Poly stocking advice needed

zimmy

Plecostomus
MFK Member
Sep 2, 2010
54
44
51
Toronto, Canada
Thanks for all the feedback!

Regarding holes and gaps, the tank is eurobraced with a glass lid and one hole for electrical cords and the golden pothos root. I was worried about the gap and put some duct tape on it yesterday.

I’m going to get a bigger pothos and put the roots through the hole and have it form a cover. I did it one on a previous tank and it was amazing how thick the root system grew. I won’t be able to put floating plants in the tank as there is too much movement at the surface. I do have some floating plants in the sump though.

I will put some anubias on the wood. Right now it’s floating in the sump as I’m waiting for the wood to sink. I had to take some of the wood out to treat it for a hair algae outbreak. I need some more plants in the right rear corner. The vals have been driving me nuts with not staying rooted. Let’s see if it takes. I may get some more crypts as they’ll handle the lower light.
 
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zimmy

Plecostomus
MFK Member
Sep 2, 2010
54
44
51
Toronto, Canada
Thanks for all the feedback!

Regarding holes and gaps, the tank is eurobraced with a glass lid and one hole for electrical cords and the golden pothos root. I was worried about the gap and put some duct tape on it yesterday.

I’m going to get a bigger pothos and put the roots through the hole and have it form a cover. I did it one on a previous tank and it was amazing how thick the root system grew. I won’t be able to put floating plants in the tank as there is too much movement at the surface. I do have some floating plants in the sump though.

I will put some anubias on the wood. Right now it’s floating in the sump as I’m waiting for the wood to sink. I had to take some of the wood out to treat it for a hair algae outbreak. I need some more plants in the right rear corner. The vals have been driving me nuts with not staying rooted. Let’s see if it takes. I may get some more crypts as they’ll handle the lower light.
 

zimmy

Plecostomus
MFK Member
Sep 2, 2010
54
44
51
Toronto, Canada
For tankmates, I’d like to get some other polys but am not impressed with the quality of most of what I see locally. I saw some labelled as senegals today that were about 7-8” long but some of them had twisted backs and just looked bad. The same place had some small dels that didn’t look all that good either. I may end up getting a few more retros as the place I bought them from brought in 40 wc ones.

Right now my retros are sharing the tank with about 20 Congo tetras that are great for activity in the tank. There’s also a 4-5” African knife that’s been in there since Sunday but I rarely see it.

The main addition will be 5-6 Leopard Bushfish I’m growing out in one of the sump compartments.
 
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zimmy

Plecostomus
MFK Member
Sep 2, 2010
54
44
51
Toronto, Canada
One of the retros (the one in the close-up) is really curious and hurt its nose swimming against the return and banging into the flare nozzle (it’s playing in the return this very minute).
 

jaws7777

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Mar 1, 2014
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magpie

Potamotrygon
MFK Member
Jun 4, 2016
3,552
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Oregon
Nice!

I’d wait and get more variety but that’s me personally - I prefer variety. More fish will come along. The Ctenopoma will be a great addiction. Can’t wait to see how his all grows out including plants and fish!

What type of floating plants?
I’ve used water lettuce most recently as I love the way the roots look hanging down. But I’ve also used Brazilian pennywort. Honestly, anything up there is good. I think you can throw water sprite just floating even though it can also be planted.
 
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