New Planted River Reef, Name Ideas Please People

[Truck]

i'll leave it two weeks and see how it goes, theres no fish in there yet so ive got time

what algae eaters for this tank do you think?

there arent any that are really suitable apart from shrimp

 

[three-fingers]

There's tonnes suitable truck . Just need to look around. Various whiptail catfish, pitbull plecs even hillstream loaches. Just make sure you ask about the particular species your interested in here before you buy them, or any other fish, as you may need to buy other inhabitants around the algae eaters and adjust the flow/temperature of the tank to suit them. Not hard to do though, and there are many interesting species out there.

If you find the lighting is too much without CO2 (which you can do without, but it either requires experiance or luck), just add floating plants to block some of the light .

 

[Truck]

There's tonnes suitable truck . Just need to look around. Various whiptail catfish, pitbull plecs even hillstream loaches. Just make sure you ask about the particular species your interested in here before you buy them, or any other fish, as you may need to buy other inhabitants around the algae eaters and adjust the flow/temperature of the tank to suit them. Not hard to do though, and there are many interesting species out there.

If you find the lighting is too much without CO2 (which you can do without, but it either requires experiance or luck), just add floating plants to block some of the light .

forgot about the pitbull plecs...hillstreams arent really suitable though, they need fast flowing highly oxygenated tanks with lots of rock to grip on to.
clown plecs would also be okay...steer clear of ottos though.

 

[three-fingers]

Ottos would be fine if you kept a group of them and made the conditions right.

As would hillstreams.

Just keep the temp a bit lower. The high lighting/no CO2 combo is great for giving them algae to browse, and the high flow of planted tanks is perfect. All thats required is a few rounded pebbles for them. They are very easy, given the right setup. I have hillstreams in my planted tank .

 

[mattbond]

you mentioned whiptail catfish? are there any small ones then that would be ok in a 48 litre?

would a proper siamese algae eater be ok or is the tank too small?

 

[tropic_john]

siamese algae eaters love slime coats.... of there tank mates sama:

 

[three-fingers]

siamese algae eaters love slime coats.... of there tank mates sama:

Nope.

Never even heard one reliable account of that. I think people just mix them up with CAE's.

I keep my 3 big ones with 2 angelfish and loads of other larger fish and it's never happened.

I've had them in a tank with discus at work for a month now with no issues either.

Tank is much too small for them though, they are very active large fish (5-6" and they bulk out a bit) that need to be kept in groups.

Whiptail catfish that would be suitable are things like a few Rineloricaria lanceolata and R.parava. Just avoid anything that gets much over 4" in that size of tank.

Just remember to feed the whiptails a mixture of algae wafers and preferably also a good variety of frozen foods (not 100% nessesary but they really thrive with this addition). Just try not to go overboard with just one type of frozen food, vary it evenly between 3 or four types (bloodworm, brine shrimp mysis for example) but space them out with algae wafers and only feed the frozen food every two to three days.

You will also have to avoid any bigger, bossy fish in the tank and go for mainly mid-top level dwellers, with the exception of maybe some peaceful dwarf corys, shrimp and various types of snails at the bottom. Basically things that wont compete with the whiptails. They are great, fascinating fish (I love mine) but only show their best if you keep them properly, otherwise they will just hide away and be inactive.

 

[mattbond]

looks like its gona be some ottos then?

hows this for stocking or too much? :

2 apistogramma borelli
6 ember tetra
3-4 corydoras habrosus (dwarf cory)
4 ottocinclus

 

[Truck]

dont add ottos yet...wait 6 months, for different algaes to grow...these things have a high mortality rate, i STRONGLY suggest you wait

 

[mattbond]

ok then, how will i keep algae under control in the mean time? shrimp? or would the borellis have them?

 

[Truck]

ottos shouldnt be used for algae control IMO

you keep it under control with sufficient CO2, ferts and light

 

[mattbond]

update, came back after 2 weeks of setting it up to find the marsilea gone crazy, loads of little shoots at the bottom, but loads of leaves at the top like lillys

anyways ive given a trim, and it now has 6 ember tetras darting about

pics will follow when i get my camera in a couple of days

 

[mattbond]

new update, 6 samui blue shrimp, one cherry shrimp, 7 ember tetras, marsilea is beginning to carpet, starting to get the smaller leaves come though, pictures soon to come

hair algae is beginning to die off now, next will be some ottos i think, then maybe some corydoras habrosus if i find any

 

[mattbond]

new photos!

current stocking

4 ottos
7 ember tetras
2 corydoras sterbai
6 samui blue shrimp
1 cherry shrimp