Plans For My South American Biotope.

[LolaLouie]

I have been working towards creating a South American Blackwater Creek Biotope.

So far I have decorated the tank with loads of bogwood, Amazon Sword and Vallineria, and a sand substrate.

I have so far lowered my pH from 8.0 to 7.4 but I am slowly working my way down to around the 6.5 mark (not as low as in the wild but I think as low as I'd like to go in an artificial setting). My hardness I have managed to get from 21 to 13 my aim is around 5 but I will settle for 10 or less as you can't be too fussy in London.

Anyway really what I want to ask is about stocking. My tank is 200l, the plan is:

2 German Blue Rams MF
2 Bolivian Rams MF
6 Neon Tetras
1 L168
3 Cockatoo Cichlids MFF
6 Corys
4 Hatchetfish
2Angelfish (Platinum & Koi)
1 Dwarf Gourami (Totally doesn't go but he was my 1st fish and I'm too attached to him!!)

How does that sound? My tank has an oversized filter and I waterchange 30% every week. Also possibly want to add another type of Characin.

Opinions?!?

 

[darknirvana217]

the angelfish will eventually eat the neons and will prbably harass the hatchet fish. If you feel you up to it, Discus would be better instead of angelfish. The gourami will also probably be ok with the lower Ph, but you will have to really acclimate him well. Also, what are you using to lower the Ph and soften the water? If your looking for another characin try looking at some other spcies of tetras, anything larger, like silver dollars or red hooks, may eat or harass the other tetras. Also, I would go with cardinal tetras instead of neons, aa cardinals have a full red line as opposed to half, and are more colorful.

 

[LolaLouie]

I am using peat to lower the pH, the gourami is already in the tank so he's slowly adjusting. I don't think i could handle discus and already have the angels so maybe i should just not get the hatchetfish... although i really like the idea of them!

As for the other characins i was thinking small tetras not anything like silver dollars as my tank's too small but i'm just not sure which type yet. Is there no way angels and hatchenfish will work? As for the angels eating the neons I know this is a risk but i had the neons 1stand the angels are still juvies so i'll just have to wait and see.

Thanks for the input!