Final Tank Setup

[Caveden]

Some low light, easy care plants you can consider are:

- Java/ trident fern (although it seems it is out of question)
- anubias
- bucephalandra
- crypt wendtii brown/ green
- christmas or java moss

great tank you have now! Glad to see a good decision has been made

 

[Deadeye]

I also like bacopa a lot - it eventually got outcompeted by hornwort but was a nice, easy plant.
Aponogeton is pretty but the leaves themselves are fragile - seems pretty hardy though.
One of my favorites is my red lotus - I’m pretty terrible with plants so it must be hardy to survive in the tank.

 

[SilverArowanaBoi]

Hey y'all! I have a question. Do I have space for more fish with the current stocking that I listed above, or will it be overstocked?

My mom has pressured me to get more "colorful fish." She likes what I have now but thinks I should have more colorful fish. She thinks most of them are "gray" and "dull" with colors that are too subtle (which is what I generally prefer). I'm happy with the tank and love the choices (especially the brochis cories), but I want to respect her wishes as she is the primary source of my money for the hobby. As a matter of fact, she is the person who let me and bought me this tank.

I understand it is ultimately my choice since it's my tank, but as I said above, I respect my mom and want to take her suggestions. Could I do livebearers or a smaller fish (but not too small so as not to get eaten)? Maybe some smaller cichlids like electric blue rams? I've also been thinking about doing 1-3 discus.

What do y'all think? I don't want to overstock the tank and make it unhealthy, so any help is welcome. I'm willing to give up the pleco and maybe one acara, but the cories, tetras, raph, and one Acara are definitely staying. No questions asked. I paid too much for the cories (and love them), and everything else is what I've been looking for (and I love them too).

Thank you for any input!

P.S. If this makes a difference, I have much filtration and can add more. My tank is a year mature, and I do frequent water changes (50%+ water changes twice to 3 times a week).

 

[Caveden]

Hey y'all! I have a quick question. Do I have space for more fish with the current stocking that I listed above, or will it be overstocked? I'm considering getting rid of the pleco since it creates a bunch of waste and replacing it with a colorful fish.

My mom has pressured me to get more "colorful fish." She likes what I have now but thinks I should have more colorful fish. While I'm happy with the tank and love the choices (especially the brochis cories), I respect her wishes since she has been giving me most of the money to keep this tank running.

I understand it is ultimately my choice since it's my tank, but as I said above, I respect my mom and want to take her suggestions. Could I do livebearers or a smaller fish (but not too small so as not to get eaten)? Maybe some smaller cichlids like rams? I've also been thinking about doing 2-3 discus. What do y'all think?

I don't want to overstock the tank and make it unhealthy, so any help is welcome.

You could definitely add more. What would be cool would be to breed your bristlenose pleco; get a cave and another bristlenose of the opposite gender. They would definitely breed, kind of a cool project

 

[SilverArowanaBoi]

You could definitely add more. What would be cool would be to breed your bristlenose pleco; get a cave and another bristlenose of the opposite gender. They would definitely breed, kind of a cool project

Thank you, I added some edits that may help.

 

[Deadeye]

You can consider some tetra or other dither species - they wouldn’t add too much by way of waste. Definitely nothing else cichlid like.
The unfortunate reality of freshwater is that the fish tend to be more drab than those in saltwater - I find that making a scape that compliments the fish will be much better.

 

[SilverArowanaBoi]

You can consider some tetra or other dither species - they wouldn’t add too much by way of waste. Definitely nothing else cichlid like.
The unfortunate reality of freshwater is that the fish tend to be more drab than those in saltwater - I find that making a scape that compliments the fish will be much better.

I was seriously thinking about the escape aspect. I think I will wait on new fish, except maybe a few more Buenos Aires tetras, to grow my mini army's strength. lol. Maybe I can show my mom how good of an aquascape I can make and see how she reacts. Honestly, I have nothing against my stock other than I think I need more tetras, but other than that, I love my newest stock. I don't really want to get rid of more fish because I want to stop going back and forth to the fish store and getting and taking back fish.

 

[Deadeye]

You can consider mixing some bleeding heart or Colombian tetras - IME Buenos will school with anything that is relatively similar.
Mine hung out with Aussie rainbows and giant danios - both of which are also silvery but have a nice color. The Aussie rainbows went purple every now and then.
Any rainbowfish would be good for color imo as long as they aren’t small enough to get eaten.

 

[Friller2009]

You can consider mixing some bleeding heart or Colombian tetras - IME Buenos will school with anything that is relatively similar.
Mine hung out with Aussie rainbows and giant danios - both of which are also silvery but have a nice color. The Aussie rainbows went purple every now and then.
Any rainbowfish would be good for color imo as long as they aren’t small enough to get eaten.

There's no species known as an "Aussie rainbow" just a catch all term for crappy hybrids. Mostly with fish not from australia! They're silvery because they're hybrids
Probably what you're getting as an "aussie rainbow" a splendida x something eles

Three actual Australian rainbow fish, Trifasciata, SP. Running river and Duboulyai

So many better rainbows to pick from. You guys are spoilt for choice, you've got all of the rainbows gary lange has found available to you.

I rate giant danios really good fish. Got them in my ponds[/QUOTE]

 

[Deadeye]

There's no species known as an "Aussie rainbow" just a catch all term for crappy hybrids. Mostly with fish not from australia! They're silvery because they're hybrids
View attachment 1531035 Probably what you're getting as an "aussie rainbow" a splendida x something eles
View attachment 1531036View attachment 1531037View attachment 1531038
Three actual Australian rainbow fish, Trifasciata, SP. Running river and Duboulyai

So many better rainbows to pick from. You guys are spoilt for choice, you've got all of the rainbows gary lange has found available to you.

I rate giant danios really good fish. Got them in my ponds

[/QUOTE]
Interesting - I remember seeing the same from you before - I just use “Aussie rainbow” as that’s what it was sold as, and what most people over here have come to recognize them as. Would you consider this as one of the hybrids:

Closest I can find is M. splednida

Come to think of it, I don’t think I’ve ever stopped and googled “Australian rainbowfish”to see how variable that name really is.