The Forty Gallon Breeder Build

[bruinsbro1997]

My nerite snails don't touch my plants, which is where it's primarily growing. Similarly, they're not touching the ones on the substrate either.

What's weird is that I've been dosing extra Flourish and it's not going away at all. I wonder what's wrong.

I've been considering getting amano shrimp for about a month now, especially since I got the break-out of hair algae. I kinda grew the java moss and put the driftwood in so they could hide just in case. Should I get some?

 

[QuietPlotter]

Yes they look fun!

 

[absolutangel04]

Sorry I have been gone for a few days (my computer pooped out), but here I am now! Anyhow, I LOVE shrimp, so I am definitely a fan of having them. I have heard the amanos get big enough and fast enough that even decently sized fish don't bother adults. I personally think a few would be awesome in your tank.

 

[bruinsbro1997]

Awesome! Can't wait to add them in.

I have decided to keep the GBR, but get rid of all anatabatoids and start fresh with just a nice pair of pearl gouramis or moonlight gouramis. Then have a trio of either guppies, platies, or endler's livebearers. After, I'll add a few more cories, and maybe two more schools, completely finishing my stock. No mas. End of stocking story.

This hair algae is really giving me a hard time. It's spread to all my java moss and my rotala on the left hand of the tank as well. I've been doing Excel spot treatments and have even been dosing directly on it with a syringe, taking it out little piece by piece, nothing. What do I do?

Also, does anyone recommend a cheap CO2 system that is reliable? Any specific brands? How do they exactly work? I know you have your can of CO2, your drop checker, your diffuser, intake, valve, but how do you get it up and running so that it's safe for both the plants and fish?

 

[absolutangel04]

Sorry, I have no info on the other questions. But the moonlight gouramis look amazing! I have no experience with them, but they are lovely. I am a huge fan of the pearls personally. I do know they can be rather sensitive, but they are so lovely. And another plus about the pearls is that they are less testy in temperament than many of the other gourami species IMO.

 

[bruinsbro1997]

Hahaha you wish Maybe when I visit WA, I'll ship it to your house

So, this sound good?

X2 pearl gouramis
X1 GBR
X10 rasboras
X3 guppies/platies/endler's, hmm...
X10 bronze cories
X__ ____________
X__ ____________
Still think I have room for two schools? No?


Anabatoids=any labrinyth fish, like bettas and gouramis

BTW if I ever do change my stock again (not counting inverts or plants) I will personally pay off your student loans

 

[absolutangel04]

LOl, be careful what you say, university is expensive, so I have A LOT of debt. Lol.
@GBoy, anabatoids are labrythn breathers, so he meant his last honey gourami (I think he still has one) and all the bettas.

Truthfully, I would stock would add 1 more school, not 2. Besides, if you stock a school of 10 or more of something, it really looks so much more impressive. If it was me, I would also add an algae eater of some sort. I just think algae eaters are so cool with their cute little sucker mouths. I whiptail cat would be awesome. Another cool one is the farowella (not sure if I spelled that right).

 

[bruinsbro1997]

Pssshhh! I have like 100Grand saved up in the bank for you to spend, where you think I get all this money for the tank, my parents?

Two schools it is!
Q: What looks better: a school of cardinal tetras or a school of threadfin rainbows?

I've been thinking about algae eaters but am not sure what to do. I like the look of them, but don't want them to get into conflicts with my cories and ram. I was thinking SAE but heard they always like being together in groups a lot better. I thought of otos but seeing that I've had my fair share of sensitvie fish (remember those dang rummies? Was so tempted to buy them at the store the other day) I decided against those too. I was thinking a plec, but they might as well eat my shrimp. And unfortunately none of my LFS have any specialty catfish other than those weird snowflake/peppered/golden nugget plecos that are like 70 dollars a piece.

 

[Gboy66]

Hahaha you wish Maybe when I visit WA, I'll ship it to your house

So, this sound good?

X2 pearl gouramis
X1 GBR
X10 rasboras
X3 guppies/platies/endler's, hmm...
X10 bronze cories
X__ ____________
X__ ____________
Still think I have room for two schools? No?

Anabatoids=any labrinyth fish, like bettas and gouramis

BTW if I ever do change my stock again (not counting inverts or plants) I will personally pay off your student loans

*cough* Peacock eel *cough* *cough*

Lol

I say that you should get a darker color tetra, since you already have the orange in the rasboras. I think that 10 cardinals would look really cool, with that orange and black swimming alongside the blue and red...

I also say go endlers.. Platys and mollys are too..common!

 

[absolutangel04]

Lol, $100 grand would just BARELY cover it.
Personally, I like cardinals better, but thats just my opinion. I have never kept the SAE before, but I do know they like groups and get decently sized. I am not sure if they would be a good choice for this tank or not. Yeah, I don't have any cool catfish varieties in stores near me either. I have to roder anything online that is cool. I have had really good experiences with otos so I recommend them. But I also have had a really good experience with my rummies, and that didn't go well for you.... If you ever see pitbull plecos, they are great. I liked mine much better than my otos, and they are pretty similar in size. But, shrimp are really super cool, so I would totally understand if you just want to stick with the shrimp. I don't remember, do you have a nerite snail too?

 

[bruinsbro1997]

*cough* Peacock eel *cough* *cough*

Lol

I say that you should get a darker color tetra, since you already have the orange in the rasboras. I think that 10 cardinals would look really cool, with that orange and black swimming alongside the blue and red...

I also say go endlers.. Platys and mollys are too..common!

The only problem I have with cardinals is that it's the same body shape as the rasboras so it would look the same, but the last time I bought threadfin rainbows from there they all died, so....a-choo!-never, your peacock eel is too cool and if I got one it would be copying


My only concern is that the endlers might get eaten since they're so small.

Also, as far as inverts go, can I add:
-RCS
-tiger shrimp
-amano shrimp
-any snails or no?

 

[bruinsbro1997]

Lol, $100 grand would just BARELY cover it.
Personally, I like cardinals better, but thats just my opinion. I have never kept the SAE before, but I do know they like groups and get decently sized. I am not sure if they would be a good choice for this tank or not. Yeah, I don't have any cool catfish varieties in stores near me either. I have to roder anything online that is cool. I have had really good experiences with otos so I recommend them. But I also have had a really good experience with my rummies, and that didn't go well for you.... If you ever see pitbull plecos, they are great. I liked mine much better than my otos, and they are pretty similar in size. But, shrimp are really super cool, so I would totally understand if you just want to stick with the shrimp. I don't remember, do you have a nerite snail too?

Did I say 100Grand? Meant 100000Grand
That was my concern too. For them to be happy, I have heard minimum four in a 100 G tank.
Unfortunately, I can't order online
I could try otos....perhaps.

Yep, I have two nerites actually. Used to have three until one escaped the tank and found it on the floor dried up -_-

 

[Gboy66]

Did I say 100Grand? Meant 100000Grand
That was my concern too. For them to be happy, I have heard minimum four in a 100 G tank.
Unfortunately, I can't order online
I could try otos....perhaps.

Yep, I have two nerites actually. Used to have three until one escaped the tank and found it on the floor dried up -_-

4 pitbulls?

Do the nerites clean up well?

 

[absolutangel04]

No, I am pretty sure he meant 4 sae.
Without an angel, I wouldn't be concerned about the Endler's being eaten by anybody.

 

[absolutangel04]

Oh right, also, I would stick with the amanos because of their size. Rcs (or other dwarf shirmp) do not often do well living with fish honestly. Your ram would have the time of its life hunting them all down one by one IMO.

 

[aqua_chem]

You could try to get a schooling fish that's a little more outside the box? Lemon, Kerri, and Green Fire Tetras all come to mind if exotic characins are your thing.


Farowellas are cool, but they are even more flakey than otos. They would be a cool novelty if you can get one + keep it alive. A LFS has some, but I'm bad enough at keeping track of my algae eaters as it is.


Related fact: Did you know that two otos can hid in a planted 40B for a month?

 

[Gboy66]

The only problem I have with cardinals is that it's the same body shape as the rasboras so it would look the same, but the last time I bought threadfin rainbows from there they all died, so....a-choo!-never, your peacock eel is too cool and if I got one it would be copying


My only concern is that the endlers might get eaten since they're so small.

Also, as far as inverts go, can I add:
-RCS
-tiger shrimp
-amano shrimp
-any snails or no?

They are still cool! My second idea is a red fin minor tetra...really cool!

Its alright...you can copy haha i know you dont want one tho...i just like to mess

As for the endlers, are they really that small? I have never actually seen one in real life...all livebearer babies would make a tasty treat for your fishies!!

And the inverts, sounds good! Cant there be cross breeding thet produces undesirable colors of shrimp? I doubt offspring would survive anyways

 

[absolutangel04]

I would definitely not recommend red minors for this tank. IMO/E they are way too feisty and nippy to go with the pearl gouramis. They are lovely though, but their nippiness has made me very cautious of what tankmates I would recommend with them.

I suggest maybe just going to a couple of fish stores and lookgin at what schoolers they have and what looks nice to you. Since you can't order online, your options may be a bit limited to some of the more traditional tetras species, but they can still be amazing additions to the tank.

 

[aqua_chem]

Red minor tetra is another name for serpaes right?

 

[absolutangel04]

Red minor tetra is another name for serpaes right?

That is correct.