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Posted by swarvegorilla on June 1, 2007, 8:55 pm
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> wrote:
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>> >> > Hey everyone,
>> >> > I have a 220 Gallon planted tank that used to be stocked with 12
>> >> > Bosemani rainbows (very colorful!!) 15 tiger barbs, 7 ottos & 1
>> >> > skunk
>> >> > loach. I had absolutely no losses in that tank. I had used the ottos
>> >> > for cycling (not recomended) but they all survived & even had a
>> >> > baby!
>> >> > Unfortunately, about a year after the initial set-up & stocking, I
>> >> > had
>> >> > a double heater-failure (both went out within 1 day of eachother,
>> >> > stuck in the ON position.), temp soared to 98 degrees & I was left
>> >> > with only 2 rainbows.
>> >> > I've since added a betta & male guppy from from another smaller tank
>> >> > that I decided to de-commission, as well as 1 pleco I got from a
>> >> > friend and 5 new ottos I added for algae control. The tank has been
>> >> > this way for about a year.
>> >> > I was really happy with my previous setup (colorful, active fish),
>> >> > but
>> >> > now I'm undecided as to which way to go. The rainbows are large
>> >> > boisterous fish and that means the slower moving betta & guppy
>> >> > rarely
>> >> > get enough to eat unless I hand-feed them.
>> >> > The way I see it my options are:
>> >> > 1) Either I remove the betta & guppy & go back to the way things
>> >> > were
>> >> > (expensive since rainbows cost close to $13 a piece) OR
>> >> > 2) I remove the 2 rainbows and go a completely different route with
>> >> > slower/calmer fish - say 1 school of cardinals + 1 school of black
>> >> > neons & perhaps a cockatoo dwarf ciclid pair or something similar.
>>
>> >> > My goal is to keep the tank lightly stocked. My maintenance was
>> >> > always
>> >> > to do 1 20% water change once a month. I know it sounds "lazy"
>> >> > (which
>> >> > I am), but based on the slow but constant rate of plant growth (no
>> >> > CO2
>> >> > or extra fertilization) + with water parameters beeing 0 Amonnia/
>> >> > nitrite/nitrate I didin;t seem necessary to do more.
>> >> > Anyway, I'd love to hear some of your ideas as I've been undecided
>> >> > for
>> >> > an entire year. :)
>>
>> >> A planted 220g is quite an empty canvas to fill. Myself, after a few
>> >> years, I like to try different fish entirely. Ask yourself what was
>> >> the best aspects of the fish you had and what you're looking for. If
>> >> you're able to sit close to the tank, smaller fish work well, like
>> >> Apistos and tetras. If you're further from the tank, maybe several
>> >> species of gouramis (5 Blue Opaline & 7 Pearls down the middle, 5
>> >> Chocolate on top and 7 Pygmy for the bottom). For something large and
>> >> slow moving, Angelfish or Discus are quite majestic in a tank that
>> >> size. There are also a lot of oddball fish which would do well in
>> >> that volume.
>>
>> >> To continue staying low maintenance, I would stay away from
>> >> livebearers or the Apistos (to keep the population under control). A
>> >> species tank of Discus or Angels might get up in numbers, but these
>> >> are easier fish to catch and relocate or sell (unlike chasing Apistos
>> >> through the underbrush ;~)
>>
>> >> If your water conditions were suitable (a little acidic), you might
>> >> want to try a fish which could maintain its population, be colorful
>> >> enough by itself to give the tank some 'snap', and never get too large
>> >> or populous to significantly affect the maintenance requirements.
>> >> Harlequin rasboras come to mind (copper colour contrasting with the
>> >> green plants).
>>
>> >> Good luck & have fun with it!
>> >> NetMax- Hide quoted text -
>>
>> >> - Show quoted text -
>>
>> > Thanks for the suggestions. I'm still a bit undecided. I have decided
>> > that I'd prefer a larger number of small fish though. Anyone looking
>> > to get a good deal on a couple of rainbows? ;)
>>
>> Ember tetra?
>> I recently got a batch of 'tiger danio' that I had never kept before.
>> Very
>> nice but very boistrous.
>> That said I am going to have to disagree with netmax on one thing.....
>> the livebearers. I recon theres an exception there hey!
>> Endlers! I dunno what the situation is around you, but females are tricky
>> to
>> find here.
>> They are like a wild dwarf guppy and I like them a lot.
>> With a fighter/betta in there with them..... the population isn't going
>> to
>> explode anytime soon.
>> I really do like endlers, They even make good food for halfbeaks and I
>> never
>> have a problem selling.
>> As to catching, I put net in water, add some food and scoop out the
>> greediest.
>> The oddball call is a good one though.
>> good chance to get a lizard fish or elephant nose. Some black ruby/khuli
>> loaches.
>> Maybe peacock gudgeons. They sell very well.
>> In Oz some my backyard has Melanotaenia duboulayi in the creek.
>> Rainbows are kinda ignored a bit.
>> I have been looking at USA creek fish..... jeez the darter are just
>> incredible.
>> I mean I think it's the banded or something.... awesome banded green in
>> a
>> freshwater fish!
>> So ya oddballs and endlers would be my choice. Don't forget a few cory,
>> heh
>> heh.- Hide quoted text -
>>
>> - Show quoted text -
>
> I had never heard of the ember tetra or the peacock gudgeon. I looked
> them up and wow! The pic of the peacock gudgeon i found reminded me of
> a killy. The embers were certainly interesting looking too and seemed
> to be hardy by everyone's descriptions. Now I'm thinking maybe 3
> schools of small fish: black neons, cardinals & embers. After all if I
> remove the 2 rainbows I should gain enough "bioload quota" (tm) to add
> 10 of these little guys. I still want to do a bit more research on the
> gudgeon to see if it would be a good fit as I'd prefer to have fish
> that arent too fussy with food & water parameters.
> Incidentally, my otos seem to be constantly dying now. I get about 2
> dead ones per week that I keep replacing at the petstore (that you
> petsmart 15-day warranty!). Water parameters are all at 0. I know they
> are considered delicate, but the original batch had been doing so
> well! I've read that there are several varieties of ottos. I wonder if
> I've been getting a less-hardy variety? they all look the same to me...
>
OK check your temperature, then check your fish have something to graze on.
Don't want to foul the water but a bit of veggie like zuccini or squash on a
stainless steel fork for them to gnaw thru day helps a lot.
They need to graze.....
Umm... not too much at a time and remove before it clouds the water.
Then look for a bully..... heres lookin at you scapegoat rainbows!!
And ya, the peacock gudgeons are rather special looking fish.
Some coming out of germany are downright amazing.
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