Reboot Stocking

[Marine Iguana]

Good evening all, I've been MIA for a while so let me catch you all up to speed. I got my 75 up and running about 2 years ago, and really enjoyed the bichirs, hujeta gar, and african knifefish that I stocked the tank with. I'm sorry to tell you though that some really unfortunate events transpired though. Last summer I was serving on a mission trip overseas for 6 weeks and my father (who is also an aquarist) was taking care of my tanks in my absence. At some point, however, he forgot to replace the lid, and I came home to find the majority of my poly's and all my hujeta gar mummified underneath and behind the stand. I got super discouraged and almost broke down the tank, but two of my fish, my delhezzi and my african knife fortunately stayed in the tank and encouraged me to keep the tank up and running.

Besides the two prior residents, the tank has sat primarily empty. The water is thick with tannins since I have natural driftwood in the tank and I'm honestly getting really tired of how visually imparing it is, so I'm thinking of removing the branches, boiling them to try to remove the tannins, and getting a stronger light to try to make the tank look better visually. I've also thought about adding sand (the tank has been bare bottom since I started it- the sides, bottom, and back panel are all painted black so it looks quite nice), and thought that I would get your opinions on it!

Finally, I'm back to the drawing boards with stocking. I'm thinking that I definitely want to get another poly or two- I really enjoyed my senegal. My polli and butikofferi were both recluses and so I wondered what bichirs you would add? I'm also looking at other suggestions for fish- I'm really thinking about adding some smaller SA cichlids and maybe some catfish to the tank but I honestly have no idea what I want with this tank right now. Thought I would come to you for your opinions and advice- I have greatly enjoyed this community in the past and hope that I can contribute to it in meaningful ways in the future.

-Noah

 

[kno4te]

For catfish think the one option is a pimelodus blochii. For SA cichlids maybe some acaras, firemouths or red jewel cichlids.

 

[Zanzag]

Some activated carbon would help soak the tannins right up. blue acara are a favorite community cichlid of mine. Very mellow unless breeding. Some of the Bush fish would make cool geographically correct tankmates.

 

[Marine Iguana]

For catfish think the one option is a pimelodus blochii. For SA cichlids maybe some acaras, firemouths or red jewel cichlids.

I like the look of the blochii, maybe I’ll go for one! Are they pretty active during the day? I also really like the jewel cichlids and acaras, will the jewels be too aggressive if I add a pair or two?

Some activated carbon would help soak the tannins right up. blue acara are a favorite community cichlid of mine. Very mellow unless breeding. Some of the Bush fish would make cool geographically correct tankmates.

How much activated carbon should I use? I have about half a gallon of old carbon I used on my saltwater tanks that is just laying around, but should I buy some more? I considered doing bushfish in the past, but want to make sure that they’d hold there own against the cichlids.

I’ve also done a little searching and really like the look of rainbow cichlids.

 

[Zanzag]

Rainbow cichlids are nice. For carbon I've never measured. I'd just fill a media bag with it and toss it in so what you've got would last a while

 

[Marine Iguana]

I'm also looking into maybe adding an eel- they would need a substrate to thrive though wouldn't they?

 

[sevs and sajicas for me]

Looks at some of the smaller central american cichlids. I've kept a few sajicas with my bichirs and they've done well. They get aggressive while breeding and they breed readily so a sajica male would do well. Rainbow cichlids are also great that were mentioned above.

My favorite UJ bichir is the polli and it surprises me to hear yours was a recluse. My polli is the most active of my bichirs i've kept. Can't go wrong with senegals, polli, and delhezi IMO.

 

[Marine Iguana]

Looks at some of the smaller central american cichlids. I've kept a few sajicas with my bichirs and they've done well. They get aggressive while breeding and they breed readily so a sajica male would do well. Rainbow cichlids are also great that were mentioned above.

My favorite UJ bichir is the polli and it surprises me to hear yours was a recluse. My polli is the most active of my bichirs i've kept. Can't go wrong with senegals, polli, and delhezi IMO.

So a single male sajica? For rainbows would a pair be too aggressive for the poly’s to handle?

Maybe I’ll have to give a polli a try again- I’m definitely ganna reach for a standard senegalus. Maybe an albino as well.

 

[sevs and sajicas for me]

So a single male sajica? For rainbows would a pair be too aggressive for the poly’s to handle?

Maybe I’ll have to give a polli a try again- I’m definitely ganna reach for a standard senegalus. Maybe an albino as well.

My single male Sajica has made an excellent community cichlid. He rarely shows aggression and if he does it's little more than a "shoo out of my bubble" sort of thing. Breeding is something completely different but without any partners I think he would be fine. My male (top left in my avatar) has been in with bichirs off and on for the last couple of years. No issues. I've never bread rainbows with bichirs but when I had them for a short time their breeding aggression was minimal. But others may have a better idea

At one point i had a polli, standard sen, albino sen, WC delhezi, CB delhezi, and 2 ropes in a 75. Not counting the ropes, the polli and standard sen was the most outgoing closely followed by the albino sen, WC del, and finally CB del. I rehomed both dels (I still regret that as I miss them) and the standard sen developed a blockage/tumor and wasted away to nothing and I had to euthenize.

 

[Zanzag]

The sajica could pair with a rainbow though.