new 38gallon! suggestions?

[BlaseMrNiceguy]

So here is my new / upgraded tank.





I found this tank, stand, hood, and light on an awesome black friday sale and decided to put my 10 and 20 gallon together transfer everything and add some new stock so I like it so far but feel like somethings missing. Will be adding java fern in the middle and maybe 1-2 more moss balls. Any suggestions helpful.

Specs:
38 gallon (36x12x20)
Substrate-aqua soil anf carib sea moonlight sand
Lights-dual t5 light 1 zoo med flora sun max plant growth 1 6500k daylight
Filtration-3 aqueon queitflow 10 filters (upgrading to biowheel 350 as soon as I get my shipment from drsfostersmith.com)
200W heater
Temp-82 f

Plant list:
5 amazon swords
5 red wendetti
2 anubias barteri
6 bunches ambulia
Micro sword
Moss ball

Stock list:
9 dwarf spotted corys
8 kubatai micro rasbora
2 black neon tetra
2 male swordtail (1 is adolescent)
2 rosey barbs
1 oto

 

[Rivercats]

Something tall and verticle in the back such as Ambulia will give you a nice tall stem plant with a different leaf texture. Also adding a nice rock or group of rock or small piece of DW right were that moss ball is and accenting it with 3 Crypt Parva (they only get about 2" tall) would all alot more dimention to the tank.

 

[vanimal]

So here is my new / upgraded tank.

I found this tank, stand, hood, and light on an awesome black friday sale and decided to put my 10 and 20 gallon together transfer everything and add some new stock so I like it so far but feel like somethings missing. Will be adding java fern in the middle and maybe 1-2 more moss balls. Any suggestions helpful.

Specs:
38 gallon (36x12x20)
Substrate-aqua soil anf carib sea moonlight sand
Lights-dual t5 light 1 zoo med flora sun max plant growth 1 6500k daylight
Filtration-3 aqueon queitflow 10 filters (upgrading to biowheel 350 as soon as I get my shipment from drsfostersmith.com)
200W heater
Temp-82 f

Plant list:
5 amazon swords
5 red wendetti
2 anubias barteri
6 bunches ambulia
Micro sword
Moss ball

Stock list:
9 dwarf spotted corys
8 kubatai micro rasbora
2 black neon tetra
2 male swordtail (1 is adolescent)
2 rosey barbs
1 oto

You could start out by adding more Rosy Barbs and Black Neon Tetras. I think 3 Kuhli Loaches would be cool and maybe a pair of Rams.

 

[BlaseMrNiceguy]

Will be adding 3-5 more of each of those fwhen I get the chance

 

[BlaseMrNiceguy]

Any other comments or suggestions?

 

[vanimal]

Any other comments or suggestions?

Do you like Loaches or Rams?

 

[LilBangarang]

Loaches and rams are both great choices. A school of kuhli or yoyo loaches and two or three rams will really stand out from you others.

 

[vanimal]

Loaches and rams are both great choices. A school of kuhli or yoyo loaches and two or three rams will really stand out from you others.

Yeah I agree

 

[Mrs.h2012]

Loaches and rams are both great choices. A school of kuhli or yoyo loaches and two or three rams will really stand out from you others.

I got a bolivian ram on Friday and absolutely love him. I have without a doubt found my all time favorite fish. He is by far the most interesting fish I've ever had.

 

[Rivercats]

Loaches and rams are both great choices. A school of kuhli or yoyo loaches and two or three rams will really stand out from you others.

If you do Rams I would suggest a pair of Bolivian Rams. They aren't as colorful as GBR's but much hardier. If you want GBR's then you should wait about 6 months as they do much better in mature tanks. Also all rams are sensitive to nitrates and need pristine water conditions. The reason I suggest a pair of rams is because three rams will fight, alot. Even with one male and two females. The male will pick a female and the pair will harass the 3rd.

 

[vanimal]

If you do Rams I would suggest a pair of Bolivian Rams. They aren't as colorful as GBR's but much hardier. If you want GBR's then you should wait about 6 months as they do much better in mature tanks. Also all rams are sensitive to nitrates and need pristine water conditions. The reason I suggest a pair of rams is because three rams will fight, alot. Even with one male and two females. The male will pick a female and the pair will harass the 3rd.

I like GBRs more for that reason. They have awesome color once they get settled into their new tank. I saw these electric blue ones at my LFS this weekend and they looked even cooler.

 

[BlaseMrNiceguy]

I have kept rams in the past and love them but try to stay away. im trying to rehome the 2 swordtails but picked up five more black neons and five more barbs today. I am adding some more plants in the next few days and am hoping to rehome the swordtails by then. I have seen some blue bolivian rams in the past maybe ill look into them.

 

[Fishy Smell]

Yeah, i've found standard rams impossible to keep alive, and that seems to be a common problem. It always seemed to be after a fairly large water change, like the water parameters changed too much maybe. Bolivian rams are cool, not as colourful but if you are patient and wait for good specimens at the lfs they can look almost as good. They are much hardier. I have 3 in total, spread across 2 tanks.

Apparently, keeping only 2 black neons usually results in the death of 1 so you should keep a shoal of 6-8. This is just what i've read, i don't have personal experience.
I do have experience of Rosy Barbs, and as stunning as they can be (if you get good specimens), they also need to be in 6's and cannot be housed with anything with long fins as they will rip them up (as i experienced with a 2 " angelfish i had with them). They are not as peaceful as people make out so be careful.

 

[Rivercats]

Yeah, i've found standard rams impossible to keep alive, and that seems to be a common problem. It always seemed to be after a fairly large water change, like the water parameters changed too much maybe.

Actually well bred GBR's are not hard to keep. Problem is many rams originate from Asia where breeding techniques are questionable and hormones are often used on them. If you can find breeders or places like oddballfish that breed their own stock then the GBR's are as hardy as Bolivians. Also wild caught GBR's are still sold and they are very delicate. So the problem comes from the stock people buy not knowing where the rams came from. I have 11 GBR's, Golds, and Electric blues right now and have had them for over a year. I do 50% WC's weekly even in the 220g planted that has 6 of those Rams and a pair of Bolivians in it. What they are sensitive to is nitrates. They also do better in mature tanks probably because water parameters are more stable.