Bye-Bye Jd And Firemouths = Much Happier Fish Keeper

[This Younger Spouse]

Hey all:

Long time, no post. Been very busy with lots of stuff.

And also realized a few months back that I was getting really bored with the Jack Dempsey/Firemouth 55 gallon. Aside from those, have a BN pleco and synodontis cat, and no live plants. Cichlids just stayed in their caves until feeding time, then came out and bullied each other, ate, and went back in caves. Highlight of my day was when the cat would come out to play.

So I finally rehomed the cichlids yesterday (at a great LFS), and will be transitioning to discus.

From the LFS to go with the syno and BN, I picked up a pair of Pseudohemiodon sp "Peru I or Peru II" (Whiptail cats) and eight Corydoras leucomelas. I also grabbed another synodontis cat that I'd temporarily housed in my spouse's 55-gallon so it could grow big enough to survive the cichlids.

Yeah, I like cats.

Oh, and I got a bunch of plants and plant bulbs. Those cichlids, as you probably know, are great rooter-uppers of live plants, and it's a pleasure to get natural greenery back in the tank. Now I find myself already spending a lot more time at the aquarium. No pics yet. Nothing quite as ugly as a landscape in its early stages. Like a half dry wall of latex paint.

I've researched all the species I have, and their comfortable temp ranges bring them into the lower or mid discus temp ranges. None of the cats are aggressive, either. I don't plan on breeding any discus at this point. If I did so, I'd first rehome most or all of the cats into my spouse's tanks (she already covets all the cats I have).

Nice to be making a welcome change!

 

[minnnt]

Welcome back to the forum!

Plans sounds great, look forward to the journal.

 

[This Old Spouse]

I'd still like to see you post a photo of the new tank!

 

[Joshwainwright]

We still want photos, progress shots are the best

A change is always nice though, keeps the hobby fresh

 

[This Younger Spouse]

I'd still like to see you post a photo of the new tank!

Your wish is my command, dear.

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Welcome back to the forum!

Plans sounds great, look forward to the journal.

[/size][/font][font="arial][size="2"]Journal. Right.

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We still want photos, progress shots are the best

A change is always nice though, keeps the hobby fresh

[/size][/font][font="arial] [/font][font="arial][size="2"]Here y'all go. Plants just went in Friday afternoon. There also are half a dozen bulbs that have just begun to sprout. One more piece of wood, and bit of shifting of the rocks yet to happen, but the majority of what will bring the tank to the finish line is allowing the plants to grow and reposition them as needed. I love live plants, so there will be a lot in this tank. That was one of the worst parts about having the cichlids.[/size][/font][font="arial] [/font]Also on the list is trying to find black plastic pipe for the HOB filter intakes so they disappear against the black BG. Maybe I can steal a couple from This Old Spouse's old filters in the garage. Each filter is capable of handling up to a 60 gallon tank. I really like water movement and filtration. [size="2"]Onward!

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[font="arial][size="2"]And a few of the residents. Eight of the corys.[/size][/font]
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[font="arial][size="2"]Two of the whiptails[/size][/font]
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[Alm0stAwesome]

It's looking great already Fab pictures!

 

[Joshwainwright]

Love it already!

Makes me want a bigger tank

 

[This Younger Spouse]

It's looking great already Fab pictures!

Thanks!

Current residents:

2 Whiptail cats (Pseudohemiodon sp "Peru I or Peru II")
8 Corys (Corydoras leucomelas)
1 Bristlenose pleco
2 unidentified Synodontis cats
1 shiner minnow (lone survivor from when I dumped in some leftover fishing bait minnows for the cichlids)

Additional residents planned

4-5 Discus (sp and coloring undetermined at this time).

I already put in a new piece of wood and rearranged rock/plant somewhat. Very cool small cedar stump against the back of the tank with three main roots running out into the substrate and the knobby shaft pretty much vertical up to just short of the surface.

I'll take another pic in a day or two once the tank clears.

 

[This Younger Spouse]

It's already clearing nicely, though it's still got just a bit of cloudiness. Here it is with the new wood added and rearranged. In favor of the whiptails and corys, if I stay with this style of decoration, I'll start sifting out the bottom gravel so there's far more sand than gravel.

 

[minnnt]

Absolutely awesome!!