Help me choose the next addition!

mwelin

mwelin

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Nov 18, 2007
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It's a 40 gallon (tall) tank, the current residents are listed in my signature. It's been cycled for 2.5 months though I did have a mini cycle due to stupidity last month (vacuum the gravel under the hollow rock too, Einstein!) We're back to ammo. 0, nitrite 0, nitrate <20 and holding steady since early/mid-December.

I know we need to add a couple more danios. I lost one during the mini cycle. My littlest danio was trying to school with my angels (that did not go very well but he did survive) and has now given up and just sort of looks lonely. The other danios want nothing to do with him unless they're harassing him which they hardly ever do (I should name him Rudolph!) They grew faster for some reason but I know he's eating so I'm not entirely sure what is going on there.

ANYWAY. I'm considering adding 3 otos. We have loads of the brown diatoms right now that we've let build up this week but I can always just clean the tank instead, heh. It's not a planted tank so it's not ideal, I know. The soft green algae has started coming in as well. Obviously I'd have to supplement with wafers or green veggies and the LFS seemed pretty confident I wouldn't have a problem getting them to eat those things.

I'm considering possibly, maybe, adding more angels? Maybe not? Would that be a horrible idea?

I've thought about adding a snail instead of the otos...any thoughts on what type won't take over the tank and how many? I did love the big 3 inch snail I saw at my LFS back when we set up the tank but I've no idea what type it was. I just loved watching him glide across the glass eating.

I've 99% given up on the ADFs which were the inspiration for getting a tank in the first place b/c the 22" tall tank is just too risky IMO so I told my husband we needed a back up 5 or 10 gallon tank in case the frogs were not able to cope in the big tank...so far he's not willing to add another tank *sigh*.

I'm pretty sure there are at least 2 posts worth of questions here..maybe 3! Sorry :nilly:
 
For continuous supply of algae, try placing a bucket of water under direct sunlight. Get a few white rocks and add them to the bucket of water. Add a pinch of fishfood in it. You should expect some green algae growing in them for the otos and other algae eaters to feed. Alternate the use of white rocks so you'll have a constant supply of algae.

I'd rather have apistos and rams over angelfish for a 40g. As for snails, try mystery snails.:) You can look over www.applesnail.net for more information on their care and feeding or simply ask in Freshwater Inverts everything you want to know. msjinkzd along with a few others who keep mystery snails will be more than happy to help you.:)

If you like tetras, please let me know so I can prepare a list for you.:grinyes: Make a list of the other fish you want to really keep so I can try to delete species of tetras that will not work well together.:)
 
be careful when adding oto's to a tank with angels..
sometimes the oto's wind up as food for angels.

if you have small angels and can find larger oto's you may be able to pull it off.I have found my angels like to eat otocinclus.
one way to avoid this is to keep the oto's in a heavily planted tank or have a place where the oto's can retreat.
 
Maybe 4 more danios and some cories and/or loaches for the bottom? 6 peppered, sterbai, skunk, juhlii, etc, or 8 panda, pygmy or dwarf would be nice.
 
I'm going to have to google all these suggestions, I haven't even heard of some of these fish, lol.

Would tetras stress my gouramis? They're OK with the danios so far I just don't want to add too many quick little fish if it will bother them. I seem to recall reading that gouramis can be stressed by overly active tankmates?

I would have to set up a heated/lighted tank in the basement for growing algea...I have no where indoors that I could put a bucket in the sun where my 3 year old wouldn't be able to get into it. I wonder what my husband would say to my starting an algae farm? Ha!
 
star_rider said:
be careful when adding oto's to a tank with angels..
sometimes the oto's wind up as food for angels.

if you have small angels and can find larger oto's you may be able to pull it off.I have found my angels like to eat otocinclus.
one way to avoid this is to keep the oto's in a heavily planted tank or have a place where the oto's can retreat.
Click to expand...

Are Zebra Angels considered "small" angels?

There are some caves that the angels can't fit into that I built originally for the ADFs, I started with 1" terracotta pots and added aquarium safe river rock. I've adjusted the angle now so they are less open to the top of the tank. I think those would work and I do intend to add further plant cover as well.

cave.JPG
 
Dwarf Puffers said:
Maybe 4 more danios and some cories and/or loaches for the bottom? 6 peppered, sterbai, skunk, juhlii, etc, or 8 panda, pygmy or dwarf would be nice.
Click to expand...

Corys might work, I'll run that past my husband. Thanks!
 
jm1212 said:
i wouldnt add any more angels to your tank.

the brown algea will stop on its own. instead of getting fish to get rid of it, scraping it off would be a better idea.

how about a school of rummynose or diamond tetras?
Click to expand...

Well, we let the brown algea spread to be more inviting to the oto. I was looking at otos b/c they meet the oh so important cuteness test not because I don't want to clean.

The chart I saw regarding compatibilty indicated that tetras and gouramis should be mixed with caution?
 
mwelin said:
Are Zebra Angels considered "small" angels?

There are some caves that the angels can't fit into that I built originally for the ADFs, I started with 1" terracotta pots and added aquarium safe river rock. I've adjusted the angle now so they are less open to the top of the tank. I think those would work and I do intend to add further plant cover as well.
Click to expand...

zebra angels are a color morph..most likely you have Scalare on species of agnel. it is the most common and is readily commercially available(tho some colors are harder to find in some regions)
FYI there are 3 distinct species of angels Altums(largest) Scalare and leopoldi(smallest)
Scalare can get to over 9" in ht and many large adults will hit nearly 10-11"(including fins)

I have seen them with a 6-7" body.
 
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