Tank plans/ideas

I had Congos in my planted aquarium .. haven't got to that post yet but when I wanted to introduce Amano and cherry shrimp we decided to move them to another tank, they are easily the size of yellow labs (cichlids) now.

 

Thanks @Marcel_73 , I'll be sure to look out for that post! I also want to see if i can find some youtube videos of them in tanks as well. I find it very different watching videos/seeing actual fish swimming to just reading up on them and seeing pics of the fish themselves.

@A new day - thanks so much for that video, will definitely watch it and check out more of theirs.

 

I do love the looks of Congo tetras - the finnage on the males is gorgeous

 

Not the same as the others I generally like, but I rather like this layout as well, so just documenting it here for when I need inspiration.

 

I've been giving thought to the plans for this tank again.
Found MD fishtanks' video for his 4ft Amazon tank. Now that I like!


I've realized the reason I've been feeling intimidated about planting such a big tank, is because I figured I would need a ton of plants to fill it up. Most nicely planted tanks follow the jungle tank theme which seems to be a billion smallish plants, planted all over the tank, coming right up close to the front.
It looks stunning, when done right, but the thought of doing it right in the first place is really scary, and then the thought of maintaining all those small plants.
Plus i worry that the fish will hide in amongst the plants so much I won't be able to see them as much as I'd like.
I want to be able to sit across the room and look at the tank and see all (or most) of my fish swimming around, and maybe even some schooling behavior. I feel jungle style tanks take up too much of the swimming space for that.

But when I saw the Amazon tank I realized he's only used a handful of plants, because he's chosen really big plants. Those giant Amazon swords (there's only two but they're very prominent), some limnophilla sessilliflora (I know that will need regular trimming but I'm OK with that), and a few other things, mostly ludwigia. But the list wasn't at all long.

And of course he's got massive hunks of wood in there as well.

My tank can't have huge bits going out the top because A) I have bracing all around the top of my tank, and B) hubby still wants the tanks closed, so it will either have the big black canopy on or we'll get a glass lid cut for it.

The other thing I like about this tank is all that wood and majority of plants are right at the back, leaving the whole front open for swimming.

I do still have one other thought for how to scape it, and I might still do it (involves a crashed aeroplane ornament my husband saw a while back and really liked), but ya, between the Amazon tank and this other idea I have (kind of corner/triangle setup with "tree roots" coming down into the tank, surrounded by plants), I'm feeling more like I can actually get this scape looking good (once the goldfish move out of course).

Regarding stocking ideas, I will start with 23 neon tetras, 1 SAE, some ghost and neo shrimp, because that's what I have.

Other things in my current list are then as follows (these are all potential ideas, I won't necessarily actually get them all) :

General fish

• Lemon tetras (these are very likely)
• Rummy nose tetra (maybe, I'm not entirely sold on them, just keeping them here as a possibly maybe)
• Blue emperor tetra (this is not the same species as emperor tetra - I really like this so it's fairly probable)
• Flame tetra - very undecided because I can't get a fixed answer as to size. Some size less than 1", others say 1.6". I don't want ember tetra because I feel they're just too small for this tank, so if these are under 1" then they'll also be too small. I would like something bright red though.
• Which leads me to harlequin or espei rasbora.
• Or cherry barbs for red
• Dwarf neon rainbow fish - I really like these, but not sure if they're too similar to the blue emperors. They do grow to about an inch bugger than them though (2.5") so might be nice as a contrasting size.

(after measuring the goldfish I like the size and shape of for this tank, I realized the Congo tetras would be way too big. I'm also moving away from platties because I've become aware that live-bearers tend to have quite a high bioload. After the goldfosh I'm really aiming for low bioload fish. I love the low maintenance of my planted tank and how I dont have to constantly worry about sky high nitrate levels)

Lower down

• Kuhli loach - possibly, maybe. I know they have their issues, so it would likely be a later edition if I do get them.
• Cories - I still need to decide on the right kind. I'm aiming for not much bigger than 2" (at most 2.5"), but not as tiny as pygmy Cories.

Maybes

• Otocinclus
• Bristle nose pleco

Special fish / feature fish
I would likely only choose one species from the following list, unless I really think more can go together, and probably either just a single fish or one pair (although if I go the angel route I'll aim for a non-breeding pair)

• German blue ram - water temp might be an issue
• Apistogramma cacatuoides
• Angel fish
• Kribs - I haven't read up on these yet, was just shocked when I finally saw a Pic of one as to how cool they look.

Ive also seen this fish in a few videos I've been watching lately. Best I could figure it's a Beckfords pencil fish, but looking again I'm really not sure it is. Anyone able to ID it?

 

You're correct its a torpedo barb was thinking about them for my tank.

 

Thanks! Next up on Google list will definitely be torpedo barb then! I love the way they look.

 

Sadly it turns out that torpedo barbs (aka Denison barbs) grow up to 6 inches, should ideally be kept in groups of 6, and require a minimum tank size of 55 gallons, and often even that isn't big enough.

My tank is 55 gallons, but I aim to generally always go bigger than the bare minimum the fish needs. I don't want to land up back in the situation I'm in with the goldfish (be stressing they're running out of space).

I already have an SAE that might grow to 6 inch (best guess I can get at the moment is he's between 2.5-3" currently. I don't really want to add more 6" fish. Am aiming to stick to fish that max out at 2-2.5", with only a few exception (e.g maybe one pair of apistos, or perhaps kuhli loaches etc). But the schooling/shoaling fish I'd prefer to keep under 2.5".

So sadly will have to pass on these beauties.

 

ROFL. Nope, at the moment this is all planning and dreaming.
Have to first build a pond so my goldfish can move out of the tank, and only then can I turn the tank into the planted community I bought it for. For now I just have to make do with the 65L for that purpose, so definitely no more fish buying just yet, just lots of dreaming.

 

leopard cories are my favourites, worth a look.

For feature fish, have you considered bolivian rams? Something a little unusual. Kribensis would be amazing as well

 

I read quite literally this morning that Bolivian rams prefer cooler waters to German blue rams so I definitely need to check them out.

I'm kind of leaning very much towards the apistogramma cacatuoides though.
Have also been thinking 3 or 4 honey gourami could look really nice.

Will definitely check out the leopard corries!

I'm kind of thinking I'll start with what I have, then add one more type. Then watch a bit and see what feels like it's missing. Add that. Watch, and see. Add next thing, watch and see, etc.
That way I don't kick myself for getting too many things all at once etc. So will probably be one new species per month or something.

The more finicky ones (kuhli loaches, apistos, rams, even the gourami's) , would be later additions, as I feel ready for them.

 

gouramis will really love a shrimpy snack, though, won't they?

 

Possibly.....

They're still part of the possibly, maybe, need-to-be-sure list.
I think that's also part of the reason why I'm leaning more towards wild type shrimp colors, so that they, like my ghosts, are better able to hide.

 

Oh wow, those leopard corys are stunning! And match my water parameters perfectly, including the intended temperature.

The Bolivian rams too are perfect! I'm going to have a tough time when it comes to deciding between rams or apistos! (though it seems they do just fine with dwarf gourami!)