1st Planted 20gallon update

[ErnieG]

Here we have a planted 20gallon high which is the first planted tank i have done and its doing well. The tank is stocked with the following fish
1.1 apisto viejita
1.1 bolivian rams
5 neon tetra
12 endlers
1 bristlenose pleco

The pics show the viejita pair.

 

[ErnieG]

Here are some more pics of the tank

 

[Tony]

Looking good.

I'll be curious to see how the pairs of rams and apistos do in a 20H as I've considered that before, but never pulled the trigger.

 

[ErnieG]

Looking good.

I'll be curious to see how the pairs of rams and apistos do in a 20H as I've considered that before, but never pulled the trigger.

Tony, its really not that bad it just depends on the personality of the fish. I had these guys together for a while and they get along great, but i really think the schooling fish plays a part in those guys getting along.

 

[jonclark96]

Any spawning out of either pair?

 

[ErnieG]

No spawns yet, but the rams are flirting and cleaning the top of the cave. So i think i will get a spawn in the next few days.

 

[hollyfish2000]

This won't last once you have breeding from either of the pair. I'd be prepared, if I were you, to have another tank on hand so you can quickly remove the pair that going to get the snot beat out of them. There's just not enough footprint for another cichlid pair to co-exist with a breeding pair IMHO

 

[ErnieG]

This won't last once you have breeding from either of the pair. I'd be prepared, if I were you, to have another tank on hand so you can quickly remove the pair that going to get the snot beat out of them. There's just not enough footprint for another cichlid pair to co-exist with a breeding pair IMHO

I have been breeding cichlids for years and 1 thing i notice is that experience is the best teacher. You may have had a breeding pair in your tank and the breeding pair beat the snot out of all the other fish, but that doesnt mean that it will happen in my tank. I've had 3 breeding pairs of 4inch jack dempseys in a 55gallon and they got along and raised their young, I also have a 55gallon community tank that is heavily stocked and i purchased 2 pair of rams from Frank Cowherd and both pairs bred in my community tank at the same time ( Frank Cowherd and George will vouch for me). So i dont always listen to reputations that are given to certain fish because every fish has a different personality.

 

[hollyfish2000]

experience is the best teacher.

Yup. Gave you a suggestion based on my experience.

 

[ErnieG]

Yup. Gave you a suggestion based on my experience.

Yes i understand, i have experienced alot of cichlid behavior that doesnt go by the book. I could give so many stories that was just so crazy your head would spend lol, For example i had a pair of texas cichlid, 1 jack dempsey, and 2 female convicts in a 55gallon. My texas pair had spawn and were taking care of their eggs, couple days later my female convict laid eggs out of the blue and the texas male went over and fertilized the eggs!!!. In 3 days the eggs hatch and i raised the babies too see what they would look like and sure enough the texas was the dad. So i kind of experiment with what fish i could keep together based off my cichlids personality, but wouldnt put a dovii in with angel fish or anything like that lol.