40 gallon biotope build

[absolutangel04]

I always think its much safer in a community to not have any potentially territorial fish breeding. Especially when it comes to some of these species that seem a bit rarer in the aquarium trade where its harder to find out about people's experiences with them.

 

[nanofish]

Given my circumstances I wasn't planning to breed anyway. I had meant that more along the lines of different species since there's just a lot I like. Ok yeah a bunch of them aren't all that common but I'm still looking into them. My kitty tetras and red lizards aren't super common but they should be.

 

[absolutangel04]

Ok. I understand. Sorry, I was indeed thinking about multiples of the same species. I think your tank would look pretty cool if you got one of the more colorful dwarf cichlids to go in it though.

 

[nanofish]

You mean not a yellow or red one like all the other fish?

 

[absolutangel04]

Lol, I think even yellow or red would be fine if thats what you want. Of course, a blue fish would realy pop out.

 

[nanofish]

Popping out would be good for a centerpiece. Seems that most dwarf cichlids are silver, red, or yellow. Which ones are blue beside GBRs? Not even considering those.

 

[absolutangel04]

Laetacara sp. 'buckelkopf'
That is the only one I can currently think of.

 

[nanofish]

You found info on them I really like them now that I'm seeing them. No I just need convinced to stop looking for other fish. I just hope I can still find them when I'm ready to order more.

 

[absolutangel04]

Yeah, I am not sure how much of a regular fixture they are at The Wet Spot. You will have to re-check the list when you are closer to considering an order.
This is one of the best bits I found about them. Info does seem a bit scarce.

 

[nanofish]

That's another reason I'm looking into a bunch of different fish. I could get it now but I think the shipping would be bad. I'd rather get a larger group so that the cost is spread out. Sadly I don't have many options around here for dwarf cichlids. I haven't checked aquabid either.

 

[absolutangel04]

Yeah, if you don't have an lfs, then you must be limited to shipped fish. Since they can sometimes be sensitive, its not something I would even trust a chain store to order for you (unless the store happened to be phenomenal).
It never hurts to check aquabid though.

 

[nanofish]

Fish this week. Just not sure yet. Oil cats and kitty tetras or a dwarf cichlid and possibly something else.

 

[nanofish]

So if I go buy the oil cats I can also chose from a few dwarf cichlids if I don't want to buy them offline. It looks like the pet store has double red and blue agassizi, dwarf flags, and really cheap golden dwarfs. I need to finally make up my mind.

 

[absolutangel04]

I know I have asked this like 12 times, but its late, so you please remind me of your current stock? Sorry.
Do you want a couple different species and just 1 of species?

 

[nanofish]

Current is
8 rosy tetras
2 kitty tetras
1 gold tetra
1 silvertip tetra
5 sterba's corys
3 red lizards

No idea. It's later here so my excuse is better. I thought you told me to go with one species.

 

[absolutangel04]

Ok, you should be fine with a dwarf cichlid plus the oil cats. I think its better for you to get the oil cats first and then see whats its like with them in there since its always easier to add fish than to remove fish.
Its hard for me to say for sure about dwarf cichlids without knowing exactly how the oil cats will be. I would think at least 1 dwarf cichlid would be fine though.
I think the blue aggassizi would make a nice colorful centerpiece for you, but I am sure that any of those options would work.

 

[nanofish]

The blue agassizi aren't really all that blue from what I've seen. Of course for all I know they could be blue steels since I heard those are sometimes sold as either agassizii or borellii. Not that it matters too much except for looks.
I also thought of maybe a slightly larger catfish instead, but I wouldn't really see it.

 

[nanofish]

I might just skip the oil cats if I can't get them before they sell. If that's the case I'll get maybe the spadetail checkboards and more of either the corys or red lizards.

 

[nanofish]

Would a dwarf angel be ok with another kind of dwarf cichlid?

 

[absolutangel04]

I don't know for sure. I personally wouldn't do it if I was in your situation though. Angels can be testy, and the dwarf angels can be quite feisty. It could work, but I am not sure how you would deal with it if it didn't work out since you don't have a lfs to trade a fish in at if it didn't work out. But, that is just my guess based on my research of Leopold's angel. Maybe it would be worth trying. Its up to you and what you are comfortable with.