Stocking tank: recomendations?

**nuart** · 15th Jun 2011, 23:48

Stocking a planted tank. Looking for suggestion for interesting fishes. Relatively low ph. Suggestions?

**nuart** · 15th Jun 2011, 23:48

Dimension is 4 X1.5x1.5

**Shaihulud** · 16th Jun 2011, 09:44

Luciocephalus pulcher/aura very nice fishes, interesting behaviour, but not a community tank kind of fish, but they do cohabit with small shrimps. They are not for everyone however, so do search on the internet before making a decision, but definitely interesting fishes. There are also the various hatchetfish, butterfly fish, small loaches which I personally find interesting and could live in a planted community tank

**nuart** · 16th Jun 2011, 12:45

Any specific loaches?

**stormhawk** · 21st Jun 2011, 05:27

For a tank that size, perhaps you can consider a biotope SEA tank with Boraras and other small docile fish. The Pikehead is an interesting choice but not easily found. Loaches such as Yasuhikotakia sidthimunki or Kubotai or the YoYo Loach are excellent choices for a 4 foot tank.

**sungod666** · 27th Jun 2011, 22:28

stock it all with cichlids if i was you. hardy fishes! forget the PH and all that crap. i have a few tanks of different cichlids and i never bother with the measurement of any perimeters. just add nutrafin when water change, add some coral chips in sump or cannister and change the water regularly. for filter media i only use biohomme plus. i only take measurement when the fishes are worth thousands of dollars collectively. cichlids are cheap and good fishes, no need to stress. now looking at my cute frontosa while typing, he seems to agree. haha

another good choice is guoramis, my favourite 2nd group for hassle free aquarium.

**stormhawk** · 28th Jun 2011, 02:13

The question was fairly simple. Fishes for a low pH tank. Cichlids, while tough, do have certain requirements depending on the species. Central American cichlids do not have the same water parameters as Tanganyikan or Malawian cichlids. They come from a variety of habitats with different dietary requirements. For example Tropheus moorii. Feeding that species on a meaty diet (when it is a herbivore) causes Malawi bloat. Do not assume that every single one of them is tough as nails and don't need much care. Even though the whole tank may be worth thousands of dollars collectively, all that money comes to naught if the fishes drop dead one after another because the owner overcrowds them and the filters can't keep up with the poop these monsters produce and not to mention the amounts of food they need to thrive.

Based on your suggestion, the suitable cichlids would have been Apistos for his requirements, instead of species like Cyphotilapia frontosa. Why suggest a hard water digging species for a low pH planted tank?

**sungod666** · 28th Jun 2011, 11:54

hello this is a forum not a professional seminar, i am just telling him what i would do with my tank. surely it is his responsibility to find out more before proceeding, beside i never say what cichilds he should stock. i am not the only one offering advice. it is my probelm if my tank crash with a few thousand dollars in it if i use my own method. afterall i paid for it. keep your fancy advice which i can find from the internet for the threadstarter.

**stormhawk** · 28th Jun 2011, 23:24

Fancy advice is not dished out on this forums. If you feel that way, I can't stop you. Simply put, his question was for a low pH tank. If he was asking for a suitable cichlids for a random tank then any recommendation would be fine. Of course, you can find the information I post about easily on the Internet, that is obvious. But whether you find the right info is another matter altogether. You can Google for any information, but those are written primarily for fishkeepers in temperate nations. Their experiences will not mirror those of Singaporeans, because our climate is different altogether.

Not everyone has the same results, with the same methods. I hope you remember that.

OT: If you feel I am singling you out for a 'flame' fest, that is not my intention. I only asked you to refrain from posting prices on this forum, so as to not create a conflict of interest. Simply put, an interested buyer can find out the prices for themselves, without having to choose a particular LFS based on cost.

**sungod666** · 28th Jun 2011, 23:55

i am really not interested in what you feel or comment. lets just stop corresponding on this message board with each other. i will of course do my part in abiding to the rules of the forum for the sake of other members.

**nuart** · 29th Jun 2011, 00:12

Hey guys, all opinions are welcomed. They are just opinions. Ultimately down to own decision. Keep opinions coming, always good to hear from all. Thanks and much appreciated

**stormhawk** · 29th Jun 2011, 00:20

Keep us updated then on what you have decided on then.

I've seen a 6 foot tank with Apistogramma in it and it was an amazing tank. Perhaps you might consider keeping Microrasbora or a school of Galaxy Danios in that 4 foot tank. They are small but make up for their colours and beauty, especially fighting males.