easy to find or maintain. I loved mine <"corydoras hastatus">.
cheers Darrel
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They seem to do ok. My oldest fish are Khuli loaches, been kept in London tap, soft water and seemed to do well in both. Be warned you won’t see them much unless you have ten or more.
I’d go for a minimum of six of the pandas as @dw1305 has suggested. They’re hardy and will be fine in London tap.
Have a look today at the shop you’re going to today and see what species take your fancy and then research. Try and resist buying anything though as shops are not always the best for giving correct advice, this is abit of generalisation though! They’re not all bad when it comes to information.
pollyandpear
Member
Thanks guys - would hill stream loaches work - someone on a different forum with a 40L tank said they have them and they are doing really well!
I am not planning on buying any fish today don't worry!
I am not planning on buying any fish today don't worry!
Might be a bit on the small side as they can be territorial, they do well in hard water though.
Hi all,
cheers Darrel
I think it might depend a little bit on which species of Pangio you get. I remember that Luis (@ghostsword)bred them in London tap water, before he moved back to South Africa <"The missing kuhli loaches were on the java fern hotel">.
I wouldn't start with them, they need cool, highly oxygenated water, with some flow. Have a look at <"Life in the fast lane">, <"Fast flow and loaches and suitable plants"> & <"Hillstream loach experience">
cheers Darrel
pollyandpear
Member
No worries, either way I'm going to try and focus on just getting the stuff for the aquarium 🙂
Picking between the Oase BioPlus Filter with Heater or the Fluval u2 filter + a heater OR just getting a cheaper highly rated filter on amazon?
When choosing plants, do I need to worry about co2? Will I have to do co2 injections?
Picking between the Oase BioPlus Filter with Heater or the Fluval u2 filter + a heater OR just getting a cheaper highly rated filter on amazon?
When choosing plants, do I need to worry about co2? Will I have to do co2 injections?
You may enjoy it most if you start by buying one species. Let them settle. Learn from them. Then add the next. What everyone says about numbers is very true. I am lo tech, no CO2, and it does limit the plants you can have. Lots to choose from, anubias, many Buce, hydroctyle, etc. Again, you can add them in stages, as you learn.
Hi all,
I'll just touch on <"cycling">, as that is probably a term you've now heard by now? It doesn't really exist and you don't have to add ammonia to your tank to cycle the filter, you can just plant the tank and when the plants are in active growth and then add the snails etc.
Have a look at <"Dr Timothy Hovanec's comments about Bacterial supplements">.
cheers Darrel
We have a few threads on these. <"Oase BioMaster Thermo External Filter">. We also have threads on filter media that might be of interest, like <"Best Filter Media">.
No, a lot of us don't use CO2. If you choose plants from the <"Tropica Easy Range"> they should be fine without CO2. I like a floating plant (and particularly Amazon Frogbit (<"Limnobium laevigatum">)), partially because they have access to atmospheric CO2.
I'll just touch on <"cycling">, as that is probably a term you've now heard by now? It doesn't really exist and you don't have to add ammonia to your tank to cycle the filter, you can just plant the tank and when the plants are in active growth and then add the snails etc.
Have a look at <"Dr Timothy Hovanec's comments about Bacterial supplements">.
cheers Darrel
mort
Member
- Joined
- 15 Nov 2015
- Messages
- 2,401
If that's a reply to my previous post where I said they contribute very little to the bioload, then that's a good thing. They are beneficial to the tank for algae and detritus control, it's just you don't really need to factor them much into your stocking plans much because they don't contribute much waste (or recycle a lot of it). Snails and shrimp will have populations controlled by the available food resources unless you directly feed them. I like Darrels advice to go slow and start with snails as shrimps can be sensitive and tanks really benefit from the slow approach.
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pollyandpear
Member
So I'm back from Was great to actually see the fish in person. A lot of them were so much smaller than I expected. Realised a lot of the tetras and guppies I'd previously been slightly put off by (don't ask why) were just stunning and I'd definitely like a bunch of them
Saw l lots of Cory' and plecoswithch I loved.
All of the above were kept in london tap water so shouldn't be an issue with water hardness according to them!
Saw l lots of Cory' and plecoswithch I loved.
All of the above were kept in london tap water so shouldn't be an issue with water hardness according to them!
They typically live in fast moving, highly oxygenated streams with few plants. Not really in line With what you’re planning.
some do the live bearers such as guppies, platys and sword tails do well in hard water.
pollyandpear
Member
Finally bit the bullet and bought things for the aquarium, as tomorrow I'm visiting a different aquatic shop and might try and grab some plants there!
So I've ordered some aquatic sand, some black gravel, fluval u2 filter, a heater, some tap safe and limescale remover.
If the shop allows me to take some used filter media then I'll bring that home, otherwise I'll buy some bacteria.
Hoping to set the tank up tomorrow, still need to buy a piece of wood and some rocks!
EDIT: Forgot to get a test kit - do I just need to get the test stips?
So I've ordered some aquatic sand, some black gravel, fluval u2 filter, a heater, some tap safe and limescale remover.
If the shop allows me to take some used filter media then I'll bring that home, otherwise I'll buy some bacteria.
Hoping to set the tank up tomorrow, still need to buy a piece of wood and some rocks!
EDIT: Forgot to get a test kit - do I just need to get the test stips?
Hi all,
If you don't? Both the Duckweed and Estimative indices were developed <"not to need known water parameters">, because of the difficulties in obtaining accurate values for nitrate (NO3-) etc.
cheers Darrel
Only if you feel happier doing some water testing. We have members who like to perform water tests (I'll add in @jaypeecee ) and we have members who don't. <"What about Test Kits ?"> .
If you don't? Both the Duckweed and Estimative indices were developed <"not to need known water parameters">, because of the difficulties in obtaining accurate values for nitrate (NO3-) etc.
cheers Darrel
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