55 Gallon River Setup

[NoodleCats]

Quite lucky, a local was selling some chaetostoma! I got a deal on a group of them, so I opted to buy the group in the hopes of finding the opposite gender for my original one.

Definitely got mixed genders, they're currently in quarantine though.

My original chonker



Then the newbies




They're cute and look to be good shape.




By time they're done QT, the tank should be ready for residents.

I'm fairly sure fish 2 is male, based on the pointed pelvic fin extensions. Fish 1 is female.

I'm hesitant to decide on original fish and fish 3 if they're male or female, fins are a little intermediate.

I will keep my original, but aiming to keep 1m:2f and I have a friend interested in taking one of the extras after quarantine. I made a post on planet cat as well to confirm the genders of the newbies and also original. I really enjoy the chaetostoma I already have, and they make a fantastic cold water pleco for a river setup, they like it cooler and faster water to thrive.

In the bundle deal one is a clown pleco haha... little guy will be going in my blackwater setup once he's out of quarantine as well.

It's great you have enough tanks to make the switch for all your special paleatus fry. Many upper level fish to choose from, lots of different barbs first come to mind, a bunch of smaller 1s (Odessa? Octozonas? I'm not sure of the temps)? Or go big with denisonii. Maybe a different danio species? Kyathit? I think even your rasbora sarawakensis might work in there too.

I'm sure you'll find a cool species to keep (pun intended, lol).

I'll be sticking with south american fish for thos setup. I am definitely finding I like to stick with regional setups, I find I enjoy them a little more.

Still many options. Exploring many of them. Several tetra species don't mind low 70s. Just a matter of seeing what's available to me, what's compatible with the tankmates, and what won't break the bank.

 

[fishorama]

Sorry, I forgot you're doing SA. I'm mostly Asian focused these days (can you tell?) Dinner prep time is not my best time for tank planning.

 

[NoodleCats]

Sorry, I forgot you're doing SA. I'm mostly Asian focused these days (can you tell?) Dinner prep time is not my best time for tank planning.

It's all good! I've got a southeast Asian tank already though, houses the rasboras and my pangio. Them sarawaks are just fantastic. They know when it's supposed to be dinner time. They chill around the plants, chasing each other most of the day. But come evening they know that's when there's food delivery, so like clockwork after 7pm they line up in the corner where I usually drop the food lol very intelligent little fish. Definitely have more personality compared to tetras. The fact they know where the food is dropped and *when* its supposed to be dropped is really neat. Tetras wait to see the food and then dart out.
Really impressed with the sarawaks. Easily a favourite schooling fish.

 

[fishorama]

Thanks for being so understanding. You're right, I do love your sarawaks!

 

[NoodleCats]

Thanks for being so understanding. You're right, I do love your sarawaks!

They're fantastic.

There's many Asian fish I'd like to keep eventually though. Halfbeaks are really neat. Shadow catfish, glass catfish, akysis catfish... but a lot are not necessarily easy to come by locally. And when they do come in stock online I don't have a setup suitable to accommodate them haha. Or my place warms up too much for some of them even at normal temps. Lots of really awesome hillstream species!

 

[Borrego]

That piece of driftwood is amazing. Love how it angles up toward the top corner.

 

[NoodleCats]

Biofilm stage starting lol

 

[NoodleCats]

Slowly introducing the equipment, after it's been sitting out dry and added a sword from another tank.

 

[fishorama]

Looking good! & much faster than I'd have done it. I like the bioslime pics too. I remember once (only once) it was very thick & firmly spongy, odd. It worried me so I think I scrubbed it off & siphoned it out, mostly. Snails & maybe a couple fish grazed on it a bit but not too much.

I think biofilms are a subject I'd like to know more about, they're very interesting. Have we discussed them before in relation to "walling off" disease etc? I've gone there on AC sometime ago. If you or anybody else has good links, could you post them please (maybe start a new thread so we don't goof up your new tank thread too much, lol.). It's been a while since I read about them lately.

 

[NoodleCats]

Looking good! & much faster than I'd have done it. I like the bioslime pics too. I remember once (only once) it was very thick & firmly spongy, odd. It worried me so I think I scrubbed it off & siphoned it out, mostly. Snails & maybe a couple fish grazed on it a bit but not too much.

I think biofilms are a subject I'd like to know more about, they're very interesting. Have we discussed them before in relation to "walling off" disease etc? I've gone there on AC sometime ago. If you or anybody else has good links, could you post them please (maybe start a new thread so we don't goof up your new tank thread too much, lol.). It's been a while since I read about them lately.

From what I know, it's a form of fungus or bacteria that feeds off the carbohydrates in the wood, and it blooms like that because it's new.

Things definitely eat it, I'd love to add something that could enjoy it, but it's not ready for fish yet. Filter isn't hooked up yet, nor the heater. Mind you, heater is just to keep it from dipping below 70F, but still.



Verdict is on on the chaetostoma genders, I've got 2 males and 2 females. 1 male may still go to a friend later down the line, or not. The tank they were gonna move him into sprung a leak, so they're unsure now. Which is okay still.