Hi all,
I've been working on a heavily-planted, 3-foot, 65 gallon tank. It has an Eheim 2217. I live in the Pacific NW where the water is very soft and has a pH generally around 6.6-6.8. I keep the temp 78-79-ish.
Here's a photo of the current setup.
Here's my current stocking:
- 6 Daisy's rice fish (Oryzias Woworae)
- 5 Purple pencilfish (Nannostomus rubrocaudatus) - would like to get 3 more when they are available.
- 10 Marbled hatchetfish
- 12 Spotted blue-eye rainbowfish (Pseudomugil Gertrudae)
- 8 Kuhli loaches
- 2 Stiphodon Elegans Gobies
The only other additions at this point would be:
- Farlowella acus (not sure if I have enough "room" for a pair/trio, but at least 1)
- 2, hopefully 4 dwarf cichlids depending on species.
SO.... now that that's out of the way.... I need your help with my dwarf selection. Many years ago I had a tank with German Blue Rams and I just fell in love with them. So initially I wanted to have them again. Doing some internet reading, I got pushed towards Bolivians as they are supposedly less sensitive and generally happier at a lower temperature. But at the same time, in the past my German Blues were I think happy in the high 70s... Probably tank-raised and from this very reputable LFS with exceptionally healthy fish, so maybe I just lucked out?
I also flirted with the idea of Apistos, however when I see them in the store, even though they're beautiful, I just prefer the curious nature of the Rams. That "whatcha doin?" temperament.
I have also seen some Dicrossus Maculatus and they are so beautiful! They seemed less interactive than the Rams, but I actually am drawn to them over the Apistos.
I have seen some Laetacara Curviceps, and they are really cute and gorgeous and seem to have that similar "Hi there!" temperament. So that led me to do a ton of reading on the Laetacara. Actually I think the Dorsigera are more beautiful (I am drawn to reds) but I've read that they can be more aggressive. I love my current fish and don't want a fish that will bully them. I've read about wild dorsigera that have bulled and/or killed schoolers and even hatchetfish! I don't want that. But I've also read about Dorsigera that live peacefully with another pair of dwarves like Rams.
I've read that tank-raised cichlids are often less aggressive than their wild counterparts. This may be a part of the equation. And I know that the layout and scaping of the tank can also make a difference.
So, in my ideal world I'd have a Laetacara dorsigera pair and another pair - Dicrossus? Rams?
I have an amazing LFS with lots of variety, but they dont' currently have Dorsigera. They have Thayeri and Araguaiae, but both are wild. I know Thayeri tend to be more aggressive. They do have tank-raised Curviceps.
They also currently have tons of Rams and do have tank-raised and wild Dicrossus.
http
/www.wetspottropicalfish.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id= 51&Itemid=64
Help! I'm so torn!
Do you think that a tank-raised pair of Laetacara could work in my community tank? Could I do Dorsigera or should I stick with the possibly safer bet of the Curviceps?
And if so, could I do another dwarf species? Remember that my tank has a 3-ft footprint.
What would you do if you were me?
Thanks for reading my novel!
I've been working on a heavily-planted, 3-foot, 65 gallon tank. It has an Eheim 2217. I live in the Pacific NW where the water is very soft and has a pH generally around 6.6-6.8. I keep the temp 78-79-ish.
Here's a photo of the current setup.
Here's my current stocking:
- 6 Daisy's rice fish (Oryzias Woworae)
- 5 Purple pencilfish (Nannostomus rubrocaudatus) - would like to get 3 more when they are available.
- 10 Marbled hatchetfish
- 12 Spotted blue-eye rainbowfish (Pseudomugil Gertrudae)
- 8 Kuhli loaches
- 2 Stiphodon Elegans Gobies
The only other additions at this point would be:
- Farlowella acus (not sure if I have enough "room" for a pair/trio, but at least 1)
- 2, hopefully 4 dwarf cichlids depending on species.
SO.... now that that's out of the way.... I need your help with my dwarf selection. Many years ago I had a tank with German Blue Rams and I just fell in love with them. So initially I wanted to have them again. Doing some internet reading, I got pushed towards Bolivians as they are supposedly less sensitive and generally happier at a lower temperature. But at the same time, in the past my German Blues were I think happy in the high 70s... Probably tank-raised and from this very reputable LFS with exceptionally healthy fish, so maybe I just lucked out?
I also flirted with the idea of Apistos, however when I see them in the store, even though they're beautiful, I just prefer the curious nature of the Rams. That "whatcha doin?" temperament.
I have also seen some Dicrossus Maculatus and they are so beautiful! They seemed less interactive than the Rams, but I actually am drawn to them over the Apistos.
I have seen some Laetacara Curviceps, and they are really cute and gorgeous and seem to have that similar "Hi there!" temperament. So that led me to do a ton of reading on the Laetacara. Actually I think the Dorsigera are more beautiful (I am drawn to reds) but I've read that they can be more aggressive. I love my current fish and don't want a fish that will bully them. I've read about wild dorsigera that have bulled and/or killed schoolers and even hatchetfish! I don't want that. But I've also read about Dorsigera that live peacefully with another pair of dwarves like Rams.
I've read that tank-raised cichlids are often less aggressive than their wild counterparts. This may be a part of the equation. And I know that the layout and scaping of the tank can also make a difference.
So, in my ideal world I'd have a Laetacara dorsigera pair and another pair - Dicrossus? Rams?
I have an amazing LFS with lots of variety, but they dont' currently have Dorsigera. They have Thayeri and Araguaiae, but both are wild. I know Thayeri tend to be more aggressive. They do have tank-raised Curviceps.
They also currently have tons of Rams and do have tank-raised and wild Dicrossus.
http
/www.wetspottropicalfish.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id= 51&Itemid=64Help! I'm so torn!
Do you think that a tank-raised pair of Laetacara could work in my community tank? Could I do Dorsigera or should I stick with the possibly safer bet of the Curviceps?
And if so, could I do another dwarf species? Remember that my tank has a 3-ft footprint.
What would you do if you were me?
Thanks for reading my novel!
Only thing I would change for the future stocking is swap the farlowella for soem kind of whiptail like a sturisoma. Farlowellas are hit and miss in home tanks as they have a need for a certain type of bacteria in the gut that they get from eating in the wild environment and often fade away if they do not have access to this but some do survive and live well without it. 
