90 gal FW journal - wish me luck!

[fishmommie]

I tried to look through the thread, but can you give a quick list of the current stock in your 90? From what I can tell, its very close to what I have in mind for my future 75. THanks!

No Problem
I currently have 3 blood parrots, 3 severums, 1 angel, 2 geos and 7 congo tetra. 3 snails (I'll be adding more snails soon) I may return one of the geos (NOT the jurupari LOL) because I have pushed this tank to the max on stocking and I'd like to add a few platies or sword tails as additional dithers and for a source of instant food (lots of platy and st fry) Oh and I forgot - I have a single dwarf gourami in there because I had to get him out of my 30. He hangs tough with these cichlids let me tell you.

I think you would be really happy with 3 blood parrots (they love a family unit), 1 sev (get on well with the BPs) and an angel or a geo and a small school of congo. All of these fish play well together AND create no feeding issues. If you add a pleco, and you're anything like me, you'll soon be over feeding then dealing with more maintance.

I tried plecos but for some reason they did not work. Whether the cichlids stressed them or it was something else, I don't know but I lost a beauty of an emperor pleco. I have also had NO success with ottos cats. Just won't survive - again, I suspect somebody was picking them off

If you have any questions let me know. Love the color in this tank. Would suggest a yellow sev BTW. common but beautiful! Good luck

[WarEagle]

Thanks for that well detailed response and I appreciate your willingness to offer some advice!! Steeler1 has been giving me some advice over in the fish compatibility forum (please feel free to add your comments to that thread as not to hijack this one).

Quick synopsis, currently obtaining equipment and will be moving into a house in June/July where I can set up this tank. Current idea on stocking:

1-2 Severum (I'm currently partial to the Green)

1 nice school of larger Tetras of the following: bleeding hearts, Congos, Colombians

12+ Cory cats

Those are my definites as of now (which could of course change tomorrow ). I'm also considering adding one or any combination of the following: a school of top dwellers like Harleys, a BN pleco or 2, and a couple of Bolivian Rams.

Just trying to get a feeling for compatibility with those last few. I think my definites would be a good setup, just not sure if I can/should add another species or 2 or stick with that original list in maybe bigger numbers.

Any advice/comments/suggestions are welcome.

[fishmommie]

Thanks for that well detailed response and I appreciate your willingness to offer some advice!! Steeler1 has been giving me some advice over in the fish compatibility forum (please feel free to add your comments to that thread as not to hijack this one).

Quick synopsis, currently obtaining equipment and will be moving into a house in June/July where I can set up this tank. Current idea on stocking:

1-2 Severum (I'm currently partial to the Green)

1 nice school of larger Tetras of the following: bleeding hearts, Congos, Colombians

12+ Cory cats

Those are my definites as of now (which could of course change tomorrow ). I'm also considering adding one or any combination of the following: a school of top dwellers like Harleys, a BN pleco or 2, and a couple of Bolivian Rams.

Just trying to get a feeling for compatibility with those last few. I think my definites would be a good setup, just not sure if I can/should add another species or 2 or stick with that original list in maybe bigger numbers.

Any advice/comments/suggestions are welcome.

Not a problem. Sounds like a good plan. I want to make a correction. I had a typo. I have 2 sevs not 3.

Also - I have both a gold and a green; Both are gorgeous but the yellow is by far the showiest. If you have a dark tank background, the green fellow sometimes blends right in. I often have to look for him. Just saying.
Have fun.

Oh and I have colombians in my 30 gal and LOVE them as well but I honestly think the congos are a better match for your sevs. I think of the colombians as lay back and sort of lazy where the congos have much more energy. They're also showier.

I love my BN pleco in my 30 and would really like to have one in the 90 but they're too small for my stock
I'm absolutely certain Steeler is giving you GREAt advice!

[WarEagle]

Thanks for the input! Yeah, I'll definitely have a dark background so I'll look into the that. Thanks again! Those Congos are beautiful.

[fishmommie]

Thanks for the input! Yeah, I'll definitely have a dark background so I'll look into the that. Thanks again! Those Congos are beautiful.

just posted a video link on your thread. it's 2 months old but you'll get the picture. the only fish that doesn't show it's true colors on the video is the congo. they are so much more brilliantly colored than that.

[fishmommie]

It's been since before Christmas that I've made any updates. Have had 2 changes since then
1) added a GBR. This guy was in my 30 for over a month. I started out with 2 but one unfortunately died after 10 days. So, I bought another, hoping they might pair up ... turns out the older ram did not like the new one. Before I knew it he had badly nipped the newcomers tail. I housed the nipper in a net breeder box inside the 30 for several days hoping that when I released him his attitude might be adjusted a bit and to give the smaller ram a breather. Didn't work. I knew the little ram couldn't survive if i left the larger one in the 30 (his tail is now completely gone!) so I moved the big guy into the 90. He seems to be thriving. Side note: the smaller ram, is also doing well. for as delicate as they are purported to be (and I know from experience that they can be) he survived the lost tail and is doing great in the 30. I'm hopeful the tail will grow back.

2) I'm currently treating the 90 for ich for the second time since I set it up. I had added some hornwort that I got on aquabid 2 weeks before the outbreak so must assume it came in on that. Had no idea ich could travel on plants. In any event, the green sev is infected the worst. The yellow sev and one of the blood parrots have a vew spots. otherwise, there are no signs. All fish are doing well during treatment. I gradually started hiking up the temp and treating with 2 doses daily of Kordon's Ich Attack on 12-30. It was all I could . As of 1-3 I the temp was up to 86. I cut the Ich Attack down to 1/2 dose once a day and added 7 tbs of salt slowly over the course of the day yesterday. Also did a 60% W/C yesterday and thorough gravel vac. Plan on another 60% change and vac on Monday and every 3 - 4 days until I get rid of this nasty stuff. (Thanks to Mizzou for outlining the treatment she used successfully. i'm following it to the letter)

The fish seem to be doing well under the high temps. so far no stress spots on the BP's. I will say the increased heat makes them very active. Not too much aggression considering most in the tank are cichlids so if I can get them through the next week, all should be well.

[steeler1]

So the Ram didn't get bullied by the bigger chiclids? Maybe he found out what it's like to be the smaller fish.

[fishmommie]

So the Ram didn't get bullied by the bigger chiclids? Maybe he found out what it's like to be the smaller fish.

Yeah I know. That's what I was afraid of happening but it's been cool. Even with the heat turned up and them being a bit more active, there's little chasing going on. I have a thicket of plants on one side of the tank so he does spend some time there but more and more often, he's out and about.
It was a relief because he's a nice healthy fish and my only choice would be to return him to the LFS as I don't have another tank for him. Can't take the little guy with no tail back LOL because no one would want to adopt him the way he looks now.

[KevinVA]

Yikes! GBRs can be little terrors can't they? Serpae Tetras got nothing on GBRs, if you ask me! Why don't they come with a warning label? They're lucky they're cute, otherwise no one would want 'em. ;P

Well, I can attest that tail fins do grow back if they lose them when they're young (which yours probably are), but they sometimes grow back a little deformed. This is apparently what happened to my big Killifish. She has a forked tail and Killifish are not supposed to have a forked tail. It doesn't look bad, it's just not normal.

I'm glad your GBRs are doing well, separately. I'm sure the one in the 90 will be fine - they're little troopers for sure.

I'm sorry you're battling ich now, too. Poor fish... Hopefully treatment continues to do well and you're back to being 100% soon!

[fishmommie]

Yikes! GBRs can be little terrors can't they? Serpae Tetras got nothing on GBRs, if you ask me! Why don't they come with a warning label? They're lucky they're cute, otherwise no one would want 'em. ;P
[COLOR="Purple"]for sure. my serpaes have never been problems. maybe the fact that the Colombians were there first kept them in line :0)COLOR]

Well, I can attest that tail fins do grow back if they lose them when they're young (which yours probably are), but they sometimes grow back a little deformed. This is apparently what happened to my big Killifish. She has a forked tail and Killifish are not supposed to have a forked tail. It doesn't look bad, it's just not normal.
Yes, my little guy is young. and I think the tail is already started to grow. For as fragile as these guys are supposed to be, he sure has come through this great. Have no doubt though that he would have died if I'd left the other ram in the tank. oh well.

I'm glad your GBRs are doing well, separately. I'm sure the one in the 90 will be fine - they're little troopers for sure. Yup. He's doing great. no friction at all. guess he realizes he's too small to pick a fight with the big guys.


I'm sorry you're battling ich now, too. Poor fish... Hopefully treatment continues to do well and you're back to being 100% soon!

Thanks Kevin. I hope so too.