Elassoma okefenokee colony

I got a pair of F0 Elassoma okefenokee a few months ago and I want to get more for a colony. I have a 29-gallon tank to but the colony in and I was planning on getting eight fish from aquaculturestore.com.

I also want to get some cherry shrimp from some where and some sort of livebearer--I would like to have a colorful species--to provide lots of live food for the E. okefenokee. I will also feed them other live foods and frozen foods.

The tank will also be heavily planted with a 65-watt power compact light--maybe open top--and a homemade CO2 system. I’m thinking I might use a slow bubbling sponge filter, but I might go without it if I have enough plants, or use the CO2 system to power it.

Do you guys think this will work? Are there any changes I should make to this plan?

Thanks
-Corban

Edited by fishyz, 27 April 2008 - 12:54 PM.

My success with captive Elassoma is limited.

I have had the best luck collecting Elassoma in areas
that have grass or grass-like plants and a sloping bank one inch deep with water. This is hard to duplicate in an off-the-shelf fish tank.

My zonatum are going into a pond next week.

Corban, don't do the CO2, it is more trouble than good.
From your design, sounds like what I am doing. I am going with a 20 gal L (30"x12"x12") with cabomba and vals, along with some micro/dwarf chain swords. I will be doing a piece or two of driftwood with a sponge filter. The lighting will be the normal lighting until i can get a plant bulb. Also, just a standard heater for a 10-25gal tank will be used. I am going to keep 8 E. zonatum or evergladi along with 30 H. formosa and cherry shrimp and scuds( get a set from aquaculturestore.com) I am already growing the ricca from brian in massive amounts so hopefully I can attach it to all my driftwood when it comes from aquabid.
You will need to feed them plenty of brineshrimp and blood worms to keep them going and ready for spawning.


BTW, I am doing a second 20 gal L for darters and top minnows. One end will have two powerheads burried in rocks with the jets shooting out. I will have vals in there as well along with some attached ricca/java moss and some driftwood. i hope the current isn't too much, but this tank I hope will work out.

Hope that first part helped,

NV

I am going to keep 8 E. zonatum or evergladi along with 30 H. formosa

Where you get 30 H. formosa from? Or was that your future plan?

For cherry shrimp, check out the classifieds at http://www.aquariace...orums/index.php? The posters with usernames Msjinkzd and Mgamer2000 sell cherries for $1 apiece and have good reputations for healthy animals and reliable service. Other good in-tank invert options are scuds and Daphnia; add a healthy starter population and they will probably breed as fast as the sunnies can eat them.

Be careful with your livebearers. H. formosa are probably the best species to keep with Elassoma; Endlers or fancy guppies might be OK too. But any livebearer adults may eat the young of your Elassoma. Consider raising the livebearers separately and just adding young to the sunfish tank now and again.

Where you get 30 H. formosa from? Or was that your future plan?

Aquaculturestore.com or whatever that site is. They sell them by the pair, the 4, 10,20 and I am planning on a custom order of 30.

I would say Corbin to just stick to the H. formosa because they are danty little fish and should go good with your pygmys. Also, If you are heavily planting it, I would recommend going with some topsoil under the gravel and make it as natural as possible( although I have read that black substraight is better for the fish/color of the fish) I am going to use the Seachem black sand over topsoil over leaves, then scatter some dried leaves over the seachem sand.

Corbin, I will go with you to Aquatics Unlimited and help you pick out good native plants for the tank when you are ready for it. Maybe I can use my discount and we can do a huge order and save a ton of money lol.

Let me Know,

NV

Thanks Nate!

It's going to be a while befor i get the tank going though.

That is fine, I am setting up my river tank before I set up the pygmys. Went looking for the PVC piping today and now need to get exact measurements of my powerhead.

If it is mid summer before your ready, that is fine cause that is when I will probably be doing it.

NV