A dirty aquarium on the side of the road

[armindilo]

A group of Pygmy / Pygmaeus Cories (or other Dwarf Cories - Hastatus or Habrosus) would be a better option so you can get 7-8 than some of the other Cories which get larger and would not be able to get as many due to the bioload.

Awww....just found out that I can only get Ottos locally. Anything else I gotta drive a couple of hours each way.

Gravel is ok but will trap ore food and poop in it the pebbles are better than what is bought as colored aquarium gravel imo though. The Amazon Sword can live fine in that and will need root tabs/ capsules for ferts as they are heavy root feeders to be happy.

What I have is crushed stone stuff from my driveway. I guess I'll try it and see how it goes.

 

[Delapool]

Java fern will probably take over anyway

 

[armindilo]

I just did a bit of research on Cories. My substrate is far too big and sharp for them to be happy.

 

[Autumnsky]

Ah that is true they likely wouldn't really be very happy.

 

[armindilo]

So I did some more searching around the internet and as much as I loved the gravel I had, a sand substrate is a lot more flexible in terms of fish and plants, so I'm making the switch.

I got some sand from the gravel pit down the road, cleaned it, and boiled it. I've got my current gravel in mesh bags, and I'll keep them in there for a while to give the bacteria a chance to colonize the sand a bit.

I'm hoping to get some otos this week.

I'll post some pictures when I've got it put back together.

 

[Autumnsky]

Might wait on adding more fish until you know things have went well on sand exchange. Often there is a mini cycle. It's good you are keeping gravel. I also wouldn't do any big cleaning of filter pads for a couple weeks after. To help keep as much BB as possible. A little lighter feeding for a week and monitor frequently for spikes. An extra pwc for a few weeks may be needed.

 

[armindilo]

I cleaned the filter pads a few days ago in preparation, so they should be fine for a while, and I'm assuming whatever BB got washed off them has re-established itself. I'm going to monitor water parameters a bit more closely over the next while. The tank isn't heavily stocked right now (7 lemon tetras, 20 gal), so I was thinking 2 Otos shouldn't cause much issue. Still think I should wait though?

 

[Autumnsky]

Otos have a bit of trouble sometimes acclimating to a new tank already notorious for that. I'd say 50/50 on okay or not.

A healthy batch might be okay, a stressed batch from the lfs maybe not. I would double the number you really want because they do tend to die easily. A care free fish when established in a tank though. And they do like to be in groups will kinda play tag and follow each other to the next snack area at times, but will behave solo as well.

If you don't seem to have any parameters out of a safe level you might go ahead and try them.

 

[armindilo]

Actually, it looks like I'm going to be away for 4 weeks after next week, so I won't have someone checking on the fish daily. I'm going to wait until I get back before I add anything else.

I'm also reconsidering if I want Otos or if I want something else. I like that the Otos will clean up algae, but it seems they are a bit finicky to care for.

I'm going to spend my weeks away researching the ideal species for me. I know a few suggestions have been made in this thread, so I'll re-read through those. I'd like something that will help keep the tank clean a bit, and something reasonably long lived and somewhat hardy.

 

[Autumnsky]

The Otos do great after the acclimation period of around a week or so.

Good idea to look through different types of fish to maybe better pin point your favorite.

 

[Delapool]

They have been good for me coming into an established tank.

 

[finsnlops]

You can only put one fancy goldfish in a 20 gallon. Fancies need 20 gallons per fish and single tails need about 30 to 40 gallons per fish. Fancies grow to about 8 inches and single tails can get to a foot. That tank should be strictly tropical fish. You will lose a lot of fish if you do goldfish. Goldfish grow huge and are huge waste producers.

 

[armindilo]

You can only put one fancy goldfish in a 20 gallon. Fancies need 20 gallons per fish and single tails need about 30 to 40 gallons per fish. Fancies grow to about 8 inches and single tails can get to a foot. That tank should be strictly tropical fish. You will lose a lot of fish if you do goldfish. Goldfish grow huge and are huge waste producers.

I didn't end up getting any goldfish on the recommendation of a bunch of previous responses to this post. You can read back through and see how I ended going about stocking the tank.

I haven't updated it though I think. Currently I have:

7x Lemon Tetras
3x Corys
2x Guppies
3x Nerite Snails
5x Rili Shrimp

1x Java Moss (I think)
1x Java Fern (I think)

I've had the plants just floating around for a few weeks. Ive finally got time today to tie them down and add some rocks and driftwood to the tank.

Everyone but the snails seem happy. They did an excellent job cleaning up about 80% of the algae for the first couple of weeks. Now the algae seems to be coming back quite a bit and the snails don't move around or eat a lot. I'm going to have to take a closer look at my parameters.

I keep thinking my shrimp were eaten or sucked into the filter, but it seems like they are just hiding a lot. Every few days after not seeing them I spot 3 or 4 of them in the Java Moss. I don't get too anxious now if I don't see them for a few days.

My 3 year old girl absolutely loves doing water change with me, especially since I let her suck the house to start the siphon and I let her add the dechlorinator to the water. My 10 month old boy loves watching the Guppies, since they are the most colorful and quite active swimmers, but he has a hard time not banging on the glass!

I'm enjoying this family hobby, and I hope to post some more pictures soon.