Bottom Dwellers

[freerunner416]

I am setting up a Jewel 260 (bow fronted). I am wondering whether i am going to have too many fish on the lower level of my tank. I am unsure of whether this will cause problems or not, but thought i would use all the experience out there. i have a way to move some of the fish out if need be (my mate is buying the 20G when i move into the bigger tank).

I currently have for the new tank (I know the 20G is overstocked but most arrived today and the tank arrived late!! massive water changes are happening before anybody starts on me!!) The floor will have many caves and hiding places and lots of bogwood to hide in and around.

2 Albino Cory
2 Bronze Cory
1 Pepper Cory
2 Black Khuli Loaches
1 Banded Khuli Loach
1 Yoyo (i realise that he may get big)
2 L183 Starlights (grows to 3.9") - both almost fully grown now.
5 L002 Tiger (grows to 3.9") 3 are full grown, 1 is about 3" and 1 is about 1.5".

I would like to add 1male and either 1 or 2 female apistogrammes but wanted to make sure that i wasn't crowding the bottom of my tank.

Would this be overdoing it at the bottom? I may let my friend have all 5 cory's and the yoyo and look to add a group of gold shoulder corys or sterbia instead. I am also thinking of increasing the amount of khuli loaches in there as they are good for the substrate and (ive heard) they dont add much to the bio load (is that true?).

Whats everybody's thoughts on that?

Cheers for the help.

Craig

 

[n3ont3tra]

What are the dimensions of the tank?

 

[freerunner416]

The tank is 121 x 46 x 62 cm (WxDxH)

 

[freerunner416]

Think i have decided to get rid of a few of them anyway. I will be rehoming the 4 corys i have left. Have already rehomed the pepper and the Yyo loach. I will be selling 2 of the L002's if anybody is interested. (will post pics later)

Think my stocking will be:

2male x 2 female Apistogrammas (have been informed i am able to have 4 in the tank by apistogramma forum people)
2 L183 Starlights Plecs
3 L002 Tiger Plecs (keeping the smaller ones)
6-7 khuli loaches (as they are good at clearing up food)
A band of either gold shoulder corys or sterbia. (6-10 of them)

Does that sound ok?

 

[eschaton]

You're really close to an amazonian biotope already - personally I'd leave the Kuhlis out. Maybe try for a Perugia woodcat or something if you want a different kind of bottom feeder for the tank.

 

[freerunner416]

Thanks Eschaton for your reply.

What is a perugia woodcat? Will it be ok with my discus?

Thanks

 

[eschaton]

Mainly nocturnal carnivores like Kuhli loaches. I've been looking for these little beauties for awhile. There's a lot of slightly larger related species which pop up in the hobby occasionally too.

Another option are "darter tetras," the Tetra that thinks it's a loach