55g South American Planted

[TigerIssey]

In November I finally managed to get my new tank upgrading to 55g from 20g tall. I ended up not taking photos whilst I set it up as the stupid delivery men could not find my house on the day it was supposed to be delivered when there was my other half about to do the heavy stuff. I ended up doing it late into the night so was just too tired to keep stopping and photographing (I had not long come out of hospital).

Tank
55 gallon - 48" long 22" tall 15 " deep (has rounded corners)

Fish

6 Angel fish (some will go after pairs formed) Large one came from old tank (bought 2, 1 died after 3 days)
4 Euro Blue Rams
5 Corydoras melanistius
1 female Queen Arabesque plec (from old tank)
1 male Starlight Bristlenose plec (from old tank)
1 not yet sexed Bristlenose plec (grew on in betta tank then went in 20G for couple months before landing in 55g)
12 Blue tetra
1 neon tetra (remainder from old tank)

Plants

1 Anubias barteri (from old tank)
2 Anubias barteri nana (from old tank)
1 Java fern (From betta tank, it grew a bit too big, got a smaller on from mother plant in there now)
3 Crypts small
1 Crypt large
Hygrophila polysperma (Always have alot in both tanks)
Eleocharis (not brilliant in low light set up)
Limnophila sessiliflora (I think)
Limnophila sp. Gigantea (I think)
Bacopa caroliniana (okay but lost its red)
1 amazon sword

Lighting
2 x 30w T8
Just under 1wpg.

Most plants only went in in november / december so not got brilliant growth but they are rooting.

Full tank

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Fish

Angels

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Rams

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One of the Corys

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Male Starlight BN

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? Sex BN

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Female Queen Arabesque

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General tank shot showing blue tetras

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I am not happy with the planting at the moment and it will get moved around along with bog wood etc as plants mature. I would also like one nice large big piece of bog wood (due to having 20G tall octagon was restricted on size so had many small pieces).

Hope you enjoy the pictures any comments or ideas would be appreciated.

Tina

 

[england]

wow that very nice, love the collection of fish, Brilliant

 

[dnn3]

very,very impressive.pics look great,fish are beautful and the tank itself looks great.

 

[TigerIssey]

Thanks for the comments, I have already slightly messed with the Limnophila sessiliflora, the 3 longest strands have been pinched out and replanted in the gap, looks a bit better, but it definately needs more fiddling!!

 

[paul_219]

Very nice fish u got over there.

 

[TigerIssey]

Very nice fish u got over there

Thanks

The koi and marble angels have been lip locking today, will be keeping an avid eye out now for pairs forming. 2 of the rams seem to be pairing off, so will be keeping an eye on them too. Could get a little explosive in there soon, so glad I still have the old tank for the moment. I have also looked at a link that tolak gave on an old post for making a divider should I need to do so.

 

[TigerIssey]

Last weekend the tank got a little rescape. The hygrophila was driving me mad, the angels kept eating it so there were bite marks all over the leaves. I ripped it all out and replaced it with cabomba carolina. I added another amazon sword, these are the angels favourites, the biggest one gamboles in the leaves. I added a couple more pieces of bog wood too, a large corner piece on the left hand side and the long piece behind the caves.

The anubias all got taken off their original pieces of bogwood and reattatched to larger pieces.

I found the pinned topic on another forum with the way I used to sex my rams. When I looked at my four I realised I had four males. I bought four females, once they have paired, I will decide which ones to keep. I know roughly which males I want to keep, am not sure whether it will be 2 or 3 pairs I keep but that will depend where they make their territories and if there is enough space for them.

The tank

New rams

My one male posing

My small BN growing in Betta tank (Betta died Sunday, old age, RIP)

Hope you enjoy the pics

 

[Bigpig]

Stunning Arabesque wanted one for ages now

 

[shroob]

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That ram is very nice. Makes me want a SA set up, classic combination of a school of tetra, cory's and a few cichlids works every time for me.

 

[TigerIssey]

Thanks Shroob, I based stocking loosley on a South American Root Biotope from Barrons Aquarium Fish by Ulrich Schliewen. I did not stickto the set up as I wanted plants. The cichlids are all now showing individual characteristics and this will play a part in the decisions I will have to make about which pairs to keep. It will be very hard. The male ram that poses for me is definately staying, he has a lot of character and seems to be guarding at least two of the females at the moment. The females like the limnophila sessiliflora as a hang out, this area is the male I likes territory.

The Black marble angel has stunning character, really funny to watch. He was the one nibbling at my arm whilst I was rearranging the tank. This one is definately staying aswell. I need to get some more blue tetras but am waiting till I take out some fish now, either that or until I get the new Fluval U3 filter for subscribing to PFK again. The tetratec will then go in the spare tank (which I am swapping) along with the fluval in my aquacube. I like to have 2 filters in a tank just incase one breaks.

I also will up the school of corries numbers slightly when I have made some room, they are really active, I read somewhere that melanistius were quite lazy, they are not in this tank, out and about all the time sifting the sand.

BigPig, wait till I get my male arabesque. I can't wait, maidenhead should be sending the order in this week, so I should not have to wait too long now.

Thanks for replies. If anyone has any suggestions for improvement, do let me know.

 

[bitteraspects]

the rescape is awesome. good job

 

[-cAtFiSh-]

Your BN looks like a female to me.

And your rams' fins are amazing. Have they been specially bred to have such long fins?

 

[PRW1988]

Agreed, the BN is probably a female. The tank looks beautiful, but those angelfish look hideous... GIVE THEM TO ME XD Jk jk, beautiful angels aswell

 

[blodhi74]

Love the Rams.
Great rescape.

 

[Angels777]

Very nice tank and bee-u-tiful fish! I've always wanted Angelfish and Rams and after looking at yours, I know that I made the right decision. I cannot wait to get my larger tank now!

Thanks for sharing your pictures and again, you did an awesome job on your tank