Rio 400 journal

[daspricey]

Hi,

I got my rio 400 for my weather loach and Henry 3 weeks ago which was a struggle getting it as i am 14. lol

Set it up last Saturday and adding everything from the 30" tomorrow including sand, filter, media to bring the bacteria over.

The photos i took from my phone wont load on my pc so they may not come but i will get some with a proper camera.

But i need help in stocking, really puzzled on what to get, so hard even though i am going sub tropical, help anyone....


The ones with - - before the names are certain
The ones with # # before are name i am real keen on getting.
The ones with # - before the names are ones I'm quite certain on getting but not 100%

## crimsonspotted rainbowfish - Melanotaenia duboulayi – 4”
Murray River Rainbowfish - Melanotaenia fluviatilis – 4”
eastern rainbowfish - Melanotaenia splendida splendida – 4”
lake tebera rainbowfish - Melanotaenia herbertaxelrodi – 4”
## Devario assamensis – 4”
#- Danio kyathit – 2”
## Aborichthys elongates – 3”
iksookimia-longicorpa – 4” - unlikely i will get this one but i WILL be persistent
## Sinibotia pulchra 4 “
## Devario maetaengensis – 2”
## Devario chrysotaeniatus – 3”
# - peppered cory – 2.5”
Jaguar Catfish – 8”
spotted talking catfish – 6”
Puntius denisonii – 6”
Odessa barb – 3”
Variatus platy – 3”
# # Clown barb – 3”
- - Danio roseus – 2”
- - garra flavatra – 2.5”
# # paramisgurnus dabryanus – 4”
# - Yasuhikotakia nigrolineata – 4”
Stiphodon atropurpureus - 2”
# - Danio rerio - zebra danios
- - weather loaches


Any i've missed? And what would you do????

David

[loachmom]

Well, I'm no help in stocking since I like all of them.

I just wanted to say that I was shocked to read that you are 14.
All this time I thought you we're in college. Good job!!!

[Emma Turner]

Hi David,

Great news that you got the new tank!

I think you will struggle to find some of the fish mentioned in your proposed list, namely a couple of the loach species (a lot of far eastern coolwater species are banned for import to the UK) and some of those rainbowfish species.

Personally I think I'd go for several Weather Loaches and a nice big shoal (10+) of Lake Tebera Rainbowfish, but that's just me. You've got to go with what you like, and I'd have to recommend that when considering some of these species, it'll be better to go for a few larger groups of 2 or 3 species, rather than low numbers of lots of species.

Good luck, and we look forward to seeing some pics!

Emma

[daspricey]

OK i've narrow the list and taken away some of the fish i'de really really sturggle to get and ones i decide, OK i'm not that keen on them...

## crimsonspotted rainbowfish - Melanotaenia duboulayi – 4”
lake tebera rainbowfish - Melanotaenia herbertaxelrodi – 4”
## Devario assamensis – 4”
#- Danio kyathit – 2”
## Aborichthys elongates – 3”
## Sinibotia pulchra 4 “
# - peppered cory – 2.5”
Variatus platy – 3”
# # Clown barb – 3”
- - Danio roseus – 2”
- - garra flavatra – 2.5”
# - Yasuhikotakia nigrolineata – 4”
# - Danio rerio - zebra danios - lepoard danios
- - weather loaches

Emma, what fish there would be unobtainable?

ATM i'm thinking along the lines of...

Weather loaches
danios
clown barbs
Yasuhikotakia nigrolineata
Some garra's
Aborichthys elongates

[Emma Turner]

Emma, what fish there would be unobtainable?

Sinibotia pulchra.

I'd probably rule out the Aborichthys elongatus too as they are a small loach that prefers brook/river tank conditions.

Emma

[daspricey]

OK, cool, no fish there that are one of those "must have fish".

But i did like Aborichthys elongatus, perhaps another tank.

But there is quite a flow with the standard rio filter, fluval 303 and a fluval 2.

[Emma Turner]

I wouldn't trust full grown Clown Barbs (which can get up to 6" long) or Devario assamensis with small Aborichthys elongatus.

I think you should get another tank for brook/hillstream loaches!

[daspricey]

Sounds sensible. And thinking about that i wouldn't trust Henry

But i've said to my self i'm limiting myself to the 5ft, 30" tropical with pangios and a 10g hex with a trio of dwarf puffers.
The reason is because i just don't have the time to do water changes every week on all tanks.

Got a big year coming up and doing ALOT of coarse work and i really want to do well so i'm concentrating on my school work for now.
When it's all over after A-Level's I'll think about another tank. (or 2 or 3 .....)

I think i may go for some 4" rainbows rather than 6" barbs, to allow more to shoal more.


And thanks for correcting me on the barb size, it had 3" stated in the fish place so i never really researched the size.

David

PS my weather loach is going mad, i think it's a little to warm(23*C without heater) and i do think the weather changing. Got no battery in the camera and i'm charging my phone so i doubt i'll be able to get a video of this behaviour.

[Tinman]

You are quite a young talent. I have been waiting to see others comment on the Jaguar Cat on your list, in my keeping of catfish they are hunters in the night and capable of eating about any thing that fits in their mouths, are the Jaguars different? Docile ,I have never had one but that stands out as a possible maybe to me on your list. You are smart to concentrate on school VERY smart for that indeed......Tinman

[daspricey]

You are quite a young talent. I have been waiting to see others comment on the Jaguar Cat on your list, in my keeping of catfish they are hunters in the night and capable of eating about any thing that fits in their mouths, are the Jaguars different? Docile ,I have never had one but that stands out as a possible maybe to me on your list. You are smart to concentrate on school VERY smart for that indeed......Tinman

Thanks you.

Well jaguar cats weren't really one i had my heart set on, so i'm glad about that.

[daspricey]

I'm really not happy with the look of the tank, live plants are going to be added.





Loach is hiding behind the internal background.

[Emma Turner]

Yeah, I'd definitely say switch over to live plants with some small rock piles/roots placed around them to try and prevent the Weather Loach from digging them up (or of course Java fern/Anubias tied onto some bogwood pieces). Anyway, I'm sure the loach must be loving all the new space. Can it get out from behind the background ok? I was under the impression that those were siliconed into place, leaving no gaps.

When are you going to get some more buddies for the Weather Loach? I bet there will be much excitement when you add them! (And we'll be wanting pics ).

Emma

[daspricey]

Loach can get in and out fine, in fact he's out under the filter as we speak. It's a great cave but he spends an awful lot of time behind there not making use of the space!

The first fish in will be some adult zebra danios!

Weather loach after that, thne some more danios then another weather loach.

Less hardiest go in first!

I have vallis, ferns, mosses and mono being sent to me from contributions from other fishkeepers from another forum!