South American Catfish Tank Questions

[crazyplec]

Hi all

Im new to the forum but not to fishkeeping

I am currently cycling a new 30 gallon tank for which I intend to keep South American catfish.

Details

Dimensions - 85cm long 35cm wide 50 cm height
Substrate - Natural rounded 2-3mm gravel
Decoration - Lots of Bogwood and several rounded stones
pH - 6.8
Temp - 26C

My questions are:

1. What about stocking levels Im not a great believer in the 1 inch rule. I would like to keep 3 plecs in the tank at least one of which will be a Pecoltia sabaji. what other fish would you recommend?? and how many?

2. Plants I would like maybe 1 or 2 plants any suggestions?

Any other comments suggestions would be gratefully appreciated.


Thanks


Charlie

[S. Allen]

Most peckoltia and hypancistrus would be good candidates for the tank. if going with the L075, you're using a lot of space, it's one of the... in between plecos, not big by any means, but not small either. I would say, depending on what else you want to keep and the layout you're probably limited to 1 of the L075 and then maybe 1 or 2 of each of the other species that you want. As to stocking levels you may want to go conservative at first, see how the nitrates are. Choose a level of nitrates that you're comfortable with and do the water changes when it gets over that level,if you want to keep more fish consider that it means more water changes and weigh the extra work against the extra fish.

In regards to plants, the choices are heavily dependent upon the lighting you want to provide. If you're willing to spend $60-$100 on compact flourescents and do CO2 many plants would work. If you want to go with standard flourescent hood then you're pretty limited, things like anubias, java fern and such would work probably. If your tank comes with an incandescent hood then you're probably going to be keeping the plastic kind of plants only.

[crazyplec]

Thanks for the reply so soon and your thought on stocking were generally what I was thinking.Depending how the tank matures I would also like to add some emerald cats further down the line.

Going onto plants I will be using good lighting(T5 overtank lum) and I will be using a CO2 injection system. As for plants I was wanting only 2/3 tall plants that may create a bit of shade but will be strong enough that the plecs dont knock them out. any ideas??


Thanks


Charlie

[S. Allen]

well, you might look at some of the midsized sword plants, they are good ones but other than that I don't know too much that'd work well.