20gallon Journal - Updated Daily - Indir

[indir-emir]

Im starting my first year this year recently finished year 12.

Got really lucky as i got a low UAI (52.90) and into a course i really want (77 uai requirement lol) due to having high marks in IT all my school years.

To keep my post on-topic, Would zebra danios do well with BristleNose Catfish (am thinking of a gold marble BN at the moment), and how effective are these BN catfish at algae eating?

Indir

 

[Miss Wiggle]

aye, Ian would be going back as a mature studnet to get a decent education, he didn't get one the first time round because he was an undiagnosed dyslexic so the teachers just thought he was thick and lazy..... nice!

yeah BN's are my favourite algae eaters and they're totally inoffensive really, will go with just about anything, def fine with danio's.

 

[indir-emir]

Lol i did real bad in school, im a more hands on person lol. Good luck to Ian!

Thanks, im thinking bout getting a school of danios and a pair of BN's for algae. Not sure what else yet

How many danios is minimum for a shoal?

Regards,
Indir

 

[Miss Wiggle]

6 is best, 4 can work if your pushed on space but 6+ if possible,

word of advise for stocking, when people first start out they want all sorts of fish so they go with te minimum possible numbers of each to fit lots of species in. this can end up looking a bit 'noah's ark' witha amish mash of fish that don't necessarily work together to make a nice community. for a really striking display go for a few less species and larger shoal numbers, even the humble neon tetra looks amazing in a shoal of 20+ if you've room for it!

remember this is your first tank, but it won't be your last, there's plenty of time to have different species down the line so don't worry about fitting everything you want into this tank, just chalk up a mental 'one for the future' list of the ones you don't get this time round.

 

[waterdrop]

Congrats on uni there Indir! Does "12" in UK mean like "12th grade" (which is a "senior", last year, in high school over here, last year before university) over here in US? What area will you major in? hey,hey, maybe Ian will be in same class!

~~waterdrop~~

 

[indir-emir]

Im in australia but year 12th grade, the last year before uni

I am doing Bachelor Of Computer Science with a double major of Software Engineering and Multimedia + Game Development (bit of work i know but well worth it, plus experienced in both )

Lol it would be funny if he was, as we are in a completely different country heheheh

Yeah i was gonna get 6 zebra danios to start, whats their main area of tank?

Indir

 

[Miss Wiggle]

top, they're very fast swimmers and very active at the top of the tank

 

[indir-emir]

Ok, well then i need a middle swimmer Any ideas?

Oh also what would i feed danio fry? I think im gonna get zebra danios (depending on my LFS's)

Also, would the bristlenose catfish be okay on gravel? It has no sharp edges that would cut it.

Man im full of questions for you guys haha Hope you dont mind

Indir

 

[Miss Wiggle]

BN's will be fine on gravel.

not sure about the danio fry tbh

how about a pair/trio of dwarf cichlids

could go for rams/apistos/kribensis ....

 

[indir-emir]

Hmmm, ill research on those. Im after active, colourful swimmers for the middle layer so i have a nice look across the entire tank

How many BN's should i go for? Would a male and female be ok?

I am interested in breeding (for the experience) so that is why i ask, so i know how many females to get per male so they are not harassed extensively

Indir

EDIT: Ohh loving the look of the dwarf cichlid, cockatoo dwarf cichlid to be precise but i read a few sites that say they can be agressive, true or false? Very colourful, gonna keep researching though to make sure it will be okay in my tank Thanks wiggle!

EDIT2: Ive read that danios will nip the fins of rams? Is this true? Rams are also very prettyful

 

[indir-emir]

Ok decided that my middle swimmer will be a Cockatoo Dwarf Cichlid (Probably a yellow/gold one that i seen while reseraching). Will it be okay to have about 3 of those (2 female, 1 male) in my tank with the zebra danios and BN's?

Also, would either of these work as a cave for the Cichlid to hide in and spawn in?
Pics of chest and rocks:
Rocks

Rocks Inside/Up Close (so you can see the holes on the back side

Treasure Chest (Has a whole on the back that cant see in this picture, and isnt easy to take a picture of it due to tank position in my room)

Would these be sufficient? Or should i try to find a very small flower pot?

Regards,
Indir

 

[Thommo]

Congrats on getting into Uni Indir,

It is deffinitly a lot different from school, but very enjoyable. Problem is there is know one to tell you to get your ass into gear so you have to kick your own ass.

Sorry to hear about not being able to get the ammonia but it deffinitly was a pain in the but when I was trying to get some

Good luck witht the cycle. Just be paitent and wait for the nitrItes to hit zero for a week. I think being paitent is the hardest part of a fishless cycle.

CHEERS

 

[indir-emir]

Thanks mate, just got home from uni. Spent like 2 hours there then 4 hours out with a few friends to celebrate lol.

The campus is huge, and i know thats why i know i have to work hard lol.

Ok any ideas about the chest/rocks being good enough of a hiding place for dwarf cichlids to breed?

And i agree, it is the hardest part lol. Im pretty sure its been at 5+ Nitrites for over a week... I only got my test kit 6 days ago and its been at 5 since then... Im hoping this will go down soon as im getting tired of waiting and want to get these fishies swimming lol.

Tested water just now and my results are:
Ammonia = 0
Nitrite = 5+ (yet again lol)
Nitrate = 20-40 (bout in between)

Thanks,
Indir

 

[Thommo]

Thanks mate, just got home from uni. Spent like 2 hours there then 4 hours out with a few friends to celebrate lol.

The campus is huge, and i know thats why i know i have to work hard lol.

Ok any ideas about the chest/rocks being good enough of a hiding place for dwarf cichlids to breed?

And i agree, it is the hardest part lol. Im pretty sure its been at 5+ Nitrites for over a week... I only got my test kit 6 days ago and its been at 5 since then... Im hoping this will go down soon as im getting tired of waiting and want to get these fishies swimming lol.

Tested water just now and my results are:
Ammonia = 0
Nitrite = 5+ (yet again lol)
Nitrate = 20-40 (bout in between)

Thanks,
Indir

Just hang in there Indir, You will test one day and then suddnely the nitrates are 0. They seen to drop really quickly for me.

Can't help you with the breading thing sorry. Your best bet is to post another post in the cichlids section.

Good luck.

 

[indir-emir]

Yeah was hoping someone would know so i dont got to make lots of posts.. Guess i have no choice.

Man im hoping the damn thing will drop soon lol. Ive decided on the fish i want finally But im going to stock slowly, starting with the danios as they are most hardy, just incase it hasnt fully completed the cycle.

Going to get danios for the top area of the tank, cockatoo dwarf cichlid for the middle and Bristlenoses for the bottom (most likely).

Just got a question though. Would these be okay together? Read somewhere that the cichlids may get agressive? but only found that on one site

Regards,
Indir