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I've been reading all of the other stocking posts but nothing jumps out at me. I'm thinking I won't put any plants in it, just gravel substrate and stacking some rocks. I just can't come up with any ideas even after walking all the isles of most of the LFS's.

Any other ideas?

James

With an eighteen gallon, various possibilities are most widely used by beginning fish keepers. You could start with a small school of tetras such as cardinals or glowlights, etc and add an additional centerpiece fish such as a dwarf gourami or a larger shoal of cories. You could look at also smaller chiclids (i.e. shell-dwellers) for a more challenging alternative to the naormal choices.

Ah...I hadn't thought about shell dwellers. That might be a good option. I've had malawi tanks in the past before moving and changing it over to angels.

Thanks
James

how about a breeding tank for appistogramma sp., posibly cacatouides. i have a pair and they are stunning fish and entertaining to watch.

Hembo, I actually saw some of about two weeks ago but they had only males. He said he would be getting some females in soon but I haven't checked back. What kind of aquascaping is best for them?

this might help

http://www.gcca.net/fom/Apistogramma_cacatoides.htm

Considering that I am not one of those "green thumb" type of people. I tend to use rock formations a lot in my tanks.

I have red ones in one tank, white ones in another, and black ones in the last one, hee hee.

I personally do not think you have to have a planted tank (real or fake) to have it look beautiful.
It's all about the selective pieces of rock, and where you place them in the tank, and how they match with your over all colour scheme.

I'll show you a couple of my tanks to give you an idea. Don't mind the heater in the one of the pix I ended up putting it back on the bottom to hide it later ^_^

Solo (fake) rock with matching substrate, made for lots of room for the danios to swim (which they need).
http://angel.pwnd.org/fish/20g0329041.jpg

Same tank with different White rocks, and some black pebbles, same substrate.
http://angel.pwnd.org/fish/20g0802041.gif

The above tank has now been transformed with having Tahitan Moon sand only (black sand) and the white rocks. Sorry I don't have a pic yet.

And this tank which I added more of those rocks to later.
http://angel.pwnd.org/fish/5.5g0802041.gif
http://angel.pwnd.org/fish/5.5g0814041.jpg

Cheers!

Also, when considering which fish to get ask yourself these questions.

1.) Do I have the time to spend on fish that require very specific water parameters (if my current water does not fit the fish I want.)
2.) Do you have the money to afford the equipment to meet the needs of those specific fish.
3.) If you go away a lot and with such a small tank, do you have someone you trust to adequately take care of these special fish while you are away? (Aka some fish will be fine for 5 days with out food or water changes etc) Others however, if you have a disaster in a tank as small as 18G, it might not be very forgiving and you could come home to dead fish.

My most recent addition was Blue Tetras and Dojo Loaches, I would recommend a very dark tank, and to get some Blue Tetras! ^_^


Last edited by AngelZoo at 05-Dec-2005 09:00