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Hi, just a few questions for future plans for my fish keeping.

My tank at present is a 65 US gallon tank. Its got a rena xp3 filter that has been going for a while now. Some live plants and a lot of hiding places now built.

I do weekly water changes. With gravel vacs.

In the tank are
2 Angel fish
2 Keyhole cichlids
2 Long finned rams
5 Congo tetras
5 Zebra danio
1 BN plec
2 Dojo Loach
5 Cory cats

Do you think that this tank is fully stocked or do you think I could put a few more fish in? Perhaps one single fish that would do well on its own. The fish I have been thinking of are, 1 african butterfly fish OR 1 green knife fish OR 2 Rose line sharks. I would also like to add an other plec of somekind or a trio or so of ottos as i am having a slight algae outbreak. Do you think that this would work? Or am I pushing it?

Thankyou very much in advance for any replies and help I get.

im no expert on the fish you have but you never want to fill your tank with to many fish crowded is not a good look (trust me)i will let you guys who know these fish to help you but i think keep your fish count under the stoked full and overstocked look

33 gallon 7 neon tetras-5 platys-3 bleeding heart tetras-2 corys-1 rainbow shark-2 L83 gibby plecos

Thanks for the reply platy boy . I agree the tank does not want to be crowded.

I've changed my mind as to what I'm going to do as well after a day of thought and a trip to an lfs.

I'm going to get an other plec an L147 (peckoltia) and perhaps a trio of ottos in a few months and once I can work out how to cover my UV steriliser intake as I lost 3 into a filter head in a previous tank.

I am also still contemplating an African Buterfly Fish as it would have the surface all to its self as no one else hangs out at the top most stay in mid water.

Do you think this sounds okay? I know I must have sounded like a complete idiot when I said I was thinking about a glass knife. And the rose sharks do get to big with everything else in there. Bah think before you post Andy!.

....sorry for ranting

just to recap though could anyone please advise wether or not to add the plec and also the butterfly fish. Really would appreciate it

Trying

Big tip for your filter problem. Get a block of foam and cut slits inside the foam block and slide it over the filter intake. That will stop the fish from getting sucked in and it will stop large debris from blocking your filter. Also is this a 65 gallon tall or 65 gallon long? I would also look at your existing fish and find out what their adult size is. You will want to go 1 inch of fish to gallon of water. That is the usual limitations.

Thanks for your input as always, Shane
http://thetanklog.blogspot.com/ - [ Thanks to ScottF ]
http://www.natureaquariumclubofutah.com/main.html

Thanks for the reply. Its a 65 long. Will try the foam for the filter head. What type of foam is it?

Minus one of the dojos, which isnt in the tank yet anyways (only have one dojo atm). It works out okay for me. Though I may be wrong?

Ive had advise from various places with my stocking all LFS say im doing fine. Though I know I'm at the limit after this L147. And I have also run a plan list similar to this through this site with more fish really and got the thumbs up.

I have plans to separate the cichlids out as they grow. The rams will get their own tank in mid june/ early july (birthday present)

The foam is pretty much any filter foam you can get on the market. you just need to cut the insode with a knife or something so it can go over the filter head in the tank.

Take a look at the link below to give you an idea

http://www.aquabid.com/cgi-bin/auction/auction.cgi?filteration&1178739007

As far as the stocking is concerned i think you are good.

Thanks for your input as always, Shane
http://thetanklog.blogspot.com/ - [ Thanks to ScottF ]
http://www.natureaquariumclubofutah.com/main.html

i agree with fish monster the foam is a great help

33 gallon 7 neon tetras-5 platys-3 bleeding heart tetras-2 corys-1 rainbow shark-2 L83 gibby plecos

Ah i see what you mean now Using filter foam didnt come into my mind lol I was thinking of general sponge foam lol thanks for setting me right Fish monster and platy boy

After some problems with credit notes at an LFS I think I should be getting my L147 in a few days. As long as it dsnt get sold, I really hope it dsnt as its the only dwarf plec in my city atm!

Also, do you think that if I built a special structure with small tubes and plants growing from it (I think I saw an image of it in the invertabrates section of this site) a small colony of cherry shrimps could live in my tank? Perhaps 5 or so?

Personally I'd up the congos and cories and leave it at that. Congos are much bolder in larger groups so you'll see more of them and so long as your water quality is good some spawning behavior with lots better colors. Cories are more active the more you have. I'd always suggest an absolute minimum of 6 for each and preferably 8 whenever you have the space. I noticed a huge difference in my congos whenever I had 8+ versus less than 6.

For algae you should find the cause instead of just finding something to eat it. Adding something like a pleco will increase algae unless the tank is already well balanced and the algae is just a little extra without increasing in amount or taking over. Algae eaters don't get much nutrition from the food they eat so they eat tons of it and poop out nearly just as much. The waste breaks down, adds to the nutrients in the tank, and increases the algae even more than before you added the new fish. Add plecos because you also like them not just because they eat algae or you'll be disapointed.

Same thing with fish getting sucked into the filter. Solve the cause not the symptoms. Otos should not be at risk of getting stuck to the filter. Only fry and fish from very slow moving waters are really at risk. Otherwise the fish are sick or dead before they actually get sucked in. Either they weren't healthy when you got them or your tank wasn't right for them.

Shrimp aren't likely to survive with the cichlids. Especially angels with small shrimp. Maybe if you provided hiding places but I wouldn't spend a whole bunch of money right off on what is likely to be a big live food buffet. Congos will also eat small shrimp while they are in the middle of the water column such as when you first add them in or if they climb up on plants and fall. Mine would even tear apart large crickets I bought from the petstore for them. They won't eat off the bottom though so anything that makes it to the bottom is safe and I did keep some shrimp with them.

A butterfly fish could work but will probably eat the danios when full grown. Also will jump out of absolutely any openings. Cover every tiny gap around the equipment with mesh or they will eventuallly escape. There is a slight risk of the other fish, especially cichlids, nipping at the butterfly fish but you don't have any truly nippy fish in there so I wouldn't rule one out based on just that.

thanks Sham

With the fish getting sucked in, I know they did as the filter intake was really fine and the nozzle was quite large and I also know that they did not die before they got sucked in as the first few times it happened I found 2 in there one was dead but the other was alive and the second time one went in and it was still alive but then the third time the smallest went in and died and then the fourth time the last one died. That filter is out now but the UV steriliser has a reasonably weak flow and a large nozzle so i do not want it to hapen again. Hense why i need the sponge.

WIth the plec I am adding it because I like it but I thought it would help with the algea as well, would I be better off feeding it pellets and getting more live plants to starve the algea?

I had a suspision that the shrimp would be a no no im contemplating getting a shrimp only tank soon anyway so i can wait

If I did choose to up the schools would I have the room for sufficiant numbers? Or would perhaps 2 more congos and 2 more cories max it out?

All plecos should be fed something other than algae. Some need more vegetable matter like slices of cucumber, zuchini, other squashes, or even mango. Anything fairly firm that won't break down immediately in water and can be weighted down. I just poke plastic coated paper clips through vegetable slices and drop them in. Some plecos are a bit more carnivorous and need sinking pellets, wafers, and other fish food. About the only thing that survives well in a tank on algae alone is otos and even then they'll often go after other foods if you provide it. Your always better off using methods that prevent algae growth in the first place, like increasing plants, than trying to get rid of it as it grows.

I still say the intake should not be an issue with healthy fish unless your running a huge powerhead(800+gph) with a very small or no intake strainer. Aquaclear powerheads are the only ones I've had issues with and then I only sucked up shrimp and snails that walked right over it not any fish.

I'd already call that tank pretty well stocked which is why I'd only add the congos and cories to finish out the schools instead of another large fish. The angels are going to take up quite a bit of space when full grown and with 2 schools along with other cichlids I'd call the middle and top stocked. A pleco might work even with adding the schooling fish since most of your stock is concentrated to the middle and top but I wouldn't add any more mid-surface dwellers.

Yeah i give my bristlenose cucumber slices weighted down with bread bag ties. The rest of the fish just ignore it though so its getting it the right size lol.

All I can say as regards the fish in the filter is that it did genuinly happen they didnt go in through the intake they went through the nozzle. And 3 out of 5 times they survived.

I think I am going to get the plec and then wait for quite a while untill i add any more perhaps at the end of my exam period in mid july time.

Thankyou very much for the advise though Really apreciate the time spent writing them ^^