New 1ft tank: Shrimps or Apistos?

[doppelbanddwarf]

Hi i got the free 1ft tank from QianHu at Aquarama the other day.
I'm very excited at the prospect of setting up a new tank but can't decide whether i want a apisto or shrimp setup.
I would like to have a very simple setup, with fine white sand and mostly windelov ferns tied to a few pieces of driftwood. No CO2 and only a 15W table light.

Any brothers spotted any interesting apistogrammas recently? If i should decide on shrimps it'll be a low grade black diamond shrimp setup, with no chillers whatsoever.

Please feel free to give your opinions. Thanks.

[Wackytpt]

Hi,

Define interesting apistogramma?

All apisto are interesting fishes which has individual character. :O

[doppelbanddwarf]

Oops. I mean something like a shipment of wild caught coming in or some of those not commonly seen in LFSes.

[benny]

Hmm... with such a small tank, I would think that shrimps are a better bet.

Keep us updated! With pictures please!

Cheers,

[doppelbanddwarf]

I'm very much into the idea of a shrimps tank as well. This would be my first shrimps tank, so i'll need lots of advice here.
What are the basic stuff i should get?

[bryan]

http://www.petshrimp.com/

Quite informative site.

[doppelbanddwarf]

After spotting Taenicara candidi, i just had to have a go at them. So i've decided to set up this tank for a pair of T. candidis . Not exactly apistogrammas. Maybe i'll have some of those green cherry shrimps too.

Also i've decided to change the original plan. As opposed to just windolev ferns i've decided to add in plants like hairgrass, echinodorus, nanas. Would there be any problems with a 18W light for this tank with no CO2?

[Wackytpt]

Hi,

Your shirmps will definitely be food for the apisto. And 18W might invite alages if your control of your fertilizer regime is not precised.

[doppelbanddwarf]

Oops i was hoping they could live together since the Taenicara candidis looks so small. Anyway the candidis can be found at Y934.

I intend to use only base ferts and later on root tabs, would i need to lower the voltage? Thanks.

[Wackytpt]

As your tank is a low maintainence tank. Better to have a lower Wattage light

[doppelbanddwarf]

Eh about how low would be good. Sorry i'm not really good at this lights stuff.

Anyway here's a picture of the tank with some driftwoods i've acquired. There are some common krib fries in there. Its placed beside my
Apistogramma baenschi tank.



As of now i still need the fine sand, a filter and more plants. For filter i'm considering a Eden 501.

[illumnae]

i have a 1ft cube just set up for apistos, using a 13W light. that was what was recommended to me when i posted a query as well =) was told 18W was too high for a low maintenance tank...13W will give you 2wpg which is comfortable for a low maintenance =)