Going Back To A Community Tank Need Help

[rixy]

hi,i am going back to a community tank.my tank is 48 inches x 21 inches x 16 inches.i have a 36 inch piece of bogwood and approx 7 large various plants.my currant inhabitants are 2 x 6-7 inch senegals(going back to lfs) and 1 x 5 inch semaprochilodus(going back to the lfs).i am keeping the 8 x congo tetras.

so,i have 8 x congo tetras already,what else can i addall suggestions welcome.

 

[jayjay]

first off why do you want to go back?

anyway, you could keep most community fish stay away from barbs as they maynip the congo's.

how about going for an african set-up? congo tetra, kribs , african butterfly fish?

 

[rixy]

sounds really nice.how many kribs could i keephad butterflys before,my lfs never have any.

 

[jayjay]

i'd think about 6.

maybe up the number of congo's?

also maybe some other african fish?

 

[rixy]

so,if i got 6 kribs and kept my 8 congos,what else

 

[jayjay]

marbled climbing perch, ctenopoma oxyrhynchus, is your sticking with african fish.

 

[demonmagus]

or a pair of kribs, they will pair off anyway, and I'm not to sure if 3 pairs of kribs will share that tank

 

[rixy]

doesnt have to be africans.as long as the fish are happy in a 6.5 ish ph.

8 x congos
6 x kribs


what else can i add

rainbow fish
neons
tetras
corys
etc etc

if not 6 kribs,how many???

 

[jayjay]

kribs as long as you keep them in even number and even number of sexes so 3m 3f it should be ok as they will set-up their own territories.

cories don't seem to get on well with kribs i've found the kribs attack them.

maybe red eye tetra? cardinals?

 

[rixy]

sounds good.would like an algae eater of some kind and some bottom feeders to keep the bottom of the tank clean.any ideasif i cant add corys,what else

 

[demonmagus]

well pH 6.5 is a good thing for an amazon biotope.

But you can always buffer it up for cichlids/africans

do you want a biotope or not?

 

[rixy]

no,i dont want a biotope.i just want to keep my 8 congos and start a colourful,active tank again with lots of activity at all levels.

had malawis
had oddballs
had cichlids
had discus

i want a colourful tank thats easy to maintain and has lots of activity.

 

[demonmagus]

otos are good for algae, and I think a BN plec will be a good scavenger

 

[jayjay]

well if you leave out the kribs you could go with blue rams, cardinals, guppies etc for colour? and cories alot more options this way.

 

[rixy]

not sure what to do jayjay.