6 Gallon Sanzon Iwagumi

[Chad]

I've got a little six gallon tank I'm going to start up.
Here's what I've got so far...

Fluval Stratum substrate.
Fluval Mini Pressurized C02 kit which comes with a diffuser and a bubble counter.
11w CF light.
Three stones (duh) actually they are three pieces of petrified wood.

It will have some cherry shrimp, pygmy corys, and green neons or ember tetras. I want the embers but haven't found them yet but have found the green neons so will probably go with them. It will also have one pea puffer because hey...I can't resist.

The pea puffer means it needs to have a few tall plants as they like to hide among them but for the most part I would like shorter plants.

So...what plants do you folks suggest for my little tank?

Also...the tank has a little internal tetra filter but I was thinking of using an air driven sponge instead...what do you think?

 

[Ps3Steveo]

How tall is the tank mate? Never used an air pump driven filter tho.

 

[DrRob]

What are the dimensions of your tank? Are we in a cube like a fluval ebi/flora or more like an arc? Makes a difference for final height.

 

[Chad]

It's 11.5" deep, 9.5" front to back, and 13.25" across.

I always used the air driven sponge filters for my fish and shrimp breeding tanks.

Here's a photo of one from an advert.

 

[wirralbull]

think it mite be a way too small for green neons pygmy cories and a puffer

 

[Chad]

I feel comfortable with the size. These are tiny fish and if I can get the ember it's even smaller than the green neon is. However, stocking is up for change based on availability, aquascape, plants, and my whim.

 

[wirralbull]

they may be small but both the neons an cories should be a minimum of 6 and embers happiest with larger groups still so 13" of fish in a 6 gal doesnt really work.

 

[Chad]

It's not set in stone. When I do finall pick the stock here's the criteria I use...

max fish size
temperament
type of food
quantity of food
metabolism
fish compatibility
coral compatibility (for a marine tank)
invert compatibility
substrate requirements
swimming requirements
swimming ability
flow requirements
sensitivity to changes in parameters
sensitivity to water quality issues
sleeping habits
rock work requirements
lighting preference
body shape (deep keeled vs shallow)
territorial requirements (I can only keep 1 male clown goby in my 210 gallon tank and that fish is tiny).
escape and jumping potential
temperature requirements (temperate vs tropical also temp range and how temp affects metabolism)
growth rate

So whatever I pick it will fit into the above criteria.

 

[Ps3Steveo]

Wow I just see what's in stock at the lfs lol.

 

[wirralbull]

thats great but really its still overstocked.

 

[Chad]

thats great but really its still overstocked.

Since it doesn't even have water in it it can't be overstocked.

 

[minnnt]

The air driven filter will gas off any Co2 that the kit puts in pretty quickly. There will also be no flow in the tank to distribute the Co2.

Puffers and other fish don't really go either unless you like the streamlined look of fish having no fins.

The project generally sounds great. I would go with CPD's or Chilli Rasbora's. Then stock either Yellow, Crystal Red or Bumble Bee Shrimps too.

 

[Ps3Steveo]

I have honestly never seen an airpump driven filter , gonna look it up, BTW I'm biased as I love CPD's so think some of them would be great.

 

[minnnt]

Really?

They're used alot for breeding as it is impossible to suck up tiny fry. They're very good. I usually have one running in one of my tanks so that should i get any fry i have a ready matured seperate filter.

 

[Chad]

I think people get so hooked on power filters that the idea of sponge filter is a bit foreign. It's the same when explaining the Berlin method in reef keeping to people. I didn't learn about the sponge filters until got interested in breeding.

I'm not worried about the pea puffer. I've kept literally a hundred of these little guys over the years and am confident of their behavior. Tight finned fish like the tetra are left alone and benthic fish like the cory are not noticed. They are more like a toby than a GSP as far as behavior goes.

Let's talk plants.