3 replies to this topic

[doubleatraining]

I'm thinking of doing a 20G long or 29G tank on top of one of the dressers.

 

I can an abbreviated Walstad with Organic potting soil then mix red/black substrate.

 

Plants:

Amazon Sword Compacta

Narrow Leaf Chain Sword

Wendti Crypt

Crypt Parva

S. Repens

Moneywort

Moss wall

dwarf water lettuce

 

Livestock:

Shrimp - neo - haven't decided what color

Ottos

Pygmy Sunfish

 

I'll run a heater and probably a bubble stone initially and get a good LED light.

 

I have a scud culture already going to feed the sunfish.

 

I know shrimp and otto aren't natives. If I do the 29G I think it will need a schooling fish near the top that will get along with the sunfish. I figure I won't see the sunfish very often with all the plants and places to hide.

 

Is there a native fish that will school at the top and won't harass my sunfish?

Edited by doubleatraining, 23 March 2020 - 02:52 PM.

[Michael Wolfe]

Leptolucania omatta pygmy killifish live well with Elasomma sp.  I have done it before.

 

The problem is that Elassoma only live for a year or so in the wild, so you need them to reproduce to keep them long term.  And they will do that just fine in the set up you are talking about.  But not if the otos and the shrimp eat all the eggs.  I suggest that you go with pond snails instead.  They are easy and the Elassoma are known to eat the snail eggs and young.

 

But you will see the Elassoma plenty.  They hang out in the open pretty much... and the males will dance for you.  

 

And you do not need a heater.

[doubleatraining]

Thank you, I'll look into them. I have my H. Formosa in a 5g in my office. I can put them in a 10g with shrimp.

 

I had no idea that oto will eat the eggs. I'll drop pond or ramshorn snails in the 29g to help keep the tank clean.

 

I live with a "polar bear". I'll need a heater to keep the tank at 68-70.

[Michael Wolfe]

Natives live through much cooler temperatures. Mine have always been in an unheated part of the basement.  In fact they do better in cooler temps.