Feedback please

[Lauryn]

HI everybody, it's been around 6-months since I set up up my aquarium and I would love some feedback on how I can improve the setup.

54l aquarium
Fluval U2 filter
light and heater is whatever came with the starter kit - no idea
heater is fixed at 25 degrees C
40% water changes weekly

The Motley Crew
Female Betta - Striker
Female Platy
3 Corydoras
5 female Endlers
1 male Endler
1 Otocinclus
A few of Cherry shrimp

I have a algae issue which I think is due to to where the aquarium is located and and my plants don't seem to be doing very well lately. I stopped fertilising when I added the shrimp and now they are all dying.

 

[lilirose]

There are plenty of shrimp-safe fertilisers. I would recommend that you go back to using one. I'm not a huge fan of AqAdviser's stocking calculator- I would personally call that 100% stocked- though if you have healthy live plants, are keeping up the water changes, and are testing your parameters regularly with an ATI Freshwater Master Test Kit, you might be okay with that stocking level.

Your Endlers are likely to reproduce rapidly as you have both sexes, of course you need to keep an eye on that.

Also the Otocinclus is a shoaling fish and if you choose to keep one all alone it likely won't live too long. I also prefer to see Cory cats in a group of six or more, and I also prefer to see them in a 90l minimum size tank. If it were me I'd swap out the Oto and the three Albino Corys for six or eight Pygmy Cory Cats, but that's just my opinion/experience. If you're not willing to swap them, you might consider getting a few more Otos- they have a very low bioload and really are happier in groups.

 

[DoraCory]

If that were my tank I'd add more plants, but I'm a crazy plant lady so feel free to disregard my suggestion if that isn't your thing

 

[YellowGuppy]

Do you have any snails? I've really enjoyed both watching them and yielding the benefit of their algae consumption.

 

[Lauryn]

Do you have any snails? I've really enjoyed both watching them and yielding the benefit of their algae consumption.

I'm actually afraid of snails, I know they can't hurt me me but they give me the creeps

If that were my tank I'd add more plants, but I'm a crazy plant lady so feel free to disregard my suggestion if that isn't your thing

Lol! if my water wisteria ever grows I was hoping to let some float on the top as I'm not keen on the other floating plants. Are there any plants you could suggest?
fyI the reason my plants are in pots is because the corries dig them up

 

[AcuarioAmazonico]

Some hornwort?
Or even frogbit. It can look lovely if you put a airline ring to keep an open area to allow light...

 

[Lauryn]

There are plenty of shrimp-safe fertilisers. I would recommend that you go back to using one. I'm not a huge fan of AqAdviser's stocking calculator- I would personally call that 100% stocked- though if you have healthy live plants, are keeping up the water changes, and are testing your parameters regularly with an ATI Freshwater Master Test Kit, you might be okay with that stocking level.

Your Endlers are likely to reproduce rapidly as you have both sexes, of course you need to keep an eye on that.

Also the Otocinclus is a shoaling fish and if you choose to keep one all alone it likely won't live too long. I also prefer to see Cory cats in a group of six or more, and I also prefer to see them in a 90l minimum size tank. If it were me I'd swap out the Oto and the three Albino Corys for six or eight Pygmy Cory Cats, but that's just my opinion/experience. If you're not willing to swap them, you might consider getting a few more Otos- they have a very low bioload and really are happier in groups.

I've been really bad at using my API test kit lately the last check was 3 weeks ago it was 0,0, 5-10 nitrate.
I bought Seachem Flourish Comprehensive following a suggestion from a pet store however after I read the reviews online it seemed 50/50 with shrimp so I didn't use.
My male endler is very randy however the females are sooooo not interested and oftern chase him away, a couple have had Fry but they were all eaten bar 1.
I originally bought a pair but one died after a week so I tried to sell the remaning Otto but no one wanted to travel for one fish.
I agree with you you about my capacity so I'm a bit worried about adding anymore. If I did get more Ottos I would worry if there would be enough food for them to eat, the current Auto doesn't eat eat any of the courgette or pellets I added as a supplement

 

[lilirose]

Yes, it's true that Otos are hard to feed- they are usually wild caught and can't understand the concept of being fed by humans. Persistence works sometimes, other times not (it's less likely to work with an isolated Oto and chances are pretty good that it will die of starvation sooner or later). If you were thinking of having an actual shoal (six or more) you could start using a biofilm enhancer- they're normally sold for shrimp but biofilm is what Otos like best, too.

But again, if it were my tank I'd take it back along with the full-size Cory cats and get some Pygmy Corys that would be more suited to keeping in the proper numbers in that size of tank.

 

[Lauryn]

Some hornwort?
Or even frogbit. It can look lovely if you put a airline ring to keep an open area to allow light...

I like the look of the hornwort - now to find a seller in the uk