Amazon Biotype!

[R1ch13]

Hello Guys ...

Thinking of making my 240litre tank into an amazon biotype

Any good ideas of plants, Fish etc ?

Obviously the lots of the Echinodorus species ...

And lotsa Cardinal tetras, just dont know what else ...

I want to go for the .... 2 big feature fish (Angels or Discus ) and then one mass shoaling fish (Cardinals)

I will have some shrimp and some otos or corries for cleans up but other than all that im stuck!

Any suggestions would be great appreciated

The tank is 48"x15"18" (L, D, H)

Thanks alot

Richie!

 

[RadaR]

River or oxbow lake?
Oxbow's tend to have more vegetation.

 

[thefirethief]

Nice idea, something Ive been considering on much smaller scale. If you are going for a general amazong biotope then you have quite a wide range of species available to you.

Some dwarf cichlids would fit perfectly with the discus, Im not too sure how they would cope with angels though. Have a look at some Apistogramma Species, which are a common discus companion as well as Dicrossus filamentosus (Checkerboard cichlid), Nannacara taenia and Laetacara dorsigera. Some eartheating Cichlids might also be suitable but Im unsure of exact names or compatibility.

Some small 'dither' fish to consider could be hatchetfish and some of the many different pencilfish available.


There are also plenty of catfish, however thats something you would be best getting advice about from someone else. I know most corydoras are south american but it would be a complete guess at which were specifically from the Amazon.

Here is a pretty extensive list of Amazonian fish... http/fish.mongabay.com/data/ecosystems/Amazon%20River.htm.



Hope that helps.

Mark

 

[Rhea]

In my 260L I've got 4 angelfish, 2 rams, with hatchets as my shoaling fish and cories, ottos and a sturisoma for cleanup. My planting isn't quite as amazonian, I did start off with several varieties of swords but I've been adding more and more stem plants from other regions .

 

[R1ch13]

Oh Thanks for all the info guys

Sounds great !

I really want discus but im afraid i wouldnt be able too look after them well...

I here that people over exaggerate the care level for discus!

Apparently now it is alor easier to look after them as long as you cater to there specific needs .... High temp, good food etc etc

I like Discus a heck of alot more than Angels!

My tank is 18inch high soo i think it would be ok until they are fully grown and by then i plan to have a 24 inch high tank!

Id get the dicus fairly small ... around 2.5inch if i could find them that size!

Thanks guys

Richie

 

[BHornsey]

Hi,

I love Discus, they're one of the reasons I got into fishkeeping.
Yes, there is a lot of hyperbole about them. Originally, the only Discus were wild caught and were very difficult as they weren't adapted to our 'town' water.
Since then, they've been bred successfully worldwide and are more adapted to differing water quality.
I keep four at the moment in my tank using UK tap water; KH 6, GH 12.
I think the only troubles are if you want to breed them. The consensus seems to be that the eggs won't develop in harder water. Most people use RO for breeding.
Mine are around 2½" at the moment and I feed them fairly general food, daphnia, brine shrimp & bloodworm as well as dried foods (they love tetra prima!) They are real hogs! constantly at the glass, looking for the food dude

 

[R1ch13]

Hi,

I love Discus, they're one of the reasons I got into fishkeeping.
Yes, there is a lot of hyperbole about them. Originally, the only Discus were wild caught and were very difficult as they weren't adapted to our 'town' water.
Since then, they've been bred successfully worldwide and are more adapted to differing water quality.
I keep four at the moment in my tank using UK tap water; KH 6, GH 12.
I think the only troubles are if you want to breed them. The consensus seems to be that the eggs won't develop in harder water. Most people use RO for breeding.
Mine are around 2½" at the moment and I feed them fairly general food, daphnia, brine shrimp & bloodworm as well as dried foods (they love tetra prima!) They are real hogs! constantly at the glass, looking for the food dude

Thanks mate ...

Well ill ask you, do you think 240litre is big enough for 2 of them!

I would like more but definately no more than 4 i think! Due to tank size etc

What do you think ?

Discus or no discus ?

Thanks

Richie!

 

[BHornsey]

Hi,

240L is about 50 galls? Most people think about 10 galls per Discus is the minimum.

I'd make sure the tank has settled down before adding them. Plant it, run it for at least a couple of months until the plants have taken, then I'd go for four rather than two. Discus have a pecking order. One will always be the 'Alpha'.
With greater numbers, the aggression gets spread around. If you have two, the alpha may well drive the other to the point of not eating. I have four in my tank and they're fine; just the occasional skirmish at feeding time.

Try looking for commercial bred ones, rather than wilds and if you know a local breeder, thats better. They will be used to the local water, though West Scotland is relative soft isn't it?

 

[caboose_122]

i think that 4 discus would be fine in that tank but thats max

 

[K.J.]

Amazon swordplants?

 

[R1ch13]

Cool!

Well should i buy them all at once ...

As i will more than likely be getting them sent to me from Plymouth Discus!

Thanks

Richie

 

[john starkey]

Cool!

Well should i buy them all at once ...

As i will more than likely be getting them sent to me from Plymouth Discus!

Thanks

Richie

hi Richie my advice to you is add 6 small 2 to 3 inch fish because you will find after the pecking order has been established you probably end up with four anyway (the other fish will worry one or two fish who will more than likely die anyway) its no good trying to seperate these fish because you wont be able to reintroduce them anyway. regards john
ps: recommended starter fish = blue diamond,cobalt blue,brilliant turq,red turq,leopard.

 

[R1ch13]

Cool!

Well should i buy them all at once ...

As i will more than likely be getting them sent to me from Plymouth Discus!

Thanks

Richie

hi Richie my advice to you is add 6 small 2 to 3 inch fish because you will find after the pecking order has been established you probably end up with four anyway (the other fish will worry one or two fish who will more than likely die anyway) its no good trying to seperate these fish because you wont be able to reintroduce them anyway. regards john
ps: recommended starter fish = blue diamond,cobalt blue,brilliant turq,red turq,leopard.

Cheers John!

Yeah i want Red Turks

Not to sure if im gonna go for discus anymore though!

Seems like if i wanna go for discus i have to have alot ...

And that isnt really what i wanted ...

I just wanted 1-3 bigger fish (Angels or Discus) and then a mass shoaling fish (Cardinals)

And then some corries etc for clean up

Hmm back to drawing board i think!

Thanks alot Guys

Richie

 

[BHornsey]

I think that's the hardest part. There's so many terrific fish you sometimes wanna get all of 'em
I've had to be really strict on myself lately

 

[R1ch13]

I think that's the hardest part. There's so many terrific fish you sometimes wanna get all of 'em
I've had to be really strict on myself lately

Lol!

Yup its a bit of a beehatch haha!

I think ill just go for like 4 bosemanis rainbows, shoal of harlequins or espi rasbora so on and so forth

Think ill drop the amazonian thing

Unless anyone has any better ideas ?

Richie