Stocking ideas

[alvintayyw]

Hey guys, this is my 29 gallon tank.
Tank has been cycled and the parameters, pH is 7.2 and GH is 80-100 which is soft.
What do you think i should have this stocked with? i would like a community tank, things i really want in it are a nice clean up crew...I don't plan on putting plants because i like hardscape more, please give me some suggestions! thanks


http://imgur.com/a/nn8aR

 

[Byron]

That is a good basis for a natural South American or SE Asian geographic or biotope-type aquarium. Most of the habitats in those regions have wood branches and no lower plants.

I would however strongly suggest floating plants. These are easy to grow, they resemble the overhanging marginal vegetation that fish from these regions expect above them, and they are fast growers which mean they are beneficial at keeping the water stability.

Moving to the substrate, cories are good fish for that level, but they should have sand, not gravel. It is not the texture of the gravel, but the size; cories need to sift sand through their gills as they feed, and this becomes impossible with gravel of any sort. You could switch over to sand, now rather than later, which would allow for cories, up to you.

As for upper level fish, many (but not all) of the characins (tetra, pencilfish, hatchetfish) from South America, or from SE Asia the rasbora, would do fine. As I said above, this is a very natural habitat for all of these.

Byron.

 

[hobby5]

Is there a crayfish in there? That most likely will be a problem with fish.

 

[alvintayyw]

That is a good basis for a natural South American or SE Asian geographic or biotope-type aquarium. Most of the habitats in those regions have wood branches and no lower plants.

I would however strongly suggest floating plants. These are easy to grow, they resemble the overhanging marginal vegetation that fish from these regions expect above them, and they are fast growers which mean they are beneficial at keeping the water stability.

Moving to the substrate, cories are good fish for that level, but they should have sand, not gravel. It is not the texture of the gravel, but the size; cories need to sift sand through their gills as they feed, and this becomes impossible with gravel of any sort. You could switch over to sand, now rather than later, which would allow for cories, up to you.

As for upper level fish, many (but not all) of the characins (tetra, pencilfish, hatchetfish) from South America, or from SE Asia the rasbora, would do fine. As I said above, this is a very natural habitat for all of these.

Byron.

Wow thank you so much ! Do u have any specific species of floating plants?

 

[alvintayyw]

Is there a crayfish in there? That most likely will be a problem with fish.

Yes ATM but he will be given away soon to a friend of mine as he has more experience with crayfish

 

[Byron]

Yes ATM but he will be given away soon to a friend of mine as he has more experience with crayfish

Good idea. I didn't see the crayfish, but agree, not with fish.

Do u have any specific species of floating plants?

I prefer the more substantial floating plants. By this I mean the tiny floaters like duckweed can be useful, but they don't "do much" for the aquascape. Plants like Water Sprite (Ceratopteris cornuta), Water Lettuce (Pistia stratiotes) or Amazon Frogbit (Limnobium laevigatum) have interesting dangling root systems that add interest and the fish enjoy. Some stem plants will grow nicely left floating. Brazilian Pennywort (Hydrocotyle leucocephala) is one I like very much.

Byron.