Amazon South American Tank

[Fishalicious]

Another new tank is ordered - yes MTS I know - I thought I would ask a question as I don't think I have ever started a thread LOL

I am going for a Amazon tank with lot's of wood, leaf litter & amazon plants - blackwater with a lower PH.

The tank is the Ferplast Star 160 - 162x62x67 - 570 Liters / 150 Gallons

Fish I am definately putting in:
20 Hemmigramus Bleheri
10 Diamond Tetras
6 Corydoras Trillinateus
2 Pimpelodus Pictus
3 Apistogramma Macmasteri
2 Ramirezi
and 2 Angelfish

I am wondering if anyone has any nice ideas for some other fish that would go well with this lot or if I should stick to as it is.

[Kuli_Loach]

Maybe a green Severum? Sounds like a nice tank, wish I could get one like that.

[Fishguy2727]

Maybe a nice fancy pleco, gold nugget perhaps.

I would not do pictus because they are easily startled and can end up eating small tankmates.

Maybe something for the top, marbled hatchet fish would do well.

[Kuli_Loach]

I agree, no on the pictus. Possible a common if you like them, thats a big enough tank for one. Hatchets would be nice and I stand my a green severum.

[nanaglen2001]

Severums are great fish to keep, but they love to eat expensive plants...

[Lady Hobbs]

Rainbows. Awesome fish that are just meant for amazon tanks.

[Fishalicious]

Thanks guys...
I already have the 2 Pimpelodus in one of my tanks with the Bleheri's and they are doing great...

I am not a big pleco fan <blush> But I am considering 2 x L46 Zebra Pleco's - they stay nice and small.

The Green Severums look nice but do they not require rocks? I wasn't really planning any rock formations in the tank. I will have some plain smallers stones for the Rams for spawning but no caves so I think they are out.

Anyone have experience with any of the Aequidens? Like the dorsigera, rivulatus or pulcher? Or the Gymnogeophagus labiatus? Nannacara Anomala? I quite like all of these but obviously would only take one of the above.. maybe someone knows more?

Hatchet fish are a great idea... a nice school for the top will be nice - thanks xxx

[Lady Hobbs]

Sevs don't need rocks.

[Fishguy2727]

Aren't severums a bit aggressive for this setup? I think geophagus would be better for a medium cichlid. I just think the severums, at least once full grown, would be a bit much for an otherwise community tank.

[nanaglen2001]

Rivulatus are great animals also, but my guts say they get slightly too big for your tank.

I gotta check google for the name of my fave characin. Gonna tell you laterthumbs2:

[Fishalicious]

Spam is good. I like it in cans!

Huh?

My instincts are telling me not to go with the Severums although I find them beautiful ...


Vielen Dank nanaglen xxx

[nanaglen2001]

I hope those fish arnt already mentioned. I would go for Hemigrammus (?) bleheri. Cute little fellows, especialy when you got a darker tank.

[Fishalicious]

Yeah I already have them listed in the list - I have a shoal of 20 that I am moving into this tank thumbs2:

[Spyder]

I have Cardinals and Lemon Tetras along with Rummy Nose in my 300g. Look great together. I would add more than 20 Rummy nose.

[Fishalicious]

Yeah I am thinking I might stick to the plan I add and just add more Bleheri, Diamonds & Strigata to the top.

If I can find some red back scalare I will take more angelfish

One happy me ;)

Thanks everyone... will post piccies once it arrives and I start setting it up.. I will be making my own backing as well in this tank.

[Kuli_Loach]

Severums are a cichlid meaning they CAN be aggressive but nearly every time they are very calm and don't bother anything.

[smaug]

your stocking list sounds great I have had or still have quite a few of the fish you list,but not dwarf cichlids.I wouldnt think you would want severum with angels,and I would personally have more then 2 angels in a planted tank of that size.As for pictus they are a wonderful fish for your planned setup as well and there is no reason to shy away from them at all.I have a shoal of 10 diamonds myself and they are a very good fish for your set up as well.It does sound as if you want to keep your stocking on the light side,but with a planted tank that will be well cared for I would have more,,,,lots more,especially in the catfish department.I have 11 corys in a tank a third this size as well as 2 raphs,a leopard and a clown plec.I have also been experimenting with the leaf litter and I am not quite sure I want to keep it that way yet or not.They seem to break down fairly quickly,but they do make for a lower ph and of course the blackwater effect is nice.Any way please keep us up to date and I wish you luck with what Im sure will be a stunning tank.

[Kuli_Loach]

I had a severum with 4 angels for a couple of months with no problems.

[Incredulous_Ed]

dont use a severum. They will eat the plants, and dont really fit the biotype.

MAybe add some discus? Or more blue rams.

[Lady Hobbs]

Agree. Sev's a nice fish but can get around 8 inches. Too big for planted tanks, I think.

[Fishalicious]

By the time the tank is here (2 weeks time) and I have ordered the plants. wood etc and have it cycled I will be a good while further... then slowly adding each group of fish spread over weeks so I will have plenty of time to look at the tank and see if it 'feels' it is still missing something....

The Bleheri, Diamonds, Pimpelodus, 2 Angels, dwarf cichlids & Cory's I already have in a 125 very heavy planted tank set up so I thought I would spoil them by putting them into something which I can resemble as close to possible to their own habitat. I am going to have a hunt for some red back scalare and if I can find them add those... then the tank may still be understocked but I like to give Angels as much space as possible.

The reason for the lower number Cory's and no other bottom dwellers are because the dwarf cichlids (5 of them) & pimpelodus also inhabit the bottom layer and I want to be sure they all have their own territory to keep agression down during spawning.

The 125 Gallon I am then going to use as a Oscar tank (bye bye plants) or go over to a Asian Themed tank.

Thanks to all your posts though I won't be going with a Severum...

Again thank you so much everyone for your input xxxxx

[smaug]

I never thought about the bottom space conflict witht the cats and the cichlids.Sorry bout that!

[Fishalicious]

Hahahaha nothing to be sorry about!!! Most people would put a lot more cory's in with this set-up - I just tend to spoil my fish and be overly careful :19:

[shockshockshad]

I was going to plan an amazon river tank. now i am not sure if I will get it because we are geting an expensive pond. i was going to have 4 birstlenose plecos, 10 corydoras, and 5-6 ottos, plus dwarf cichlids. I guess that wouldnt work, now would it?

Dont go with the severum. You would be better off with the severum and other large cichlids together.

[Kuli_Loach]

Ok I get the point your not getting a severum and thats fine but to ya'll thinking a severum is just another cichlid, you wrong. A severum is one of the most timid cichlids around, a lot of times they can be kept with neons. They are a good community fish and are only labeled as Semi-Aggressive due to their size. Yes they get big but are rather lazy and won't chase stuff. They won't harm anything hardly and it will pick at plants very little. This is just what I have witnessed, most of ya'll have never even owned one that has posted there a big no no. Do a little research on here before making such claims, Severums are one of the gentle giants. But to fishaholics, I wouldn't get one to be safe, if you do you would be worrying about it all the time. And yes some of ya'll have kept them and some have had the "evil" ones that kill a lot but several of us have had the timid ones but as I said before, it is a cichlid and can go off in a second. I have kept them in a community tank with angels, mollies, corys, platys, guppies, plecos, and a couple others and the angels are far more aggressive than a severum.

[shockshockshad]

Are you from the south now kuli?

Okay I guess you could be right. I have never kept severums, so I dont know their temperment. I was just going along with everyone, and using my own knowledge.

[nanaglen2001]

As far it concerns me, I second "gentle Giant" but my Severums which I used to keep loved my plants like we locve a nice salad made of lettuce and other stuff.

I always would keep those beautiful fish only in a tank decorated with loads of driftwood.

[Fishguy2727]

The nice thing about forums is that you get several people's experiences, not just one. Many severums may be nice, but not the ones I have dealt with. Many smaller ones are timid, but the bigger ones I have seen and had at work were typical cichlids. As with cichlids there is a lot of variation, but there are still trends. I simply think they are not needed at all for this tank to look great, I think it would look much better without them, so no need to risk it. I have found Geophagus spp. to be a good comunity, medium cichlid. I also think the angels could work very well as a large centerpiece for the tank.

[Fishalicious]

It is not because of the Severums character that I have chosen against them... it is because they like to eat plants - Angels need plants for spawning and the dwarfs like a lot of shelter from plants/roots & wood & the Tetra's are more open and happy with lot's of plants...

@shockshockshad all the fish you mention are bottom dwellers so it would be pretty cramped... it depends on if you want to breed with the dwarfs or not...

[Kuli_Loach]

Ok I have kept mine my planted tank, I will post a picture of it here and you can see him on the left. Thought about hatchets? There good fish and on the corys, you looking at one breed or several?

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[Fishalicious]

Lovely tank!!!! :18: I can just make out the little guy on the left ;) Your plants look all untouched LOL

I will be sticking to one kind of corydoras (I am really boring that way - I prefer one big shoal of one kind) plus they are breeding like mad here.. am still looking for a home for 24 of them at the moment

The Hatchets are a fab idea but I am also toying with the idea of keeping a group of copella arnoldi as surface fish. But it will be one of these two I will pick as surface fish ... mmmh hatchets or copella's....???

[Kuli_Loach]

I have 5 hatchets in a 10g and they are very neat, they are good eaters. Thanks on the compliments, I got tired of keeping the tank though so it don't look like that any more.

[digital3]

Thanks guys...
...I am not a big pleco fan <blush> But I am considering 2 x L46 Zebra Pleco's - they stay nice and small...

Wow! 2 Zebra Plecos. Are they cheaper over there. My LFS has 1 Zebra and they're selling that little sucker for 500 bucks! Just curious.

[Fishalicious]

I am lucky to have contacts in the aqua world... I know a breeder who will sell me them for 60 Euros - 80 Dollars... in the shops they are around 220 Dollars here so cheaper than there! 500 dollars!!!!!!!!!!! Wow

[digital3]

Wow to me?!?!? Wow to you!!!! :laugh1blue:

That's an awesome deal! I would be soooo scared to buy a fish that expensive (200-500 bucks) and have it die on me within a week or two. You definitely need to get those Zebra's (at least for bragging rights :hmm3grin2orange: ) and then show us pix! Not to push you into buying them... but... you are going to buy them right?!?!? :ezpi_wink1:

xxx right back atcha!