Everybody's Favorite: Stocking!

[absolutangel04]

Yes, I mean dwarf puffer. But, I have a 5g tank that I am using for a grow out tank that I might convert over to a dp tank sometime. So, its more likely I will do something else with the 10g.

 

[absolutangel04]

I am thinking more and more about the clown killis. I can get a group of 6 pretty reasonably I think.

 

[nanofish]

I had to look up clown killis but I like those. I was looking up jellybean tetras today...you know just in case you didn't already have a lot to think about.

 

[absolutangel04]

Wow, I didn't even know those existed! Thanks.
Yeah, I have always really liked the clown killis, but they can be rather spendy and hard to find. Then I found them on the Wet Spot's website for a decent price, so now I am thinking about it! I don't know how many they have though, so there is a good chance I will take too long deciding and then they will be sold out.
If I got a group of the clown killis, I am thinking about what else could go with them too.

 

[jetajockey]

I'd go all native with a school of 4 or 5 pygmies, 4 or 5 least killies, and 3 or 4 pygmy sunfishes .

I don't know much about clown killies but if they behave like other killies in that size then you still hav ea lot of options.

 

[nanofish]

Since you love bottom dwellers I like Asian stone cats a lot. I've never kept them though and don't know about how hardy they are so I'll trust you on that. Second for me would be the habrosus.

 

[absolutangel04]

Yeah, the clowns seem to be your typical zippy little killis.
I will have too look around at a few more places too. The pygmy sunfish really are tempting me... What temp do you keep them at? I need a new heater for that tank, but some of the fish I am looking at might not need one.
Do the pygmy killis act about the same as the least killis?
I do love the Asian stone catfish. I have not seen them for sale anywhere recently though. Siva had them and said she had a hard time keeping them alive.
Another couple fish I really like are cpd and Microrasbora erythromicron.

 

[nanofish]

Room temp will work for the pygmy sunfish. I had thought about doing a native nano tank and had also looked at rainwater killis and least darters.
Same place that has the clown kilis has Asian stone cats just under a different name.

 

[absolutangel04]

Room temp will work for the pygmy sunfish. I had thought about doing a native nano tank and had also looked at rainwater killis and least darters.
Same place that has the clown kilis has Asian stone cats just under a different name.

Good to know. I must have scanned over it too quick and missed them. I definitely want some sort of bottom dweller. I have thought about cpo too. I have heard they will do fine with nano fish, but probably won't breed.

 

[absolutangel04]

Well, I made one decision. I think I have ruled out shellies. I really do like them, but I think I want to keep the embers in this tank. So, I guess thats actually 2 decisions! I just really love the embers. They are such cute little things!

 

[jetajockey]

I keep my natives at room temp also. I've collected all three of the mentioned species in the same area as well, and in the areas I've collected them from there has been variance in water temp anywhere from upper 60s to low 80s.

I like shelldwellers, and have some multis myself, but yeah, they really need a species tank.


As far as behavior goes, least killies aren't really killifish at all. They are more closely related to other livebearers, and their behavior is similar.

Pygmy killies behave similar to other true killifish, they are shoalers. It seems like the males like to stake off territories, in the tanks I keep mine in I will only see one male in any given area. Could just be me, though.

 

[absolutangel04]

Thanks. I was researching the least killis. I didn't know they were livebearers. They are cute little things.
I am still thinking about maybe leaving my embers in that tank though. They would be compatible with the clown killis it looks like. I could also get habrosus corys then, or the Asian stone catfish.
Part of my thinking is that I can cut down on the shipping cost if I get everything from the same place, then I could have more money for fish. I still am waiting for a shipping estimate from my store of choice though, so if its too much I will be back at square one.
Just to be clear, what is your room temp? I try to keep my house below 70. I have certainly not ruled out the sunfish and killis. If I decided on the sunfish, are there any other tankmates you would recommend? If I went that route I would move my embers into a 5g with a heater.

 

[jetajockey]

My tanks are usually around 72ish give or take. The lights actually keep my tank temps a little higher than room temps on some setups.

Given that I've found them in wildly varying places, both temperature and habitat, I've always just adapted them to whatever existing setup I wanted to put them into, rather than the other way around.


As far as tankmates go, It's your call really. Pygmy sunfish are fairly inactive. They spend a lot of time suspended under vegetation, or just hanging along the substrate line somewhere. I don't think they get stressed by a lot of activity, it's just not their thing. Since I've been keeping mine in a tank with hundreds of shrimp they have seemed to love it.

A topwater schooler would probably have little to no interaction with them, and they seem to ignore everything but their own species, in which the males will claim a section of the tank as a territory and then will try to lure the female into it. At that point he'll start doing his patented pygmy sunfish wiggle waggle (if you haven't seen this you will be sold after you do), in an attempt to get her attention.

 

[absolutangel04]

Sweet. These guys are seriously tempting. What sorts of frozen food do you use?

 

[jetajockey]

Just frozen thawed bloodworms. I know some other people big into these fish use blackworms, I bet they can be frozen and used in the same manner as well.

 

[absolutangel04]

Oh man, that is one of the cutest things I have ever seen a fish do! Wow.

Frozen bloodworms are not a big deal. I have never fed blackworms before. None of my current fish are difficult feeders.

 

[absolutangel04]

Just another note: I ruled out the Asian stone catfish. They seem to not like like much current and I think my filter would be too much for them. Its not mega-powerful or anything, but I think it would be too much for them. I was also thinking about a less common betta species, but I am finding a lot of info saying the say thing about them. They are not too crazy about any flow at all.

 

[absolutangel04]

I do still like the idea of the pygmy sunfish. Jeta, any other suggestion about where to find some? I am trying to keep the cost down if I can. I am considering the site linked to earlier in this thread.
What sort of gender ratio do they like?
If I don't go with these, I did find sparkling gouramis from a good place. They are another option for me as a centerpiece fish.

 

[jetajockey]

Sachs is a good place but very pricey IMO. Jonahsaquarium has them sometimes also.

I have some right now, but I don't think I have much of a selection. I am terrible at sexing them, but I know for sure that I have at least 1 e.evergladei and a few e.zonatum (unsexed).

As far as stocking goes, I forget what size tank this is, but ideally you'll want more females than males. Males can get territorial, but their territories are rather small, and a well planted tank can successfully house several males in it.

The problem with that, though, is it's hard to keep tabs on them to see how they are. They are reclusive by nature, so they do spend a lot of time in the shade somewhere just hanging out.

I definitely have some h.formosa (least killie) and (l.ommata) pygmy killie of both sexes (I THINK, I haven't really kept a tally) as well.

Sparkling gouramis are pretty cool, and probably much easier to find as well.

 

[absolutangel04]

Its a 10g.
I looked at both Sachs and Jonahs. Jonahs only has 1 species (zonatum for $12 plus shipping) and sach has a few more, but is a little high. Good to know both those places are good though. I was a little reluctant to try to order anything from somewhere I don't know about.
Yeah, I am thinking between the sparklers or the sunfish. No matter what, I do need to plant up my tank a little bit more. I am thinking about just doing a trip over to a friend's pond and taking some of his plants.
The place with the sparklers sells them in groups of 6. I think if I wanted fewer of them though that they would be pretty easy to re-home locally since they are a bit rare here.