kuhli loach

I hope that one day my tank will end up as gorgeous as that!!!

yes i hadn't heard of L168 before, figured it was somthing hard to get! Would all those fish (one type of the apisto only and only one pair ) really be fine in that size aquarium or would they be more comfortable with less fish? (i'm kinda big on how happy the fish are more than what looks good)

Is a insulating lid needed to keep aquarium heat in?

would this be fine minus the chichlids?

[Joefish wrote] Hi Khuli Loach, If I were you, I would start with a small 'Amazon' type tank, with: A pair if Apisto. agassizii 'Double Red' or cacatuoides 10x Cardinal Tetras (these are hardier than Neons, live longer, and have more colour) About 5 Otos or cories, and maybe a small fancy Pleco, like Dekeyseria brachyura L168 5 Golden Pencilfish 3 Hatchetfish (I have to agree with you, they are awesome!) Is this amount too much for a 60x30x30 and could cardinals be substituted by emperors or rummy noses, golden pencilfishes with zebra danios and could kuhli loaches live in this sort of environment? desperately trying to decide!!!

I've got myself a glass lid but i don't know whever you need a more insulated lid to keep the aquarium heat (and hatchetfish!) in. Rummynoses are very attractive fish i agree but so are cardinals and emperors i will need to do quite a bit of deciding whilst my tank cycles!

not all the types of tetra I'm just trying to decide which one type I want Maby not agassizi since I have no extra breeding tank, cacatuoides sound quite peaceful, especially for chichlids. Your tank is very nice, love the plants! I'm in the north island, masterton - wairarapa reigion (by wellington). What type lid?

thats good if they like sand! I really like catfish, corys and loaches and also want sand.

I really like the amazonian setup Apistogramma cacatuoides are very nice and I think a pair would be big enough for my tank but am not sure about the agassizi whever they would be happy in a 60x30x30. could cardinals be replaced by emperor or rummynose tetra or are cardinal the best? Some small cories would loaches (kuhlis in particular) be ok in this setup also could golden pencilfish be substituted for zebra danios? And yes hatchetfish (marbled variety if possible) would be wonderful! I would love this tank setup! I also need a tank lid (especially with hatchet fish!) would a sheet of glass do? Or should I purchase a proper one?

sounds great! I wanted an amazonian themed tank! Wondering though, petshop said that most corys, loaches and small catfish dont like a sand substrate and prefer a smooth gravel. I'm not sure though but prehaps, if this is true, a mixture of sand and pea gravel would satisfy them both?

guppies are very pretty I will consider getting some but what to do with babies?

I dont think i will keep tiger barbs as although they look very attractive, viberent fish they sound like they will readily attack more pretty delicate fish especially those with flowing finnage. If neons don't shoal that does not bother me as they were not a favored fish i really wanted to keep anyway. How many hatchet fish and susequently mid water fish would i be able to keep, though as I quite wanted hatchets? Cardinals sound good as well and I think look far nicer than neons.

Trying to choose a community of small tropicals for my roughly 60 by 30 by 30 tank. Need help on picking a species of shoaling fish out of hatchetfish, tiger barbs, cherry barbs, rummynosed, emperor, cardinal and neon tetra, golden pencilfish, zebra danio, harlequin rasbora and threadfin rainbowfish. need to know how many fish would be good in a school for a tank this size and which fish would be most compatible for a community aquarium. Fish names in red I would prefer to keep but any of the above fish would be good.

What about fish that will get along in smaller groups such as swordtails, guppies and platys? What sized group should corys, plecs, small catfish and loaches be kept in, or should they be a few solitary species?

interested in hatchetfish so will check pricing! If I will be keeping gouramis or other delicate fish, tigerbarbs or other aggressive ones will not work out.

Hey i'm just starting out with tropicals, and had the same problem as you with choosing fish. One book i can reccomend is What Fish? a buyer's guide to tropical fish , written by a team of fishkeeping experts it lists over 150 fish to choose from along with much helpful information on the fishes size, diet, origin, cost, sexing, preffered tank, minimum tank size, water type, temperature, preferred decor, tank area, how many per tank, behavior and the odds of breeding. I found the information easy to acess and understand, accurate and to the point and very helpful and informative, i would highly reccomend this book to anyone.

so any small shoaler would be fine? Tiger or cherry barbs, hatchetfish, rummynosed, emperor, cardinal and neon tetra, golden pencilfish, zebra danio, harlequin rasbora and threadfin rainbowfish are shoalers i am interested in. Are these ok for my size aquarium

2 or so main fish, lets say gourami, 4 medium sized zebra danios, 6 little tetras, 3 kuhli loaches and 2 corys - would that be ok for my tank or would that be too much (not being particular on fish just using rough sizes)

As to tank cycling I think you are supposed to cycle your newly created tank and equiptment for 2 or so weeks before staggering the realease of your fish over a few weeks starting with the small hardy ones and ending with your larger more delicate aquarium stars. The amount of fish i was thinking of having was 2 or so main fish, lets say gourami, 4 medium sized zebra danios, 6 little tetras, 3 kuhli loaches and 2 corys. i just want whats best for the fish, i will aim for the most colourful and varied community i can get so long as the fish are happy. I need silica sand because i would really like to get kuhli loaches and they need somthing soft to burrow into so that their skin is not damaged by hard gravel, its also good for growing plants in. I am only using the gravel to hold plants in place and as decoration.

If clown loaches, indian glassfish, peacock goby and butterfly fish arent suited Are all the other fish ok for my tank?

Thanks! other fish i would be interested in having are cockatoo dwarf chichlids, angelfish, bristlenose, whiptail and chocolate catfish, small corys, plecs and catfish, cherry and tiger barbs, marbled hatchetfish, rummynosed, emperor and cardinal tetra, golden pencilfish, lyretail and gardner killifish, sparkling panchax, argentine pearlfish, rachows nothobranchius, surinam blue- stripe rivulus, siamese fighting fish, dwarf, honey, kissing, chocolate and pearl gourami, zebra danios, harlequin rasbora, threadfin and dwarf rainbowfish, ,humpbacked limia, guppy, sailfin and black molly, swordtail, platy, silver, redtailed black and ruby shark, flying fox, pakistani, zebra and clown loaches, butterfly fish, indian glassfish and peacock goby. Not all of them of course but these are the fish I would definitely consider choosing a community out of. Also here is are some things I can't find at my local petshop and need a retailer for- aquarium safe silica sand a properly fitting insulated lid including a led light tube and reflector interesting bogwood and quality live plants aquarium safe glue or sealant

Hi just a beginner to keeping tropical fish but have kept goldfish sucessfully before. I have a roughly 60 by 30 by 30 glass rectanglar tank, an aqua one AP-250 bubbler (yet to buy airstone), an aqua one 101F maxi internal mechanical filter, an aqua one 100W glass internal heater and some pea gravel and washed riverstones as my current fish possessions. I need a list of other things i will need to sucessfully keep fish ( I have the basic idea but need to know if i've missed anything), (keep in mind I have a limited budget as am only 14). I also need a list of fish i could keep in an aquarium of this size. I have really set my heart on Kuhli loaches and want to know if i can have some in my aquarium and also if you know any outlets that sell them around my area, Masterton and surrounding Wairarapa, I will also soon be travelling up to havlock north and hamilton so i could stop at some petshop or aquarium centre there. Please do not list any places far away from there that do not post as i am the only enthusiast in my family and cannot yet drive, nor have parents happy to do so. all replies welcome! Thanks!