Stock for a community 15G?

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harms.whey

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Jan 11, 2016
15
5
3
34
I know, I know. Not monsters. I'm limited on space at the time, and won't be getting a big tank for quite some time, so I at least want to keep a smaller tank to maintain and sit and gaze at. Right now, I've got a 15G column with 5 Harlequin Rasboras and a common pleco (which will be transferred to the new tank once it's up. He's roughly 2" currently). I'll likely stick to the tetras, and planned on getting some cardinals, rummy noses, and maybe some black skirts. I'm not too worried about overcrowding, as it will be a peaceful community, and I have no problem doing frequent water changes. I'm just looking for a little guidance on making the tank pop and look great, as well as something I can tinker with, maybe do live plants, and keep my wife and son entertained. Any help?
 
Honestly, imo i would get rid of the pleco, plant the tank like crazy and just get a few more rasboas to fill the space...

Coz with such a limited space, mixing so many species will almost take away from the beauty of the setup...
 
+1 on that. Vallisneria is a good grass, just add root tabs. Java fern and anubias is a good low tech solution and there are many others.

Maybe add corys if you have sand?
 
Remove the Pleco out of you list.
*Heavy Planted tank with ton of Fancy Goupies and watch them pop out babies constantly :)
*Some Corydoras and Octtocinlus for algae control and bottom active with those Corydoras.
 
Trio of glass catfish
Im presuming african 3 strip glass catfish? They should ideally be kept in a group in a tank with moderate current and plenty of space. I would say 20 gallon for them
 
Thanks for the suggestions, everyone. The only reason I have the pleco is because I have a brown algae problem, and the way my living space is arranged, I have very little room to move the tank out of direct sunlight. My living room (where the tank is) has vaulted ceilings and a skylight near the top of the wall, as well as two 6ft glass doors. The bedrooms have very large windows as well, so it gets difficult to keep the glass looking clean. Perhaps I should get rid of the pleco and maybe go for one or two chinese algae eaters? Or another small algae eater of some sort?
 
Thanks for the suggestions, everyone. The only reason I have the pleco is because I have a brown algae problem, and the way my living space is arranged, I have very little room to move the tank out of direct sunlight. My living room (where the tank is) has vaulted ceilings and a skylight near the top of the wall, as well as two 6ft glass doors. The bedrooms have very large windows as well, so it gets difficult to keep the glass looking clean. Perhaps I should get rid of the pleco and maybe go for one or two chinese algae eaters? Or another small algae eater of some sort?
CAE get quite large i believe, and temperamental. Otocolinus catfish will maybe eat it, keep them in a group
 
CAE get quite large i believe, and temperamental. Otocolinus catfish will maybe eat it, keep them in a group
Ah, I guess you're right. I've never seen any outside of an LFS, and they're all usually ~1". Just looked up some full grown specimens, and they do seem to get to be a few inches. From what I'm reading, though, Otto cats are very temperamental when being purchased and need to be QT'd for quite some time, as they tend to have internal parasites if they've been wild caught, and they are also notorious for being starved in transit to reduce the ammonia load, and can have trouble picking back up on eating. I may give them a try, though.
 
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