50 gallon community tank advice needed

[sierra11b]

Recently upgraded to a 50 gallon tank I seeded almost two weeks ago from a 10gal AC30 filter. Parameters seem great so I slowly started to add fish from my 10 gallon.

Still not done aquascaping but I am using silk plants, black diamond coal slag (took me about a week to clean), and few rocks. I will be adding a couple more silk plants and two great pieces of manzanita in the next couple weeks once I have time to boil the wood out. White rocks are donor substrate from 10gal tank I still plan on running.

Filtration is solid with AC 70 and 110. I kick myself for not running two 110s as I think this tank could have handled it, but because the 110 runs so much quieter and efficiently than the 70, at least when comparing both side-by-side. But oh well! This is plenty for now.

I've got 4 albino corys and 1 bristle nose pleco. I also have 5 glo tetra (my son's) which I'd like to transfer so I can dedicate the 10gallon to quarantine. You can see why I needed to expand and fast.

The idea is to try and keep everything South American but I'm open for suggestions so long as everyone gets along and I'm satisfied.

I want to pick-up at least 2 more albino corys because I love watching them and they look great against the black sand, then maybe a dozen cardinal tetra. After that the idea of New World Ciclids came to mind but not sure which? That's where I need help! Maybe a few Bolivian Rams? Any advice is appreciated, even if you convince me SA cichlids aren't the right thing for this tank (picture manzanita and a couple more silk plants, btw). Just want to do the right thing here.

Thank you,
-Eric

 

[sierra11b]

Seems I'm about to answer my own question based on an earlier post from Mike who reccomended all males of different apistos (one per square foot) as a mating pair could kill my corys.

So now my question is where to find a pair of different species males? Seems everywhere sells mating pairs or multiples of unsexed fish.

Would emailing a big online supplier asking for two males even be possible or is it a crap shoot until they're a certain age and trade/relocate the females? I'd rather not buy a pair of year old apistos.

 

[Mike Wise]

I think your best bet is to contact hobbyist-breeders. They're more willing to sell single specimens of whatever sex you want. Until juveniles start showing sexual differences, typically around 6 months of age, then you take a chance. At least males are easier to sex at first.

 

[sierra11b]

Any recommendations on who to ask, mike?

 

[Mike Wise]

I'd start with local aquarium club members. They'd probably know who breeds what. Buying non-local means shipping fish which is extremely expensive for just a few fish. It would probably be cheaper to buy a pair and leave the female.

 

[sierra11b]

Smart. I just joined one in Sacramento a month ago.

One last question, mike... It's probably been covered but I can't seem to find it.

What about one male (Or female)? Too lonely? Maybe something that gets a bit bigger than Bolivians or apistos for a centerpiece? I've heard keyholes get about 3-4"

 

[Mike Wise]

1 apisto is fine. They don't get lonely by themself. Keyholes or one of the small Laetacara species would work well.

 

[sierra11b]

Thank you.

 

[sierra11b]

Traded the Pleco to a local for one Bolivian Ram. Rookie move but I got too anxious and moved it in without quarantine. The person was fairly certain is was a male but I'm not sure. As for the manzanita, I'm a chef with access to a big steam kettle in my kitchen, so boiling the wood was really easy, same with the rocks.

But now that my 10gal is empty I'm going to discipline myself by using it as a quarantine for the next month for some Rummy Nose I reserved at the LFS on Thursday. Then after that I'll treat that 10gal tank as a true dedicated QT but figure why not move the Rummy Nose in while it's still cycled.

Glow Tetras weren't my first choice but they're from the 10gallon and my kids fish, so they had to move to the 50 gallon and look quite nice with all the black. They seem to be doing great.

Please let me know what you might change scape-wise or if my layout is okay...

Plan for now is:

1ea Bolivian Ram
5ea Glow Tetra
4ea Albino Cory (likely get two more max - possibly a bronze)
1ea smaller variety pleco
12-15ea Rummy Nose

 

[skytech76]

Are you still looking for apisto, if you interested I have some males apistogramma cacato double red. I am located in elk grove