New 75 Gallon setup- Suggestions wanted

[Ltrepeter2000]

Hey everyone,

I am picking up a 75 gallon tank on Tuesday and was looking for some suggestions. I am going to use Fluorite substrate and havent decided what lighting scheme.

I have been giving some thought to a brackish setup so I know that limits the plant list and I am not sure my mangroves are developed enough yet to put them in the tank. Really want to get a tank with monos archers and scats though. Dilemma dilemma.....anyway suggestions for brackish and freshwater would be greatly appreciated.

I would even be open to letting the group scape the tank if their is enough interest.

Rob

[RTRJR]

Since Monos will eventually be high BW to marine conditions and Scats eat plants voraciously under all specific gravity conditions, I do not see that as planted tank with those fish unless it is purely emersed vegetation (as the mangroves will be).

[Ltrepeter2000]

Thanks....thats something to chew on....and I am still open to various freshwater suggestions as well. I may wait for my mangroves to develop more before attempting the brackish setup.

[Ltrepeter2000]

I have decided to go with a freshwater setup because I want to try some Apisto so my new questions are as follows. What plants do well with them? Other than flowerpots what is everyones recommendations for cave material since I do not really want to use flowerpots.
Thanks
Rob

[krisw]

Apisto do well with just about every plant! Most apistos love soft water around 6.4 or 6.6ph, and most plants do wonderfully in these conditions. Apistos will not regularly pull up plants or chew on them like larger cichlids will do. So, plant it however you want!

As far as caves go. I've never used flowerpots. I always just stack driftwood and rocks in an aestetically pleasing manner. Then, I will often times go back, and try to introduce more rocks (sometimes one's that you'll never see), just to make a small nook or cranny that the fish might hang out in. Often times, apisto females like caves with only one entrance, where the entrance is just large enough for them to fit in. This makes it easy for them to guard the entrance. That's why they like flowerpots.

Really, if you're just looking for an interesting fish, but not actively trying to breed them, set it up however you like. If there are lots of plants/wood/rocks, then chances are, they'll breed on their own.

[Aaron]

Kris answered your question pretty well Rob. Just plant the tank however you like and they won't eat anything or bother anything. They will torment other fish, but usually only if they have a clutch of eggs or school or fry in the tank somewhere.

[Ltrepeter2000]

Well fortunately I have the option to leave them alone in the tank .....although I may look at some other fish. What bottom dwellers other than corys would work well with these fish(have moved all my cories to a separate tank of their own) since I have a bit of just about every bottom feeders in one tank and would like to move a few of those but I want to do it smartly.

Thanks for the feedback on the apistos.

Rob

[krisw]

If you want to breed them, you probably don't want too many bottom dwellers, as a cory or loach rarely find anything as appetizing as fresh apisto eggs. If you're not concerned about breeding them, pretty much anything will work.

To add a note on Aaron's comment. Apisto will torment other fish when they're spawning, but rarely will they ever actually kill the fish. A nice school of tetras/danios go very well with apistos.

[Aaron]

I keep endler's livebearers with mine. That way when they spawn the female leaves the dad alone and chases them around all day instead.

I second the advice to not keep bottomdwellers if you want them to breed.

[Ltrepeter2000]

ok something to think about ....guess I will need to look over my other tanks to decide where I want to go with my bottom dwellers

Thanks
Rob