40 Breeder (45 gal) South American inspired planted tank!

hey guys, im converting my 40 breeder reef to a planted tank with a south american inspired stocking! edit - making this a TRUE biotope with south american inverts and plants

Equipment
-150watt heater
-seachem tidal 55 HOB filter
-Current orbit marine IC pro LED light

projected fish stocking
-20 neon tetras
-15 pygmy cories
-1 angelfish
-2 blue rams
-1 bristlenose pleco

let me know what you guys think! im tearing down the reef tomorrow so ill update with pics soon

 

nice can’t wait to see it planted

 

nice can’t wait to see it planted

Any plant suggestions? Nothing with crazy light or c02 requirements tho

 

Well water wisteria has always grow like a weed for me Anubius is pretty good people say Vallisneria is hardy but it didn’t work for me it does look nice if you can grow it though Java moss is another one that normally grows mabye some cryptocorne and Amazon sword and Java fern you kind of have to see what grows for you make sure you use root tabs for those crypts swords and vallisneria

 

Well water wisteria has always grow like a weed for me Anubius is pretty good people say Vallisneria is hardy but it didn’t work for me it does look nice if you can grow it though Java moss is another one that normally grows mabye some cryptocorne and Amazon sword and Java fern you kind of have to see what grows for you make sure you use root tabs for those crypts swords and vallisneria

on second thought im going to make this a true biotope! any south american lant species other than amazon sword? i'll research this heavily
also if i do cardinal tetras instead of neons is there a smaller chance of them getting eaten?

 

I would think so seeing as they get bigger

 

on second thought im going to make this a true biotope! any south american lant species other than amazon sword? i'll research this heavily
also if i do cardinal tetras instead of neons is there a smaller chance of them getting eaten?

Then here's a list of fitting plants:
Brazilian Pennywort (Hydrocotyle leucocephala), Amazon Frogbit (Limnobium laevigatum), Riccia fluitans (a type of moss), Salvinia auriculata (swimming fern), Nymphea lotus (tiger lotus, only as a stand in, as it looks almost identical to south american species, but those are hard to get in the trade), Cabomba aquatica and Myriophyllum.

Whether you take cardinals or neons is not important, the size relation to the angelfish is the thing. A fully grown angel might eat a juvenile neon or cardinal, no matter what.

-20 neon tetras
-15 pygmy cories
-1 angelfish
-2 blue rams
-1 bristlenose pleco

Angelfish and rams need quite warm water. All the other species prefer it a bit cooler. Also combining dwarf cichlids with Corydoras most often doesn't work out the moment the cichlids start breeding.

If you want to make this a true biotope you might want to take a look on www.seriouslyfish.com . They give sources to their information, you find a lot of info on the habitats and water parameters. So I would start the stocking again with a "blank canvas". Pick one species you want to have in any case and tailor the tank around that species.

You also will want to research how to correctly adjust water paramaters with RO water, peat and/or leaf litter. For whitewater, clearwater or blackwater there are different parameters to keep. This article will give you an introduction. Blackwater river - Wikipedia
If you want it as close to nature as possible, an RO unit should be one of your most important investments.

Without giving you a concrete stocking list, here are some examples:

a. centerpiece dwarf cichlids:
- 1-3 dwarf cichlids (single male, a pair or 1m/2f)
- 10-15 pencilfish
- 10-15 small to medium tetras (those only if you do not want to breed the cichlids)

b. biotope community with focus on group fish
- 15-20 small to medium tetras
- 10-15 pencilfish or hatchetfish
- 10-15 Corydoras
- 2-3 small plecos (no bristlenose)

c. centerpiece bigger cichlids
- Angels, Festivums or Keyhole cichlids in appropriate number (I personally find the tank size to small and especially low for Angels)
- 10-15 medium tetras
- 10-15 Corydoras
- 2-3 small plecos (no bristlenose)

 

you can always rely on macZ to give you a really nice long informative answer

 

Then here's a list of fitting plants:
Brazilian Pennywort (Hydrocotyle leucocephala), Amazon Frogbit (Limnobium laevigatum), Riccia fluitans (a type of moss), Salvinia auriculata (swimming fern), Nymphea lotus (tiger lotus, only as a stand in, as it looks almost identical to south american species, but those are hard to get in the trade), Cabomba aquatica and Myriophyllum.

Whether you take cardinals or neons is not important, the size relation to the angelfish is the thing. A fully grown angel might eat a juvenile neon or cardinal, no matter what.



Angelfish and rams need quite warm water. All the other species prefer it a bit cooler. Also combining dwarf cichlids with Corydoras most often doesn't work out the moment the cichlids start breeding.

If you want to make this a true biotope you might want to take a look on www.seriouslyfish.com . They give sources to their information, you find a lot of info on the habitats and water parameters. So I would start the stocking again with a "blank canvas". Pick one species you want to have in any case and tailor the tank around that species.

You also will want to research how to correctly adjust water paramaters with RO water, peat and/or leaf litter. For whitewater, clearwater or blackwater there are different parameters to keep. This article will give you an introduction. Blackwater river - Wikipedia
If you want it as close to nature as possible, an RO unit should be one of your most important investments.

Without giving you a concrete stocking list, here are some examples:

a. centerpiece dwarf cichlids:
- 1-3 dwarf cichlids (single male, a pair or 1m/2f)
- 10-15 pencilfish
- 10-15 small to medium tetras (those only if you do not want to breed the cichlids)

b. biotope community with focus on group fish
- 15-20 small to medium tetras
- 10-15 pencilfish or hatchetfish
- 10-15 Corydoras
- 2-3 small plecos (no bristlenose)

c. centerpiece bigger cichlids
- Angels, Festivums or Keyhole cichlids in appropriate number (I personally find the tank size to small and especially low for Angels)
- 10-15 medium tetras
- 10-15 Corydoras
- 2-3 small plecos (no bristlenose)

That was very helpful! I do have an RODI unit as I am a former reefer! I'm going to consider what you've told me and what others have told me too, so hopefully I can come up with a more balanced stocking plan.

Firstly I do intend to make this a blackwater aquarium, I just added a fine white sand today and created some depth, some areas of the tank are 1 inch deep while others are as much as 6, I'll probably take out some sand because I am sold on an angelfish for a centerpiece fish. I'll just make sure I get a small one and if I feel it needs more vertical space (my tank is 16inches high) I'll either re-home it or upgrade!

I would LOVE hatchetfish but I made a silly modification to my tank that makes it incompatible with glass versa top lids, so I have to go without a lid, so no hatchets. Not really into pencil fish so here's what I was thinking.....

1 juvenile angelfish - who i'll use my judgement on wether it'll be rehomed or not when it gets big.
20 cardinal tetras
10 sterbai cories
2 Bolivian rams - cooler water than blue rams
1 lizard catfish
And whatever else u suggest I could squeeze in

Let me know what you think, adjustments will be made if you provide a sound argument for why they should be made, thanks again! Great help

 

Apistogramma are pretty cool

 

Apistogramma are pretty cool

Definitely a fish I'm going to consider, especially if I only keep angelfish short term
also im located in Vancouver, Canada, our tap water here is very soft, perfect for a SA biotope!
also what if i kept a single dwarf chiclid to avoid breeding, so i could keep my cory's? like instead of 2 bolivian rams what about 1 agassizi apistogramma and a bolivian ram?

Definitely a fish I'm going to consider, especially if I only keep angelfish short term
also im located in Vancouver, Canada, our tap water here is very soft, perfect for a SA biotope!
also what if i kept a single dwarf chiclid to avoid breeding, so i could keep my cory's? like instead of 2 bolivian rams what about 1 agassizi apistogramma and a bolivian ram?

also why no bristlenose?

 

1 juvenile angelfish - who i'll use my judgement on wether it'll be rehomed or not when it gets big.
20 cardinal tetras
10 sterbai cories
2 Bolivian rams - cooler water than blue rams
1 lizard catfish
And whatever else u suggest I could squeeze in

Ok, about the angel, it can end up stunted in hight-growth. Just FYI. I am more than uncomfortable to not say I'm not convinced about that.

I would suggest to keep the stocking density at that level. Small fish like tetras or pencils don't add much bioload, but the cichlids and catfish (additionally so by digging up mulm) do and blackwater is not the ideal setup for a dense stocking (see below).

And speaking of blackwater: Bolivian rams are not blackwater fish. Neither are Blue Rams. I would ommit them completely in favour of Apistogramma, Nannacara, Taeniacara or Dicrossus.

also what if i kept a single dwarf chiclid to avoid breeding, so i could keep my cory's? like instead of 2 bolivian rams

VERY good call. I was going to suggest that. Don't mix your dwarf cichlids, though. Interspecies interaction is unpredictable. It can go well, it can end with casualties.

also why no bristlenose?

a. not blackwater, b. compete for caves with dwarf cichlids, c. high bioload/require food supplements and that's messy business that's detrimental to water quality, d. grow too big. Smaller Peckoltia and Loricaria, aswell as Panaqolus, Parotocinclus and Otothyropsis (NOT actual Otocinclus!) are better choices.

Why stocking density has to be kept relatively low:
- While driftwood, botanicals and leaf litter beds help a lot with stability, they themselves add bioload from degrading and rotting. This keeps the nitrogen cycle running even in low pH, but also limits the stocking options.
- The fact that you can't add too many plants (nutrients and light are a problem, usually floaters and emersed species take over the tank, as only they have direct light and CO2) also limits the density. I have to add liquid fertilizers (in minimal amounts) otherwise all plants in my tank would die off within a week.
- ultimately also an aesthetic thing: Blackwater loses its charme when stuffed with tons of fish swimming around.

These here might be less of a probem the bigger the tank, but I would estimate in less than 120x60cm footprint it very much applies.
- territorial species limit the density in their level of the tank additionally.
- territorial species require certain structure (e.g. Apisto pairs or harems prefer dense driftwood accumulations, leaf litter and mulm) which may conflict the swimming space requirements of another species (Corydoras prefer open sand with some driftwood for cover)
- same goes for caves, you will see stressed dwarf cichlids, when they have to compete for those with catfish.

Hope that helps you to make your decisions.

 

Ok, about the angel, it can end up stunted in hight-growth. Just FYI. I am more than uncomfortable to not say I'm not convinced about that.

I would suggest to keep the stocking density at that level. Small fish like tetras or pencils don't add much bioload, but the cichlids and catfish (additionally so by digging up mulm) do and blackwater is not the ideal setup for a dense stocking (see below).

And speaking of blackwater: Bolivian rams are not blackwater fish. Neither are Blue Rams. I would ommit them completely in favour of Apistogramma, Nannacara, Taeniacara or Dicrossus.


VERY good call. I was going to suggest that. Don't mix your dwarf cichlids, though. Interspecies interaction is unpredictable. It can go well, it can end with casualties.

a. not blackwater, b. compete for caves with dwarf cichlids, c. high bioload/require food supplements and that's messy business that's detrimental to water quality, d. grow too big. Smaller Peckoltia and Loricaria, aswell as Panaqolus, Parotocinclus and Otothyropsis (NOT actual Otocinclus!) are better choices.

Why stocking density has to be kept relatively low:
- While driftwood, botanicals and leaf litter beds help a lot with stability, they themselves add bioload from degrading and rotting. This keeps the nitrogen cycle running even in low pH, but also limits the stocking options.
- The fact that you can't add too many plants (nutrients and light are a problem, usually floaters and emersed species take over the tank, as only they have direct light and CO2) also limits the density. I have to add liquid fertilizers (in minimal amounts) otherwise all plants in my tank would die off within a week.
- ultimately also an aesthetic thing: Blackwater loses its charme when stuffed with tons of fish swimming around.

These here might be less of a probem the bigger the tank, but I would estimate in less than 120x60cm footprint it very much applies.
- territorial species limit the density in their level of the tank additionally.
- territorial species require certain structure (e.g. Apisto pairs or harems prefer dense driftwood accumulations, leaf litter and mulm) which may conflict the swimming space requirements of another species (Corydoras prefer open sand with some driftwood for cover)
- same goes for caves, you will see stressed dwarf cichlids, when they have to compete for those with catfish.

Hope that helps you to make your decisions.

Very helpful. You've convinced me, I'll omit the angelfish, hurts to do so but I must put the fish first. I'll also omit the rams!

So here's what I was thinking.....

20 neon tetras
15 pygmy corydoras (I'll go back to pygmies since I'm removing the rams and angel)
1 loricaria whiptail catfish
1 apistogramma (cocatuides or agassizi... Help me choose please lol)
MAYBE a small school of 6 eques pencil fish If it's not too much.

As for the bioload, let me know if what I suggested is too much, I can remove some neon tetras, pygmy cories and omit the pencil fish altogether. I have a strong HOB filter, the seachem tidal 55, which performed great during my reefing days. The only thing is I don't not plan to use carbon or purigen as it would suck up my blackwater! Instead I'll keep up with water changes and add more sponges for biological filtration in the filter.

Let me know what you think, I want this tank to be authentic, balanced and most importantly, thriving for the fish inside. So if you suggest any more changes to this list, I will consider them heavily, although I believe you'll be very happy I've omitted the ram and angel haha. Let me know what you think, cheers!

 

That sounds great!

20 neon tetras
15 pygmy corydoras (I'll go back to pygmies since I'm removing the rams and angel)
1 loricaria whiptail catfish
1 apistogramma (cocatuides or agassizi... Help me choose please lol)
MAYBE a small school of 6 eques pencil fish If it's not too much.

Maybe only 10 neons if you want the pencilfish, which should be 10 too. Rest sounds good.

Apistogramma agassizii is suited for blackwater, A. cacatuoides is rather not as it is a white/clearwater species. If the species of Apisto is supposed to be likely to obtain, usually A. nijsseni, A. panduro, A. ortegai, A. hongsloi and A. baenschi should be available. With the pygmy cories, probably a species with a smaller mouth would be better.
Especially with blackwater apistos you can go reaaally obscure. But maybe try the easier species first, Apistos are a category of themselves in my opinion.

I would also recomment looking into the Genus Rineloricaia.

he only thing is I don't not plan to use carbon or purigen as it would suck up my blackwater! Instead I'll keep up with water changes and add more sponges for biological filtration in the filter.

I wouldn't use that either. Both is great in case one has to remove a med or something, but that's it. Biofiltration is important, as is mechanical in my opinion. Especially with Corydoras and Apistogramma a lot of mulm will be stirred up regularly. Do yourself a favour, do three stages: Course sponge, filterfloss, biological. Otherwise too much is caught in the biomedia (which will turn foul under the usual conditions) and the filter might also simply get clogged.

Cycling can take months, so I would start with 100% RO, and for the first 6 months use peat to lower the pH, while using leave litter and botanicals providing the ammonia for cycling from the start. With the plantmatter decomposing the pH will at one point be buffered in low range (5.5 - 6.5), so you can slowly tune down the amount of peat. I would regularly add more leaf litter, just let it rot, that's what you want.
Fish can be introduced after a month or two. Ammonia is relatively irrelevant under a pH of 6.8, so keep an eye on nitrite, although usually the archeans skip the nitrite step of the cycle. And whatever is produced, blackwater-suitable plants can absorb it so quickly, you will likely have to add ferts to keep those alive.

 

That sounds great!


Maybe only 10 neons if you want the pencilfish, which should be 10 too. Rest sounds good.

Apistogramma agassizii is suited for blackwater, A. cacatuoides is rather not as it is a white/clearwater species. If the species of Apisto is supposed to be likely to obtain, usually A. nijsseni, A. panduro, A. ortegai, A. hongsloi and A. baenschi should be available. With the pygmy cories, probably a species with a smaller mouth would be better.
Especially with blackwater apistos you can go reaaally obscure. But maybe try the easier species first, Apistos are a category of themselves in my opinion.

I would also recomment looking into the Genus Rineloricaia.


I wouldn't use that either. Both is great in case one has to remove a med or something, but that's it. Biofiltration is important, as is mechanical in my opinion. Especially with Corydoras and Apistogramma a lot of mulm will be stirred up regularly. Do yourself a favour, do three stages: Course sponge, filterfloss, biological. Otherwise too much is caught in the biomedia (which will turn foul under the usual conditions) and the filter might also simply get clogged.

Cycling can take months, so I would start with 100% RO, and for the first 6 months use peat to lower the pH, while using leave litter and botanicals providing the ammonia for cycling from the start. With the plantmatter decomposing the pH will at one point be buffered in low range (5.5 - 6.5), so you can slowly tune down the amount of peat. I would regularly add more leaf litter, just let it rot, that's what you want.
Fish can be introduced after a month or two. Ammonia is relatively irrelevant under a pH of 6.8, so keep an eye on nitrite, although usually the archeans skip the nitrite step of the cycle. And whatever is produced, blackwater-suitable plants can absorb it so quickly, you will likely have to add ferts to keep those alive.

firstly i'll stick with 20 neons and skip the pencilfish, not really THAT into them, the eques are kinda cool but i like a bit more color than they have to offer. Secondly, i can add filter floss for some mechanical filtration but i was a little confused on wether or not you endorse carbon/purigen for a blackwater tank, in my past blackwater tanks i would use rooibois tea to make the water black but the purigen would remove it in a matter of days, please clarify how i could utilize chemical filtration whilst acheiving a blackwater look. third, i wont skip the nitrite stage of the cycle, i know from reefing that that's a recipe for disaster, nitrite is still very toxic! luckily my tap water came out at a 6.0ph last time i checked so i shouldnt have to worry about buffering too much, although is still plan to add lots of botanicals and driftwood. I'll also utilize my rodi system to fill up the tank.

 

but i was a little confused on wether or not you endorse carbon/purigen for a blackwater tank,

I am against it. It is only useful in certain situations.

third, i wont skip the nitrite stage of the cycle, i know from reefing that that's a recipe for disaster, nitrite is still very toxic!

You misunderstood. In low pH the bacteria work differently. There the archaeans and bacteria are often species that turn ammonia directly into nitrates. So it is possible you never get a positive reading for nitrites but nitrates relatively early. The microfauna skips the nitrite stage in those cases. We have no influence on that. May happen, often does, but it may also not.

luckily my tap water came out at a 6.0ph last time i checked so i shouldnt have to worry about buffering too much, although is still plan to add lots of botanicals and driftwood.

The botanicals tend to buffer (I mean stabilize) in that pH range anyway. I mentioned that just in case you thought of a possible unwanted pH crash.

 

I am against it. It is only useful in certain situations.


You misunderstood. In low pH the bacteria work differently. There the archaeans and bacteria are often species that turn ammonia directly into nitrates. So it is possible you never get a positive reading for nitrites but nitrates relatively early. The microfauna skips the nitrite stage in those cases. We have no influence on that. May happen, often does, but it may also not.

The botanicals tend to buffer (I mean stabilize) in that pH range anyway. I mentioned that just in case you thought of a possible unwanted pH crash.

Thank you for clarifying. I didn't realize ammonia could go straight into nitrates, very interesting and I'll read up on that. I now see what you meant by "3 stage filtration" I'll have my course sponge, filter floss and bio balls/ceramic for biological
If i can find one, would a banjo catfish work?
Do you know of any invertebrates i could keep in an amazon biotope? i know i can do ramshorn snails and mystery snails but any crabs, shrimp or crayfish?

 

Thank you for clarifying. I didn't realize ammonia could go straight into nitrates, very interesting and I'll read up on that. I now see what you meant by "3 stage filtration" I'll have my course sponge, filter floss and bio balls/ceramic for biological
If i can find one, would a banjo catfish work?
Do you know of any invertebrates i could keep in an amazon biotope? i know i can do ramshorn snails and mystery snails but any crabs, shrimp or crayfish?

Is this a type of vampire shrimp?

 

If i can find one, would a banjo catfish work?
Do you know of any invertebrates i could keep in an amazon biotope? i know i can do ramshorn snails and mystery snails but any crabs, shrimp or crayfish?

Banjo catfish would be a fit technically, but half the stocking list would end up as food for those. And if a cory is involved likely both fish are lost.
No invertebrates for your set-up, sorry. Snails die off in blackwater, most shrimp do as well. Euryrhynchus amazoniensis would be the only commercially available species of blackwater shrimp. And they still need a higher GH, making them not a true blackwater species. But the closest possible.

Is this a type of vampire shrimp?

Same genus, but that's all I know. Never heard of them before. Seem to be a brackish/coastal species.

 

Banjo catfish would be a fit technically, but half the stocking list would end up as food for those. And if a cory is involved likely both fish are lost.
No invertebrates for your set-up, sorry. Snails die off in blackwater, most shrimp do as well. Euryrhynchus amazoniensis would be the only commercially available species of blackwater shrimp. And they still need a higher GH, making them not a true blackwater species. But the closest possible.


Same genus, but that's all I know. Never heard of them before. Seem to be a brackish/coastal species.

Ok I'll just stick with what I previously planned, thanks. Tank got filled up today and I'm starting the aquascape!

 

I'm excited to see the final setup.

 

I'm excited to see the final setup.

I'll keep you guys posted!

 

I'll keep you guys posted!

Hey I'm reconsidering adding some hatchetfish, I have no lid, would it be okay if I used alot of Amazon frogbit or would they still jump?

a little cloudy but she's filled and mostly hardscaped!

 

Can't see much yet, but a good start. You will need a lot more leaf litter, smaller branches, twigs, maybe some nice rounded river rocks...

About the Hatchets... I honestly can't tell. I'm myself a freak for pencilfish. My experience in general is, fish tend to jump less with floating plants. You could also try to put pennywort around the rim. My pencilfish don't jump although they are known for it. Maybe short bouts at the surface when chasing each other, but no actual jumping. But for hatchets... No guarantees.

 

Can't see much yet, but a good start. You will need a lot more leaf litter, smaller branches, twigs, maybe some nice rounded river rocks...

About the Hatchets... I honestly can't tell. I'm myself a freak for pencilfish. My experience in general is, fish tend to jump less with floating plants. You could also try to put pennywort around the rim. My pencilfish don't jump although they are known for it. Maybe short bouts at the surface when chasing each other, but no actual jumping. But for hatchets... No guarantees.

i might try it then, but i'll wait unti all my floating plants grow in

i might try it then, but i'll wait unti all my floating plants grow in

also i have ALOT more leaf litter coming in next week, same with alder cones!

 

Tipp for the alder cones: Shake the dry cones in a small box. You want as few seeds in your tank as possible. They also rot very slowly, so at one point stop adding more and either make extract from them or add them in a filterbag, hang them in a corner for a week and then switch them out. Extract has proven more effective and economic.

 

Tipp for the alder cones: Shake the dry cones in a small box. You want as few seeds in your tank as possible. They also rot very slowly, so at one point stop adding more and either make extract from them or add them in a filterbag, hang them in a corner for a week and then switch them out. Extract has proven more effective and economic.

i'll do that! in my previous blackwater tank (was about 2 years ago) i used roobois tea to create the blackwater look (as i saw Tanner from the well known channel serpadesign had done the same) would you recommend this?

i'll do that! in my previous blackwater tank (was about 2 years ago) i used roobois tea to create the blackwater look (as i saw Tanner from the well known channel serpadesign had done the same) would you recommend this?

Also, mystery snails are south american but are they blackwater friendly?

 

Rooibos is the more expensive solution for me, so I stick to alder cones. Rooibos has no impact on pH, though. It's just cosmetic. Although there are some things in there that are beneficial for the fish. Still no impact on water parameters.

Snails are done for in Blackwater. 0 GH and pH below 6 kills off pretty much every type of snail.

 

Rooibos is the more expensive solution for me, so I stick to alder cones. Rooibos has no impact on pH, though. It's just cosmetic. Although there are some things in there that are beneficial for the fish. Still no impact on water parameters.

Snails are done for in Blackwater. 0 GH and pH below 6 kills off pretty much every type of snail.

I'm gonna miss the inverts! Never had a fish only tank without Inverts, I loved bamboo shrimp and dwarf crayfish when I first started out in the hobby about 6 years ago. This will be a cool tank tho, pygmy cories, whiptail catfish, neon tetras, apistogramma and maybe a small school of hatchets!

 

Hopefully the hatchets won’t jump out, I have read that they jump through the tiniest gap, but maybe the floating plants will put them off. I have not tried frogbit but my water lettuce will completely cover the top, almost like a lid if I let it, I usually clear a bit out each week though. I like the sound of your tank and stocking, and look forward to more pictures when it is all set up.

By the way, I think mystery snails are from Asia.

 

Hopefully the hatchets won’t jump out, I have read that they jump through the tiniest gap, but maybe the floating plants will put them off. I have not tried frogbit but my water lettuce will completely cover the top, almost like a lid if I let it, I usually clear a bit out each week though. I like the sound of your tank and stocking, and look forward to more pictures when it is all set up.

By the way, I think mystery snails are from Asia.

I probably won't do the hatchets unless I can figure out how to properly cover the tank. Maybe I was thinking of apple snails, I can't keep them either way
i've decided not to do hatchetfish, as much as i love them. no use wasting innocent fish lives just to see if they wont jump.

Rooibos is the more expensive solution for me, so I stick to alder cones. Rooibos has no impact on pH, though. It's just cosmetic. Although there are some things in there that are beneficial for the fish. Still no impact on water parameters.

Snails are done for in Blackwater. 0 GH and pH below 6 kills off pretty much every type of snail.

i've been watching alot of videos on neon tetras, and i noticed that they tend to school in the bottom 1/3 of the tank. this might actually put me off from them as i dont want too many fish at the bottom. I am going to reconsider pencilfish as a top dwelling - less jumping - prone alternative to hatchetfish, i am fond of the eques pencilfish and their 45 degree swimming stance.

how does this stocking list sound?
1 apistogramma agassizii
1 whiptail catfish of the genus loricaria (i'll research more and find a species)
15 pygmy corydoras or 10 regular sied cories (i'll decide on a species later if i go that route)
15 black skirt tetras (kept these in the past in smaller tanks and i feel my 45g is a better size for them)
10 eques pencilfish

let me know what you think!

 

1 whiptail catfish of the genus loricaria (i'll research more and find a species)

Just that one more comment: I meant the group Loricariinae.
Because the Genus Loricaria itself contains quite big species. You want to go smaller.

Otherwise: Love that stocking plan.

The N. eques might be hard to get the next few months. Usually they come in as wild caught (commercial breeding hasn't worked out yet), so as the season is comin to an end, it might not be possible to get them before spring. Take that time to let the tank basically overgrow with floaters. They'll appreciate the cover.

 

Just that one more comment: I meant the group Loricariinae.
Because the Genus Loricaria itself contains quite big species. You want to go smaller.

Otherwise: Love that stocking plan.

The N. eques might be hard to get the next few months. Usually they come in as wild caught (commercial breeding hasn't worked out yet), so as the season is comin to an end, it might not be possible to get them before spring. Take that time to let the tank basically overgrow with floaters. They'll appreciate the cover.

I'll read up on the loricariinae Catfishes and find one I like

 

hey guys, im converting my 40 breeder reef to a planted tank with a south american inspired stocking! edit - making this a TRUE biotope with south american inverts and plants

Equipment
-150watt heater
-seachem tidal 55 HOB filter
-Current orbit marine IC pro LED light

projected fish stocking
-20 neon tetras
-15 pygmy cories
-1 angelfish
-2 blue rams
-1 bristlenose pleco

let me know what you guys think! im tearing down the reef tomorrow so ill update with pics soon

you will end up having 1 angel fish, 2 rams, and 1 pleco because the angel will eat the other fish. get some cardinal tetras and some corydoryas sterbai instead. same amount though. get a coupel more angels. they are social like discus

 

you will end up having 1 angel fish, 2 rams, and 1 pleco because the angel will eat the other fish. get some cardinal tetras and some corydoryas sterbai instead. same amount though. get a coupel more angels. they are social like discus

Read the whole thread, this stocking plan has evolved to....

10 eques pencil fish
15 black skirt tetras
10 sterbai corydoras
1 apistogramma agassizii
1 whiptail catfish

 

Just that one more comment: I meant the group Loricariinae.
Because the Genus Loricaria itself contains quite big species. You want to go smaller.

Otherwise: Love that stocking plan.

The N. eques might be hard to get the next few months. Usually they come in as wild caught (commercial breeding hasn't worked out yet), so as the season is comin to an end, it might not be possible to get them before spring. Take that time to let the tank basically overgrow with floaters. They'll appreciate the cover.

I am fond of the Red Lizard Catfish (rineloricaria sp.), member of the loricariidae family. They are tank bred and only reach about 4.4inches (11cm) in length. Would you recommend this catfish for my generic "whiptail catfish" species?

I am fond of the Red Lizard Catfish (rineloricaria sp.), member of the loricariidae family. They are tank bred and only reach about 4.4inches (11cm) in length. Would you recommend this catfish for my generic "whiptail catfish" species?

if that doesnt work can you recommend a pleco species that would work? thanks

 

They're a good choice.

 

They're a good choice.

thanks! Any pleco genus or species i can look into just incase i find one i like better?

 

i kind of like the zebra pleco, would that work?

 

I wouldn't put those in there. Also very expensive if you want the real deal (L046) and not the "cheap" ones (L129) are also not really a fit. These fancy plecos have some bioload and with the right group size you'd have to ommit another species for the tank.