Fish/Bottom dweller recommendation for 7g tank.

[czcz]

Thank you all so much for your advice and comments. I did a ~30% change yesterday and ~15% today after coming back from holiday. The middle plants with the small leaf tops were discolored and I replaced with more Afzelli(?), since the existing Afzelli(?) is very green and appears healthy. The shrimp seem great and are active, swimming from leaf to leaf. One cherry shrimp has taken to hiding under the base/pods of the umberella plant -- cute. I hope picking a smaller Gourami will prevent it from eating any shrimp.

Again, thanks for everything. The tank has already become a nice thing to come home to.

Most recent test results:
Ammonia ~.25 (not quite so green/yellow as the chart, but water has changed color)
Nitrate between 20 and 40
Total Alkalinity between 150 and 300
Nitrite, pH, and hard water same as above

I will update with picture(s) after adding a Gourami. I will wait until tests show a safe enviornment for the fish.

 

[rubysoho]

sounds like you are on a roll there. Can't wait to see your pics!!

 

[czcz]

Added pictures to gallery but pending approval. Ammonia and Nitrite hit 0 last Tuesday. My 4 year old has become fascinated with fish, but the tank resides in the garage (my hiding place). I got us a 30"x12"x12" tank for the living area (Xmas) that was advertised as a 20 gal - with your encouragement and information I changed my mind about a bigger tank. I ended up starting with the only Otocinclus from the only LFS that stocks them. His tank mates have been dying since I started going there and I felt bad for him. I've fed zucchini and an algae wafer (two different nights) per forum advice to others, but in the morning neither was heavily consumed -- I wouldn't be surprised if most of it was eaten by shrimp. The Oto is active and has a little belly, though. He's red around the head (was at LFS too), which I read could be ammonia/nitrite poisoning. I do a one gallon (~15%) water change every other day and nitrates max in the 20 range. (approximate color -- isn't that high for a moderately planted tank?) I submitted an unfocused picture of the fish in the unhealthy fish section of the gallery, and any suggestions there/here are appreciated.

Currently the 7 gallon also has one ~2" Blue Gourami that has turned a very pretty shade of blue/purple while his LFS tankmates are still gray/silver. I am hoping that a fishless cycle on the 18 gal can be completed by the end of January, but the cycle won't start until after Xmas. I have been told that he'll be fine in the 7 gallon until the new tank is cycled. Do you agree? I did not get a Dwarf Gourami because proprietor of best LFS advised that they're prone to disease and not as hardy as regular Gourami, and I already had gotten the Oto. I probably should have waited to see how the Oto does, but you know how it is after you... eh, your kid lights up about a new toy As you can see in my gallery, there are brown spots on the Afzelli. I'd like to try DIY CO2 (again, thanks to all for the information shared) but figure it's better to learn on the 18 gallon.

After the 18 gallon is cycled and home to the Gourami, do you think it can support four or five Julii Cories and four or five Albino cories, given regular water changes and moderate (proportional to the 7 gallon) initial planting? How about two bamboo shrimp?

For the 7 gallon there's a Petco 45 minutes away that has Otos, so maybe I can get this guy some buddies after the Gourami moves out? Considering Petco's reputation (I've not been to that Petco, but the one here isn't the best and isn't the worst fish store), would you suggest that I order Otos online? Perhaps three more Otos in the 7 gallon? I'm happy with them being the only fish, along with the existing shrimp. What do you think about moving the Oto to the 18 gallon and making the 7 gallon a brackish tank, along with bumblebee gobies? From what I've read the shrimp would thrive in a brackish envoirnment, and may even mate. I really like the shrimp.

Edited to add more questions Thank you all again for all the help and any more help you can spare.

 

[czcz]

bump. Pic of the tank if interested. More in gallery.

 

[czcz]

Update and bump. Oto is less red around the gills, and more pinkish. Gave away Blue Gourami to LFS since the kid wants a fancy goldfish, so I guess the 18 gallon won't be tropical. (I got away with getting the new tank for the family, and so the family gets to choose what type of tank it will be. I have no choice in this any longer it seems. I'mtrying to get the women of the house to like guppies, but no luck yet. )

Bought a bunch of Anacharis from the plant nursery for the 7 gallon. The tank is filling up, but with plants instead of creatures

Recap of 7 gallon tank ideas above if anyone can help:

1. Currently there is one lone Oto. After a month, assuming he makes it, what do you think of a heavily planted Oto and shrimp tank? Say, three or four Otos total and a varied diet of algae/bottom feeder wafers and vegies?

2. If the lone oto can survive with the Goldie in the new tank (LFS says it can) what do you think of a brackish bumblee bee goby and shrimp tank? Do Gobies need more room or is 156 sq inches enough for a group? I would move plants to new tank.

3. (New) 3 Khuli loaches and 3 Otos in the 7 gallon? I've seen recs of Khulis and tetras for Betas for 5 gallon tanks, with less bottom surface area than mine... and I've got tubifex and bloodworms as food from the unwise Gourami visit. I'm thinking of giving away the cherry shrimp too (if I can catch them) to open up bottom dweller possibillities.

4. (New) Perhaps it is best to leave the tank as is for a couple of months, prune and replant the plants as they grow, and then reconsider the (overstocked?) ideas above after the tank is heavily planted?

Thanks again for the advice and help. Simply, I find Otos and bottom dwellers more interesting than even a Gourami or schooling fish, and am willing to dedicate this tank to them. I'll stop bumping and let the thread die if no responses.

 

[Menagerie]

3. (New) 3 Khuli loaches and 3 Otos in the 7 gallon? I've seen recs of Khulis and tetras for Betas for 5 gallon tanks, with less bottom surface area than mine... and I've got tubifex and bloodworms as food from the unwise Gourami visit. I'm thinking of giving away the cherry shrimp too (if I can catch them) to open up bottom dweller possibillities.

I like it! Of course, I love khulis. I have never had khulis with shrimp, but know that I have seen them that way at the LFS and one khuli was being eaten 8O He may have been dead already, but it wasn't a pretty sight. Since this tank is going in the heavily planted direction, go for 3 khulis and the 3 ottos. If there is enough hiding room, the shrimp may live happily there too. Part of it will depend on how large the khulis are when you buy them. Ones I have seen are tiny and very slender. They will fatten up, but it takes a awhile.

2. If the lone oto can survive with the Goldie in the new tank (LFS says it can) what do you think of a brackish bumblee bee goby and shrimp tank? Do Gobies need more room or is 156 sq inches enough for a group? I would move plants to new tank.

I like this too (except I have no idea about the oto and goldie)! I have many bb gobies in a 29 gal and they are quite active. However, I think your heart has to leaning towards khulis and otos

since the kid wants a fancy goldfish, so I guess the 18 gallon won't be tropical. (I got away with getting the new tank for the family, and so the family gets to choose what type of tank it will be. I have no choice in this any longer it seems. I'mtrying to get the women of the house to like guppies, but no luck yet. )

This is a shame since it will be you cleaning and caring for the tank. At most you will only be able to have two goldies in the tank and my guess is the tank will look empty (after all the LFS has so many pretty ones in one tank!) and it will not hold the attention of the household. I could be wrong, but let me try to help you in your tropical tank endeavor. First, explain that you will only have two goldies in the tank--show them pics of goldie tanks in people's galleries. Second, show them picks of German blue rams. Beautiful color, not fat like a goldfish, but, IMO, finage makes up for it (here's the best pic I have: http://www.aquariumadvice.com/photopost/showphoto.php?photo=6034&password=&sort=1&cat=500&page=2 ). Again, this can be a planted tank and with added natural wood to form caves, you may be lucky enough to get them to spawn. No offense to guppy lovers, but rams are way cooler

 

[czcz]

However, I think your heart has to leaning towards khulis and otos

It is! At last I have a definite plan for the tank, and your help/advice has gone a long way. Thanks.

this tank is going in the heavily planted direction...

I've just redone one side with Schultz soil in hopes it helps the stem plants. We'll see. With the soil, it looks more like a plant container than a fish tank I'll do the other side next week per the bacteria info I've read here.

re: 18 gallon
Your ram is very attractive. We have not watched any at LFS yet. I've relayed your info to the girls. The more I think about it, the more I'm okay with that tank's future in their hands. This household has different interests in everything and its okay if the family's tank isn't what I would choose. I don't think I'll try to convince the women of anything any longer, outside of stocking and fish health issues, with their tank. I don't mind the tank maint. Afterall, they have no say on my tank Again Menagerie, your posts have been a great help to me/us.

When the 7 gallon is stable and static, I'll post a pic again for anyone following this thread. Thanks to all for helping through this adventure.

 

[czcz]

Posting for closure; I think I'm done. I have to figure out some things: khuliis insist on digging through the cave sides, which ends with a cave filled with substrate. Its kind of cute. I've only seen two cherry shrimp for two days; not so cute. Starting with Flourish Excel soon per great advice in another thread. pH has been rising to 8.0 +/- .2 My nitrates finally dropped to 10-20 several days ago.

May get another oto, may not. The two seem happy, and I've seen them sucking on substrate while khuliis swam around and hung out. The tank has been more rewarding than I anticipated, and I look forward to it's interaction with an 18 gallon. Again, thanks to all.

:smilecolors:
Joe

 

[StyleUK]

Wow, sounds like an awsome tank. It would be so much easyer if we all planned it out like this.

 

[czcz]

Does anyone care if I update progress to this as I DIY with the tank? The tank is growing, check it out: http://www.aquariumadvice.com/viewtopic.php?t=41205&sid=a7f62a6ffc5746ea9e837805b61b503c - sump project

 

[czcz]

Added 8g @ ~21gph via sump. Pics vis links on my "homepage" and sig if interested.

Any objections to:
2-3*Cherry barb
4*Kuhlii Loach
3*Otocinclus
3*Amano Shrimp
6*Cherry shrimp (currently have 3m/1f, want 3m/3f to encourage breeding. would move babies to plant clean-up in sump)

?

After two days of sumpness nitrates are <5 (not registering on test). Thanks again for the help and archives!

 

[SilverDragon]

Bettas


Hi. Im new to this site and I just want to comment on Bettas being "boring". In a small bowl 1/2 gallon or less, yes a Betta can be very boring, but that is only because there is no where for him to swim around. I have my male betta in a 3 gallon tank which is the perfect size I think, and he swims everywhere and uses every millimeter of that tank. He is a very active fish, building bubblenests, flaring at his mirror, playing with bubbler. He has the most personality of any fish Ive seen. My female betta is the same... not shy and very active in the 5.5 gallon. She chases the Gourami around and has a blast. Bettas are great fish and fascinating to watch if given enough space.