4 foot - 3 different decoration plans - need advice please?

[Shell_Dweller]

Hi!

I am new here!
I am planning a 4ft tank and I would like to do 3 different decorations. Partitioned like this..

1) 2ft of the space from the left to the middle will be ocean rock.
2) A small gap and next to it will be a 10 to 12" of bogwood piece that I have, includes the planted area.
3) Fill the sand bed with Escargot Shells on the right.

All that is left is deciding on my stock

To the right it will be a perfect environment for a group of shell dwelling fish lol. Which type will be best are multifasciatus the most peaceful kind?

I want some sort of nice pleco as I know they like the bogwood. I know they say minimum of 4ft but would a small group of clown loach do well?

For the ocean rock area I am looking at some julidochromis or any other peaceful cichlids which will enjoy the ocean rock but wouldn't disturb the other fish.

Any stocking advice, help is welcome as this is my base thinking of the stock but I need a little more insight on what I can or can't stock.

 

[Shell_Dweller]

Basically I think my main question here is can I keep other peaceful fish like clown loach and plecs in a 4ft with shellies?

Thanks

 

[Mogurako]

Pleco would be fine, I would skip any other bottom dwellers. Shellies can be very aggressive when other fish invade their territory.

Also clown loaches grow very large and need a sizable aquarium.

 

[Freakgecko91]

Also, you'll probably want to remove the bog wood as it will just lower your pH

 

[Mogurako]

Also, you'll probably want to remove the bog wood as it will just lower your pH

The bog wood will have very little effect on the ph, especially if the OP runs crushed coral in the filter.

 

[Shell_Dweller]

Pleco would be fine, I would skip any other bottom dwellers. Shellies can be very aggressive when other fish invade their territory.

Also clown loaches grow very large and need a sizable aquarium.

Also, you'll probably want to remove the bog wood as it will just lower your pH

I thought the same so I asked about this on tropical fish forums, and nmonks who seems to be a very knowledgeable on this sort of stuff replied,

"Yes, you can keep bogwood in Rift Valley tanks. The wood may try to lower the pH, but provided the carbonate hardness* is sufficiently high (10+ degrees KH) and you do frequent water changes, the impact of one average sized lump of wood should be trivial."

I think I might leave out shell dwellers idea for now. My original plan was to make it a certain tang species which I am still looking at, not decided yet but any suggestions are welcomed as I'm clueless to which I should choose or will a mix of Tang species be better.

I haven't purchased my tank yet as I need to find one but trying to get one with a ready cabinet 4x2x2 or close to these measurements. So I am just researching the type I want.

Thanks

 

[Mogurako]

A 4x2x2' tank is roughly 120 gallon aquarium so it really gives you allot of options. Lake Tanganyika cichlids are quite stunning, however they are quite small and grow slowly.

 

[Shell_Dweller]

I would prefer them to grow slow but it would be nice starting with a group of juvi's.

I don't know what these come under but I really like the Xenotilapia especially the Papilio Msalaba. They look like the mouth brooder tang cichlids I have read about, is that it?

 

[Freakgecko91]

A pair of Julidochromis for the rock side would work, also check out cyprichromis leptosoma

 

[Shell_Dweller]

A pair of Julidochromis for the rock side would work, also check out cyprichromis leptosoma

The cyprichromis leptosoma look really nice.

Thanks I will definitely consider them as I want something swimming above.