So, as some of you know I've decided to get an Elephant Nose fish as my first fish. I will be keeping him alone, sort of as a wet pet, instead of having a tank with a bunch of fish. I recently located a 55 gallon tank with stand and filter. I'll be picking it up within the next two weeks and will also get a heater, sand substrate, blood worms, plants, etc. Now, does anyone know how big these fish actually get? Most sources online say 9 inches, but I don't think I've ever seen one get that large. I think they are fascinating fish, especially since they were considered sacred by the Ancient Egyptians (google it, it's true!).
Now, besides the size question, I'd also like to know what kind of plants I should get. I'm going to get a fine sand substrate, but are there any plants that would do well with sand? They would also need to have low light requirements since I know the Elephant Nose likes low lighting. Also, I read a few articles here about cycling a tank using pure ammonia. Does this smell? My issue is that I have a parrot and anything that releases fumes is a big no-no (candles, chemicals, room sprays, teflon cookware). Are there any other ways of successfully cycling a tank? I want to make sure my little guy has every chance of survival!
By the way, when I say "Elephant Nose" I mean Gnathonemus Petersii, part of the Mormyrus family.
Now, besides the size question, I'd also like to know what kind of plants I should get. I'm going to get a fine sand substrate, but are there any plants that would do well with sand? They would also need to have low light requirements since I know the Elephant Nose likes low lighting. Also, I read a few articles here about cycling a tank using pure ammonia. Does this smell? My issue is that I have a parrot and anything that releases fumes is a big no-no (candles, chemicals, room sprays, teflon cookware). Are there any other ways of successfully cycling a tank? I want to make sure my little guy has every chance of survival!
By the way, when I say "Elephant Nose" I mean Gnathonemus Petersii, part of the Mormyrus family.