Thoughts, Opinions, and Suggestions Welcome!

[DMasker]

So my 180 is up and running stable. The temp has not fluctuated more then 1 degree. (thanks to my two 150W Eheim Jagers) I have 100 lbs of play sand on the bottom, which I like the look of.

As of right now the only inhabitants are my fire eel Apollo at 11" and my P. ansorgii at 6". I also have a couple plants and some java moss on the DW.

So where I would like your input is for inhabitants and for decorations. I plan on getting some more driftwood soon and adding a lot of java ferns. As of right now I have one 4ft fixture over a makeshift canopy until I can make a new one that hold two T5 bulbs. I like the look of a low light plant since its in my bedroom and I know my eel and poly. like it as well.

So I was thinking of adding six clown loaches to start. I know they get along well with fire eels, and I would like an active schooling fish. I was also considering a Indo Datnoid (but I came here to ask about aggression and such.) My LFS sells 1.5" to 2" ones for $25. Clown loaches are 5.99 each for a 1.5" one. All of the fish look quite healthy.

So obviously I would get the clown locaches first, then after a few months get the datnoid. What do you guys think as far as stock goes? What would you add? Also what plants would you suggest I add?

BTW should I keep the single 4ft T5 fixture? Would you add another fixture so a light is over the entire length of the tank? Maybe another 4ft with 4 foot over lap and 1 foot on each end? Thanks guys!

Here is a pic from this morning

 

[DMasker]

Bump.

 

[Moloch]

Dunno man. Personally for schooling fish that will be ok with a predator like a polypterus I like tiger barbs. I have 8 of them in my 65g and they're great. Everyone complains about them being fin-nippers but I haven't seen any of it. The barbs chase eachother around occasionally, but they haven't so much as looked the wrong way at either of my bichirs, either of my convicts, either of my pictus cats or my jack dempsey.

You could get another poly of some sort in there, for some reason I just like them in pairs. There's all sorts of cichlids you could go with. If the eel & poly can stand an african setup you could go with a bunch of african cichlids. Or a couple of larger SA/CA like a jack dempsey, green terror & jaguar.

Personally I like what you have going with a minimalistic approach (I know its just because you haven't fleshed out everything yet, but its still cool as is). I would just paint the background (or even go for a 3d background...) and maybe do a bit more with driftwood & plants. Get a little more of a distinct 'flow' to the tank, I guess.

 

[Sonny503]

you are adding the fish I would consider the Clown Loaches. I have a clown knife in my with my fire eel, they compliment each other. I was thinking of adding a Black Ghoust Knife but my daughter does not like the Black Ghoust Knife. she wants a Royal Knife, funny I never thought I get tin foil barbs but they actually are pleasant to look at, mostly mid/top water which is cool. Silver dollars are cool too.. great setup up can't see the final setup.

 

[soulpatch]

How is that tank plumbed? Is that part of the plumbing in the middle poking up from the sand?

Oh and I like your idea as is with the clowns and a dat later. Should look great

 

[DMasker]

How is that tank plumbed? Is that part of the plumbing in the middle poking up from the sand?

Oh and I like your idea as is with the clowns and a dat later. Should look great

Its set up so I can add a sump. The tank came with 5 holes drilled in the bottom and I plugged two of them. For now I just have an FX5 for my filtration and it does a great job. But I know I will need more hence the plumbing is there for when I am ready.

Yeah I totally agree I gotta do something with the background. Wish I had thought of that beforehand, but I can still slip a black background back there since painting it will be next to impossible. But lessened learned.

In what reading I have been able to do, fire eels don't do too well with cichlids like Africans, south American are tolerable depending on the species.

Also, my fire eel and poly are best friends. I catch them at night swimming around together and they even huddle up next to each other and hide in the same tubes.

 

[MonsterMinis]

I could be wrong.. but I don't know if Polys and CL's mix well. I keep my fire eels with florida gar, which would also prolly be fine w/ the poly ( not 100% though). And I keep my tire track w/ 2 sens, an ornate, and some pike cichlids. Everyones fairly young yet though, so adult aggression may force me to split. My TT is a pretty aggressive guy though. CL's would prolly be just fine w/ the fire.. but w/ the Poly.. not so sure.

Your looking for non-aggressive fish to big for the poly to eat, and yet can still hold their ground if they get pushed around abit. CA/SA cichlids may work but it'll depend heavily on individual aggression level. Starting with juvies = higher rate of success but not always.

 

[DMasker]

I could be wrong.. but I don't know if Polys and CL's mix well. I keep my fire eels with florida gar, which would also prolly be fine w/ the poly ( not 100% though). And I keep my tire track w/ 2 sens, an ornate, and some pike cichlids. Everyones fairly young yet though, so adult aggression may force me to split. My TT is a pretty aggressive guy though. CL's would prolly be just fine w/ the fire.. but w/ the Poly.. not so sure.

Your looking for non-aggressive fish to big for the poly to eat, and yet can still hold their ground if they get pushed around abit. CA/SA cichlids may work but it'll depend heavily on individual aggression level. Starting with juvies = higher rate of success but not always.

Yeah that is what I was worried about. I mean I was hoping since the poly is still a juvie, but I know how slow CL's grow. But maybe if their in a school he won't got for them? I mean as it is hes quite a slow grower and even now wouldn't be able to fit a CL in his mouth. He won't even touch the ghost shrimp I put in for the eel from time to time. He only eats pellets and blackworms as of right now.

 

[MonsterMinis]

My poly's will snap at the pikes oddly enough but not the tire track. He bites back!.. lol. they really have no problem escaping my sens ( my ornate couldn't care less, and usually chills out next to the TT in his PVC tube) ATM i think the combo could work.. but as the poly grows this may change, and with the cheek barbs on the Clowns I'm not sure I'de chance it. You're likely to find a CL 1/2 way down the polys throat w/ the poly dead. Or at least I would think.

 

[DMasker]

My poly's will snap at the pikes oddly enough but not the tire track. He bites back!.. lol. they really have no problem escaping my sens ( my ornate couldn't care less, and usually chills out next to the TT in his PVC tube) ATM i think the combo could work.. but as the poly grows this may change, and with the cheek barbs on the Clowns I'm not sure I'de chance it. You're likely to find a CL 1/2 way down the polys throat w/ the poly dead. Or at least I would think.

Thanks for the suggestions!

Has anyone on here tried CL and poly's?