No Fishies

[FishyWishie]

My cycle has been done for over a week now (double 0 @ 8 hours) but now I have a new problem lol

I can't make my mind up what to stock. This was the plan.

I planned to stock the Hatchets the Galaxys and the Khuli initially followed by the rams 2 weeks later and finally the apisto 2 weeks after that. However for some reason I now find myself paralysed with indecision and questioning every fish choice I've thought of. So many questions running through my head.

1) Are the galaxys worth the extra cost over say Harlequin Rasborra or similar

2) My tank has a 3 part lid the central lighting tube bearing section and 2 removable sections (1 either side of central section) Will the hatchets go leaping out the tank as I suction the sand or do waterchanges?

3) Will the rams try to om nom nom on the galaxys or similar sized replacements ?


I think the problems I had trying to grow plants during a cycle (rather stupid I know) has meant I've seen a lot of things die and I guess im scared the fish will follow the same pattern. Tank currently looks like this

 

[PDSimon]

Hey fishy,

if you've been having double 0's for a week now you can stock 100% if you wanted. The way this fishless cycle was designed was so that you can fully stock now and you shouldn't get a mini cycle.

Regarding the fish, I would just keep going to fish shops, look at videos on youtube and what not and see what fish you want. There must be some fish you really want...! Whether the galaxys are nicer than the Harlequin Rasborra is personal opinion... all depends on what you like. Keep researching various fish and see what other peoples experiences are like with them too.

I thought someone answered the question about rams eating the galaxys? can't remember.

The hatchets get used to the waterchanges apparently but are known for jumping out.

I like the tank but I think you should change the reef background

 

[mark4785]

The only question I feel I can answer is question 3.

My Dwarf Cichlid Rams don't even seem to acknowledge that in my aquarium, there are small Black Neon Tetras (very similar size to the Galaxy Rasbora) probably due to the fact that Rams, especially Bolivians (they are bottom dwellers) will swim at depths where they will not come into contact with the Black Neon Tetras. Bolivian Rams also have very small mouths best suited to eating bloodworm or flakes so I really doubt it's possible that the Galaxy Rasbora could be ingested.

 

[PDSimon]

If I had your tank i'd stock it with

some sort of apisto
bolivian rams
big shoal of small tetra or a shoal of red coral pencilfish
small shoal of large tetra
corys/kuhlis

 

[FishyWishie]

Thanks for the replies I def need to change the background (suggestions welcome lol) hope its not to much of a pain the a** now theres things in it lol Still need a plant for the back of tank above the nose but not so much of a priority.

I like Background 1 (Front side image)

But this Rock Background is also nice

 

[mark4785]

Thanks for the replies I def need to change the background (suggestions welcome lol) hope its not to much of a pain the a** now theres things in it lol Still need a plant for the back of tank above the nose but not so much of a priority.

Can I ask what fertilizers you will be using to keep the plants in that condition? I have a similar amount of plants now and, well, they gradually lose their vitality and I haven't a clue why lol.

 

[FishyWishie]

Currently im dosing TPN + (Tropica plant Nutrition + ) And Easylife - Easy Carbo (Liquid Carbon)

I'm leaning towards splashing out on the textured rock background its dearer but I guess a u-boat would likely sink into some kind of deep sea trench so this might look good ?

 

[mark4785]

Currently im dosing TPN + (Tropica plant Nutrition + ) And Easylife - Easy Carbo (Liquid Carbon)

I'm leaning towards splashing out on the textured rock background its dearer but I guess a u-boat would likely sink into some kind of deep sea trench so this might look good ?

I'd personally go for a simple coloured background. I currently have a blue gradient background with a dark blue showing at the bottom (giving a look of deep water) through to light blue to the top (giving a look of shallow water).

This is of course my opinion, but I think if you try and rely on backgrounds containing items (plants, brick, rocks etc) you kind of take the emphasis of the ornaments in the aquarium away. In nature you'd expect to see a sunken U-boat with nothing but water around it.

 

[PDSimon]

I just have a black background on my tank. cheap one too... Some of the textured ones are nice but they go on the inside too remember.

 

[waterdrop]

I agree with Si and the others regarding all your various questions, so will just give my own turn on things.

Interesting question regarding Galaxys vs Harlequins. Galaxys are a beautiful fish. I just got one of my few good looks a large numbers of them a couple weeks ago in San Francisco. Despite their beauty, I think part of what pushes many of us to get a bit more extreme about them is that they are so new (about 2006 I think?) Anything new gets a bigger reaction among hobbyists and a bigger price. By comparison, Harlequins are quite commonplace these days (personally, in the US, I've been through spells when they were hard to find.) The two are really quite differently shaped fish (galaxy more like a zebra danio, harlequin a taller fish.) Now comes the biased part: I'm just a real sucker for Harlequins, despite how common they are. For some reason they just make stunning shoals and the transition of color between pink and orange is a sunset sort of look that I just find fascinating. Personally, I don't think you could lose by making that your biggest shoal, but as I say, its a difficult choice assuming you have the money, since the galaxy is quite beautiful too.

Hatchets jumping, like all fish jumping, is more of a statistical thing and the best you can do is just take the time to close your lid when walking away from the tank between steps of a water-change process. I really wouldn't worry about it. When you are in the busy process of working around the tank, you can keep count and notice whether a fish has jumped and just put it back in. Its the long hours when you're not there when you most need the top coverage to be good. Anybody doing the hobby for years is going to lose fish to jumping (I've lost plenty) so its better to relax and not worry too much about it.

I don't think the various dwarf cichlids are going to eat your other fish, agree with the others on that. Our current tank, my son's, just has a simple black matt background cut from art shop material and taped to the outside back. That, combined with black substrate leaves the fish and plants as the subject matter for the eye. I do like backgrounds made out of real rock but haven't seen any in recent years. Also agree with Si that you could stock 100% if you could find all the fish at once since you've had such a good filter qualification, although not sure if any of your cichlids might appreciate a somewhat older tank since I'm not that knowledgeable about those fish.

~~waterdrop~~

 

[PDSimon]

good stuff WD!

To go on from what you said, personally I think you could add the two bolivian rams but would let things settle for atleast a few weeks until you add an apisto trio. This is just because unexpected things sometimes happen and apistos are a little more sensitive than the rest.

 

[waterdrop]

Sounds good Si, thanks for adding. WD