Florida Biotope idea. Will it work?

[Loganfish]

So I have a 10 gallon that is temporarily housing a baby Longnose Gar, a Craggy Head Banjo Catfish, a Speckled Madtom, a Blind Cave Tetra, and a Rosy Minnow (for the Gar). Once the Gar gets bigger I’m moving it as well as the Banjo and possibly the Cave Tetra to my 55. I’m wanting to turn it then into a Florida Biotope tank. If the Minnow doesn’t get eaten I’ll move it. But I want to keep the Madtom because he’s not that active in my 20, so I move him to a smaller tank because is best for him. Point is I want to have the Speckled Madtom as well as 3-5x Bluefin Killifish, 1-2x Eastern Mosquitofish, and 1x Florida Flagfish. Yes it’s crowded, but I want to plant it well. If I can find out if the Speckled Madtom can go into my 55 that is 80-86 degrees F I might move it. Any ideas or suggestions?

 

[Loganfish]

Can I please get opinions

 

[FJB]

Others may have more experience with those fish than myself. However, FL flagfish can be very aggressive to smaller fish in small tanks, such as a 20g, or worse, a 10gal. Also, a 55g is no suitable permanent home for a long nose gar.

 

[Kayden]

Don’t do that. All those fish need more space. More conspesifics, and better compatibility with tankmates. Your current fish also need better care.

I highly recommend the resource seriously fish to teach you how to properly care for a lot of species. And if they are not there, many other resources like good YouTube channels, blogs, and magazine articles teach you the basics of care for every fish you could want to keep.

I recommend keeping your fish in a situation where they will survive long term before asking how to optimize their tanks.

please just do the bare minimum research before buying fish. And if you don’t have the money, experience, or are a teen working out of a bedroom In your parents house (I’ve been there, joined mfk when I was 16ish). Perhaps keeping a car is not in your current set of cards

 

[Loganfish]

Others may have more experience with those fish than myself. However, FL flagfish can be very aggressive to smaller fish in small tanks, such as a 20g, or worse, a 10gal. Also, a 55g is no suitable permanent home for a long nose gar.

Ok. Yes I know Flagfish are aggressive and may have to be take off the stocking idea list. The 55 is definitely not gonna be the Gar’s permanent tank. It’s temporary. Soon I’m hoping to get a 110 gallon stock tank so the gar will go in there until it gets big where I’ll then rehome it.

 

[Loganfish]

Don’t do that. All those fish need more space. More conspesifics, and better compatibility with tankmates. Your current fish also need better care.

I highly recommend the resource seriously fish to teach you how to properly care for a lot of species. And if they are not there, many other resources like good YouTube channels, blogs, and magazine articles teach you the basics of care for every fish you could want to keep.

I recommend keeping your fish in a situation where they will survive long term before asking how to optimize their tanks.

please just do the bare minimum research before buying fish. And if you don’t have the money, experience, or are a teen working out of a bedroom In your parents house (I’ve been there, joined mfk when I was 16ish). Perhaps keeping a car is not in your current set of cards

While I have to admit that a few (like 1 or 2) were impulse purchases, I still have tanks for them. The Cave Tetra has to get bigger to go into the 55 as well as the gar. The Banjo is in the 10 because my Electric Blue Acara I had at the time was picking on him. The Madtom is because warmer water. Also for my stocking ideas I have reasons. I’ve kept Western Mosquitofish in a 10 gallon before and they thrived. The Bluefin Killifish and relatively similar in size too. The Madtom is very inactive but still eats. The Flagfish has probably been taken off the list. Also I’m planning on moving the Madtom to my 55.

Also I will say that I am a teen working out of my bedroom aka fish room. I try my hardest to do my best and all these comments I get on here and a few other platforms just really beats my confidence down.

 

[tlindsey]

really beats my confidence down.

I've read some of your post. Tbh no one is trying to beat down your confidence. I agree with Kayden push yourself to do research on the species you want to keep. When I was your age I wasn't fortunate to have the internet and lost a lot of fish do to my ignorance.

 

[Loganfish]

I've read some of your post. Tbh no one is trying to beat down your confidence. I agree with Kayden push yourself to do research on the species you want to keep. When I was your age I wasn't fortunate to have the internet and lost a lot of fish do to my ignorance.

Ok. I try using the internet but my ADD and my slight Autism makes things difficult to pay attention to put in effort. Also while trying to research I came across a link for natives in a 10 gallon and most I wanted were mention several times. https://forum.aquariumcoop.com/topic/23127-10-gallon-native-tank-ideas/

 

[tlindsey]

my ADD and my slight Autism makes things difficult to pay attention to put in effort.

Ok we got you. My son is also autistic and he has his challenges as well.

 

[Hybridfish7]

Consider things like fundulus, lucania, etheostoma, or heterandria for a Florida biotope. All can be kept together for the most part.