White cloud minnow vs vietnamese cardinal minnow

[Beastije]

HI, so since not that much info is available, I wonder which one would you chose (as they say they are 'mostly the same, just different in size'). I know white clouds could have logn fins or golden variants, so maybe that could be considered.

Also how much to get. They breed apparently easily and well and given the initial plan is to have them in the tank alone, (maybe with the two harlequins that I am shuffling from one tank to another to live the rest of their lives ) for about 2-4 months to get enough biofilm before getting hillstream loaches and/or panda garra, they may get a chance to increase their numbers and I do not want to overpopulate the tank. Although ofcourse I guess I wont be getting mature minnows.
Planned dimensions are 110cmx40cmx45cm. With the planned stones and substrate this gives me like 150liters tops, maybe less. I dont want too many plants, but will have good enough filter.
I was thinking either 10, 15 or 20

 

[Colin_T]

just bumping this to see if anyone has any comments for you

 

[Beastije]

If not I will post it again when I have the actual tank, so I have at least a month

 

[Beastije]

I put the order on my tank, so in two weeks I will have it, which gives me time to finish making the stand
I also talked to the supplier, they cant really get vietnamese ones, so I will go to the gold variate of white cloud minnow, and I am expecting the order to come in october, so good for a quick 3 or so week cycle.
I think I decided to keep 20 from the beginning, since the tank dimensions will be 110x40x45cm. Granted filled with stones, so barely 150l but I think having less than 20 may be too empty, and this way if I encounter losses I will still have good numbers for a shoaling fish.

I want to discuss sand/approach now. I have the usual white/ish snow from pool filtration that is currently present in my 54l tank. It also has MTS. Since the new plan is to have only small layer of sand in this tank, some pebbles, large stones and very large stones, I wonder if it is better to get:
a) a white/ish sand not filled with MTS that I have in a bucket outside
b) a brand new "dark" sand that I would have to purchase but that may look better
c) keep the white/ish sand which is filled with MTS and has some algae from the other tank

Since the initial plan was to move the substrate from the 54l to the new 150l, along with the media and some plants and fish to speed up the cycle, not moving the sand may hinder the speed of the cycle.

My end idea of the tank is a cross between this

and this

I still cant determine the plants, since I have some anubias, some java ferns, some naias, some moss, but maybe want to buy blyxa japonica to get the "grass" feeling

Unlike with corydoras, in here the sand shouldnt matter that much, cause hillstream loaches dont care, panda garra dont care, but if I get a muscle they might care. Not sure about that though,
But I read that on a darker substrate the minnows will look better. But everything darker here is simply unnatural or colored. So not sure now

 

[Beastije]

Also will post a different question regarding my other fish currently in the 54l and the approach with the new tank. Prepare for a long post. I had a different topic here about leftover fish from previous tanks, but I will recapitulate anyway.
At this point I have two female neolamprologus multifasciatus, that were bred by me in water params similar (same supplier) to what they are in now, but the current water is much softer and I also removed all the previous limestone, so harness went down in the past year . They are of unknown age but at least 3 years old, that is when I had a last batch of babies. I tried to rehome them since last year, have an active ad, written to fishkeepers that have this fish, no luck.
I also have two remaining harlequin rasboras, that are at least four years old that lived in the previous tank with the multies and now are in the 54l. I am low key torturing them, because while the multies have their shells, the rasboras have some plants, they have no heater (and 21 degrees now since we dont have the heater on yet in the house, even I am cold but it is freaking september), and they dont have a group that they should (had 7 last october, they keep dying off, have these two in this numbers since march). The tank itself is a mess right now, filled with algae covered plants and plants that are not doing that great, the fish are despite the conditions looking well.
Their bellies are round (as in not sunk in or curved), their colors are vivid, the multies have the blue eyes and yellow fin edges, the harlequins have the bright red fin triangles and purple flash to their scales. I wouldnt say they are fantastic, but I wouldnt say they are suffering. Well at least I hope not.

Which brings me to the following, I waited a year for this new tank and assumed these fish would be rehomed or gone by old age/not ideal conditions. I also decided to use the 54liter as a quarantine in the time the new 150l tank is getting setup, since I will be visiting the local reseller which is some hour drive from my place, so I will be ordering hatchetfish for my other tank and otocinclus along with the minnows for the 150l. Hence why the 54liter is filled with biofilm and algae covered anubias, I hope it will help the otos acclimate more naturally.
I know that the rasboras cant be in the same tank as hatchetfish, so they for sure have to go to the 150l and help with a fish in cycle. The filter will be established and it is a large sponge, so it is not like I would be dumping them in the poisonous not set up tank.

However what is the best approach for the multies. The timeline is as follows - new tank comes in, is filled with (some) sand, established filter, stones, water, and most plants from the old tank. I will have two weeks or so of new tank running before the fish come in to the shop. I only have one light, so the old 54l tank will be moved to a table close to a window, but no artificial light. After the two weeks, otos and hatchetfish go to the OLD tank with an pump filter and sponges that have been in the old tank since 15.9 (just the sponges, dont have the pump yet, have to order, but the sponges are in a flow ), still no light. Do I move the rasboras from old to new along with the new minnows or do I move them a week or even two earlier. Do I move the multies at this point too, or not at all (they might not mind the otos, they might, no idea about the hatchetfish. Multies are unpredictable though these females are super mellow. But harlequines are also quick and no pushovers so hard to judge correctly)
Choices, choices. I still have time to mull this over, wouldnt want to end up having to make this decision rapidly. So I will appreciate any advice

 

[Beastije]

Forgot to mention for any of the topics, I have a bucket of hornwort I will dump in to help with the cycle
I will start playing around with the final plants and placements later on, will just use what I have now