Low tech aquascape and stocking help please!

[Ri-Za]

Hi all

I could do with some help with regards to my tank and its current scape please, I recently took out some plants and gave it a trim so thought I'd see what you all think I should do next 🙂 it's a Roma 125 with an aquamanta efx300 external filter and 2 T8 lights, pics below;

Overall shot



Left hand side



Right hand side



So I have had a bit of a clean out recently as my hygrophilia was starting to grow out of the top of the water and my echinodorus parviflorus didn't really work too well so I've removed it!

What do you think? Anything I should add? I'm thinking about trying to get some really dense plants in the back left to bulk it up lots, something like needle leaf java fern (possibly a mother plant) to try and dominate that section and some more crypts as I have always had good success with them compared to anything else!

Not too sure if I can get anymore fish either, I currently have;

3 Dwarf Honey Gouramis (2 female and 1 male)
1 Mega Clown Pleco - hoping that the increase in plants will entice him out a bit!
6 Cardinal Tetras
3 Glowlight Tetras

I am looking at rehoming the glowlights to a friends tank who already has some as I know that 3 isn't really enough but unfortunately the rest are no longer around...

I keep looking at getting shrimp as I have always been fond of the bottom feeders but have never had any luck with corrys...unsure why though I've had my pleco for nearly a year now but nearly lost all my corrys plus more in that time so don't think I want to go for them again. I quite like the idea of gold ring butterfly sucker/hillstream loach/any other name you know them by but I don't know if my set up is good enough to house them, I have read that they are not as simple to keep healthily compared to other fish. Otherwise I quite like shrimp but what do you reckon would be a good stocking for my tank?

Thoughts? Thanks

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

1 Mega Clown Pleco - hoping that the increase in plants will entice him out a bit!

I've grown-out some Hypancistrus (L129 & L333) for about 3 years now, and I've never ever seen them in the day-light. As soon as it is fully dark they will come out, but any light and it is straight back in their caves. If you don't have any specific caves for them, I'd get some, you can always plant them with Java fern etc. If you place the caves so you can see whether they are occupied (you will be able to see the tail of the fish), it helps. Both male and female Hypancistrus "cave", and they like a tight fit.

I'm thinking about trying to get some really dense plants in the back left to bulk it up lots, something like needle leaf java fern (possibly a mother plant) to try and dominate that section and some more crypts as I have always had good success with

Good idea, either would do. I probably go with Cryptocoryne wendtii (Green, Brown and Tropica are all good) or similar. You can always add some Java Fern to the bog wood.

I quite like the idea of gold ring butterfly sucker/hillstream loach/any other name you know them by but I don't know if my set up is good enough to house them, I have read that they are not as simple to keep healthily compared to other fish.

I've never kept them, but they need relatively cool highly oxygenated water, so they are tricky to keep in a tropical tank. Have a look at <Loaches on-line "life in the fast lane">.

cheers Darrel

 

[tam]

How about Kuhli? They are easier the corys I think and I find mine quite active. They do tend to disappear at first but once they've settled and learnt about feeding time I find they are out and about.

Anubias seem quite easy and come in a variety of shades of green/leaf sizes. There is a mini version if you wanted something low but easy.

 

[Ri-Za]

Thanks guys! My piece of bogwood on the right hand side is used as my plecos main cave, it is pretty much hollow in the middle so he sticks to the top of it and I can see his tail at the bottom most of the time which is always a good sign!

I've already got some java fern attached to my main piece of bogwood on the left hand side and have lots of cryptocoryne wendtii filling up the majority of the plant space but I was thinking of adding more java fern to the back left to bulk it up a tad as I want to try and make it a focal point of the tank and build everything else around it. I'm unsure of what to do in the middle though as it is a bit compact in that area with a small piece of bogwood used there by my pleco too - I wouldn't mind changing this a tad.

I think I've decided that I'd like to get some shrimp after looking around in which case I will need some areas of safety for them just in case my gouramis do get interested. I'm thinking of attaching some moss to my main bogwood and getting a couple of moss balls to keep them happy - thoughts or suggestions on anything?

Cheers!

 

[Ri-Za]

Heya all,

Thought I'd give an update on how the tank looks now with the new plants and shrimp! Pics below;

Entire shot:



Side shot:



Right hand Side:



Left hand side:



Shrimp:





Any thoughts or comments welcome