New Project...

[BadBadger]

So i've been to london this weekend to buy a tank off a friend. Going to start cycling as soon as i've got a stand. I havent worked out how much it holds but its 4x2x2 (ft), so im thinking i've got alot of room to play with.

I've ruled out some setups i dont want:
any new world cichlids
south american biotope
lake milawi
lake tanganyika

Now im thinking whats left?!?

Maybe a west african river set up with some congo tetra, kribs and some type of Synodontis catfish.
What else could i have in there? Dont fancy a butterfly fish.

Would like something with a bit of action in which is why i've said kribs.

Been trying to do some research but not getting much luck

Any help would be greatly appreciated

 

[mattlee]

Ctenopoma acutirostre

african bushfish/ spotted climbing perch/ leopard gourami etc etc has loads of common names...... cracking fish, ive just sold one and miss it now he had real personality and very different looking to most fish. not a bully either as alot of predators can be

 

[BadBadger]

Ctenopoma acutirostre

african bushfish/ spotted climbing perch/ leopard gourami etc etc has loads of common names...... cracking fish, ive just sold one and miss it now he had real personality and very different looking to most fish. not a bully either as alot of predators can be

Just googled it. Beautful fish.

What did he have as tank mates?

 

[mattlee]

Ctenopoma acutirostre

african bushfish/ spotted climbing perch/ leopard gourami etc etc has loads of common names...... cracking fish, ive just sold one and miss it now he had real personality and very different looking to most fish. not a bully either as alot of predators can be

Just googled it. Beautful fish.

What did he have as tank mates?

mine was kept with discus, SAE's, platys, angelfish, polkadot loaches, hillstream loaches, praecox rainbows not all at the same time as ive changed stock over the time i had him. they love warmer temps and plenty of meaty foods. he was about an inch max when i first got him and i sold him last week at nearly 4 inches. very peacefull and didnt bother any other fish at all, the only reason i sold him is because ive just introduced a group of small cardinal tetras into my discus tank and didnt want them to go missing...... they will eat small fish as most fish will but very tame and had a great personality, he was always the first to meet me at the glass. if going african then they are a must in my eyes

 

[BadBadger]

Ctenopoma acutirostre

african bushfish/ spotted climbing perch/ leopard gourami etc etc has loads of common names...... cracking fish, ive just sold one and miss it now he had real personality and very different looking to most fish. not a bully either as alot of predators can be

Just googled it. Beautful fish.

What did he have as tank mates?

mine was kept with discus, SAE's, platys, angelfish, polkadot loaches, hillstream loaches, praecox rainbows not all at the same time as ive changed stock over the time i had him. they love warmer temps and plenty of meaty foods. he was about an inch max when i first got him and i sold him last week at nearly 4 inches. very peacefull and didnt bother any other fish at all, the only reason i sold him is because ive just introduced a group of small cardinal tetras into my discus tank and didnt want them to go missing...... they will eat small fish as most fish will but very tame and had a great personality, he was always the first to meet me at the glass. if going african then they are a must in my eyes

Spot on... I think he will be added to my list. You know anything about keeping more than one?

also a bit confused confused with the kribs. I've read somewhere about keeping them as pairs and other sources saying a trio works well. Can anyone shed some light?

cheers

 

[mattlee]

Ctenopoma acutirostre

african bushfish/ spotted climbing perch/ leopard gourami etc etc has loads of common names...... cracking fish, ive just sold one and miss it now he had real personality and very different looking to most fish. not a bully either as alot of predators can be

Just googled it. Beautful fish.

What did he have as tank mates?

mine was kept with discus, SAE's, platys, angelfish, polkadot loaches, hillstream loaches, praecox rainbows not all at the same time as ive changed stock over the time i had him. they love warmer temps and plenty of meaty foods. he was about an inch max when i first got him and i sold him last week at nearly 4 inches. very peacefull and didnt bother any other fish at all, the only reason i sold him is because ive just introduced a group of small cardinal tetras into my discus tank and didnt want them to go missing...... they will eat small fish as most fish will but very tame and had a great personality, he was always the first to meet me at the glass. if going african then they are a must in my eyes

Spot on... I think he will be added to my list. You know anything about keeping more than one?

also a bit confused confused with the kribs. I've read somewhere about keeping them as pairs and other sources saying a trio works well. Can anyone shed some light?

cheers

i had 2 but 1 didnt make it past a month but they were very small... when i looked into getting more before i got discus i was told that its best to have more females than males, pretty much like most fish. the only thing is that these fish can only be sexed by a small bunch of spikes on the gill plate that are sometimes hard to see. they are very calm fish and a joy to watch and im sure in a decent sized tank a nice group will look amazing

not sure about kribs but i do know that if you get a pair form the other may well get picked on along with any other fish that gets too close!

 

[BadBadger]

Ctenopoma acutirostre

african bushfish/ spotted climbing perch/ leopard gourami etc etc has loads of common names...... cracking fish, ive just sold one and miss it now he had real personality and very different looking to most fish. not a bully either as alot of predators can be

Just googled it. Beautful fish.

What did he have as tank mates?

mine was kept with discus, SAE's, platys, angelfish, polkadot loaches, hillstream loaches, praecox rainbows not all at the same time as ive changed stock over the time i had him. they love warmer temps and plenty of meaty foods. he was about an inch max when i first got him and i sold him last week at nearly 4 inches. very peacefull and didnt bother any other fish at all, the only reason i sold him is because ive just introduced a group of small cardinal tetras into my discus tank and didnt want them to go missing...... they will eat small fish as most fish will but very tame and had a great personality, he was always the first to meet me at the glass. if going african then they are a must in my eyes

Spot on... I think he will be added to my list. You know anything about keeping more than one?

also a bit confused confused with the kribs. I've read somewhere about keeping them as pairs and other sources saying a trio works well. Can anyone shed some light?

cheers

i had 2 but 1 didnt make it past a month but they were very small... when i looked into getting more before i got discus i was told that its best to have more females than males, pretty much like most fish. the only thing is that these fish can only be sexed by a small bunch of spikes on the gill plate that are sometimes hard to see. they are very calm fish and a joy to watch and im sure in a decent sized tank a nice group will look amazing

not sure about kribs but i do know that if you get a pair form the other may well get picked on along with any other fish that gets too close!

Yeah ive heard they get a bit nasty during breeding.
But im thinking, 5 or 6 congo tetra, 2 or 3 kribs (still unsure), 3 upside down catfish and a african bushfish in a 4ft will be alright as far as my research says so far.

I can immagine the kribs will take at least the bottom to middle half of the tank and the tetra taking the mid to top. So no problem there. Not sure about the cats and bush fish.

 

[mattlee]

not sure about the cats myself but the bushfish will pretty much go everywhere. they do like shade and places to hide but mine went all over the place and was first to say hello and to the food, he became a real greedy fish and ate almost full cubes of frozen food in one before the discus had a chance.......
i would go for 2 as they are so great to watch.

 

[BadBadger]

not sure about the cats myself but the bushfish will pretty much go everywhere. they do like shade and places to hide but mine went all over the place and was first to say hello and to the food, he became a real greedy fish and ate almost full cubes of frozen food in one before the discus had a chance.......
i would go for 2 as they are so great to watch.

Think i will aim for 2 then

You reckon they can stand up for themselves when needs be?
Dont want them been bullied by kribs

 

[mattlee]

from what i understand kribs will have a go at pretty much anything no matter of size. my bushfish seemed quite cautious especially around the bigger discus but when his chance for food came he took it and scarpered... these are not aggressive fish in anyway and mine didnt have any grief from tankmates so not 100% if they can handle themselves really. they are more an ambush fish rather than a nasty bully.

 

[BadBadger]

from what i understand kribs will have a go at pretty much anything no matter of size. my bushfish seemed quite cautious especially around the bigger discus but when his chance for food came he took it and scarpered... these are not aggressive fish in anyway and mine didnt have any grief from tankmates so not 100% if they can handle themselves really. they are more an ambush fish rather than a nasty bully.

ah well, we'll see what happens.
Once i've found a seller, watch this space

Cheers matey

 

[mattlee]

from what i understand kribs will have a go at pretty much anything no matter of size. my bushfish seemed quite cautious especially around the bigger discus but when his chance for food came he took it and scarpered... these are not aggressive fish in anyway and mine didnt have any grief from tankmates so not 100% if they can handle themselves really. they are more an ambush fish rather than a nasty bully.

ah well, we'll see what happens.
Once i've found a seller, watch this space

Cheers matey

they can be quite difficult to find, ive only seen them at 2 lfs in the last year or so.... i only sold mine last week as well!!!!!!

 

[BadBadger]

Might have to look around the internet shops