I recently setup a 29 gallon aquarium in my study and I’m looking for input on how to create a realistic regional native tank. The aquarium has been “decorated” to mimic a Southeastern United States pond or a slow moving section of river (think Virginia, North and South Carolina or even as far south as Florida). I'm currently running two AquaClear 30 HOB filters so there is decent flow but I can always add a power head for extra flow if needed. The aquarium has a light colored sand substrate, a tall fake tree stump with several limbs, a large leafy fake floating plant and a few random fake plants along the bottom. There is plenty of cover and even though I chose not to use live plants I think I did a good job overall with the aquascaping. The question I have now is what kind of fish should I stock it with to make it as realistic as possible? Based on my research I would like to center the tank around the Enneacanthus species of sunfish (with a good mix of the Banded, Blackbanded and Blue Spotted) but other than that I have no idea where to start… I was hoping I could get some input on other species of small native fish that would be found in the same type habitat and also be compatible with the three Enneacanthus species. I know they tend to be less aggressive than other sunfish but I don’t want to have to worry about starving other, slower or pickier fish. Anyway, with me being from the Midwest I have very little experience with fish in this region I was hoping I could find some info here. Thanks in advance and I’ll try to get some pictures of the aquarium once it clears up.
- Nick
29 gallon Slack Water Native Setup
Started by
Guest_nickag9_*
, Jan 04 2011 03:41 PM
7 replies to this topic
#2
Guest_keepnatives_*
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Posted 04 January 2011 - 05:44 PM
I'd suggest a couple options with the fish you mentioned but I'd split up the blackbanded and bluespots from the banded sunfish the bandeds are too much more aggressive then the the other two relatives in a 29 gallon tank. Here's a couple communities that might be fun both prefer live foods and lots of cover:
1. 3 or 4 each of blackbanded sunfish, bluespotted sunfish, 3 swamp darters, 3 lined topminnows(1 male 2 females), 1-3 hogchockers (sand substrate)
2. 3 or 4 each of banded sunfish, 3 eastern mudminnows, 2 pirate perch, 3 lined top minnows, 1 or 2 tadpole madtoms - all these guys are pretty tough.
1. 3 or 4 each of blackbanded sunfish, bluespotted sunfish, 3 swamp darters, 3 lined topminnows(1 male 2 females), 1-3 hogchockers (sand substrate)
2. 3 or 4 each of banded sunfish, 3 eastern mudminnows, 2 pirate perch, 3 lined top minnows, 1 or 2 tadpole madtoms - all these guys are pretty tough.
Edited by keepnatives, 04 January 2011 - 05:45 PM.
#3
Michael Wolfe
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- North Georgia, Oconee River Drainage
Posted 04 January 2011 - 10:51 PM
I like Mike's ideas here... and would just offer a variation on the theme... I have successfully kept bluespotted and bandeds together, so I would have a few of them and then add a few taillight shiners and a pair of fundulus (cingulatus would be my choice here) and a single tadpole madtom. All of these are southern slackwater species. All adapt quckly to aquarium life. The shiners would add a little bit of movement, and the F. cingulatus add lots of color.1. 3 or 4 each of blackbanded sunfish, bluespotted sunfish, 3 swamp darters, 3 lined topminnows(1 male 2 females), 1-3 hogchockers (sand substrate)
2. 3 or 4 each of banded sunfish, 3 eastern mudminnows, 2 pirate perch, 3 lined top minnows, 1 or 2 tadpole madtoms - all these guys are pretty tough.
Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing. - Benjamin Franklin
#6
Michael Wolfe
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- Board of Directors
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- North Georgia, Oconee River Drainage
Posted 05 January 2011 - 08:54 PM
Awesome suggestions so far, keep them coming!
My only question is where to source these fish given I am located in the Midwest...
Come on down! There are lots of memers down here that would be willing to go out with you.
Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing. - Benjamin Franklin
#7
Guest_stuber2_*
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Posted 06 January 2011 - 11:32 PM
I would like to caution you on one thing regarding your setup. Either replace one of the HOB's with a sponge filter, or add the sponge filter instead of a powerhead. I had a 20g slack water setup very similar to the one you are setting up, and had two aquaclear 20's on it. I went out of town for a few days, and came back to find a storm had knocked out power the night I left. Both filters were running when I got home, but they didn't prime, so they were sucking air. All of my fish were lost because of that. If I had put a sponge filter in, they would have survived.
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