Advice/suggestions please...

[misterking]

*Apologies in advance for what may turn into a fairly long-winded post*...

A while back I posted a thread hoping to get back into fishkeeping after a few years' hiatus.. those who contributed might remember me thinking about a 20g set-up when I move into my rented house in September.

Now that I've actually found my house, I now know that there isn't necessarily space for a 20g, and so I've been looking to downsize quite a bit. I have to move out during summer which means the tank would have to be moved with relative ease.

It turns out that a hexagonal tank suits my wants (visually) and needs (space consumption) more than a square tank and so I've been trauling the likes of ebay since.

One that's caught my eye is a tank called "Aquality Hexagon". Visually, they're quite nice tanks, quite compact although spacious, with the 3-stage filter (mechanical, then chemical, then biological) being built into the hood, but with a volume of 21.6 litres, or about 6 US gallons. Quite small I know but they have some good deals going, and this is probably the biggest tank my new room can accommodate.

This puts me back to square one.. so my question is, what can I keep?! The obvious is a betta.. which I'd love. But I don't want this to be the only thing in there, I want a bit more movement, but stocking further, I'd have to be careful not to overstock. I don't really want to go down the shrimp path, they're nice and all but surprisingly hard to come across over here in the UK and I don't want something that'll multiply like aquatic rabbits.

I'm a farely experienced aquarist.. Before finances forced me to dismantle my last tank I'd been keeping fish for 10 years. I know the nitrogen cycle, the importance of cycling and the importance of not overstocking.. but, with regular water changes and close monitoring of parameters, would overstocking be possible?

I know.. strange question, but I'm torn between what I want my tank to be and the "rules" I've drilled into my mind regarding proper fishkeeping over the years.. So, you have my dilemma, suggestions would be greatly appreciated on stocking limits and what to actually stock! *twirlysmi

 

[lauraf]

I'm sure I'd be considered way overstocked to any purist (see my signature - I think Aqadvisor would be tempted to send an intervention team in to 'rescue' my fish ). But I do very regular water changes and have lots of live plants.
I'd be tempted in your case, being an experienced fishkeeper, to overstock and just baby that wee tank lots. Do you still have your water test kits for ammonia, pH, etc?

 

[misterking]

Yeah, I bought one new in summer for my pond after a load of unexplained deaths (should have had one earlier, though it turned out to be velvet disease introduced by some new koi). I did check AqAdvisor.. and although I'm not sure how much I trust an online "calculator" such as that, it did seem to think that the tank size + filtration would adequately cater for a betta and 4 pygmy cories.. but I'm not sure I'd be satisfied with just that. We'll see I guess, I'm in the very early planning stages... so early I don't even have the tank yet

Any one else have any input? Please, I welcome anyone to knock what may be an impossible idea out of my head!

 

[Doomhed]

I would get a betta, a snail and 3 dwarf cories.

cleanup crew, algae eater and centerpiece fish

 

[misterking]

I'm not too keen on snails if I'm honest.. and even with the snail, in my mind it feels too empty, I like shoaling fish, and what's the point in having a centrepiece fish if there's nothing in there to be a centrepiece from? That's why I'm so stumped..

In all seriousness, I've got a good 7 or 8 months to find a tank, and with any luck at some point a larger hex will pop up.. 10g would be optimum really, I could have a betta, shoal of 6 tetras or rasboras and a few pygmy cories then.. it's just a case of finding it.

If I can't find one, and I have to settle for the 6g hex, what suggestions do people have? I don't even have to have a betta or cories.. I just wanna hear what you guys would PERSONALLY stock a 6g with?

 

[lauraf]

Oooh, I just had in idea. What if you did a tank with 'minis'? I don't know if these fish have the same water needs, but I'm just visualizing a 6g hex now if it was mine:
Two to four dwarf honey gouramis or chocolate gouramis (the chocs need a higher temp, I believe) - these kinds of gouramis are so sweet, I'd love to have some, but they need a very peaceful setup
A few Endler's livebearers - do you have any of those at your LFS? Mine has tons! They would add lots of colour/action, much like a school of tetras
Three dwarf cories
And decorate with small leaved plants and really wee terra cotta pots (you can get them at a craft store) or small coloured stones over the gravel.

 

[Orion]

I know you said you didn't want shrimp, but if it were me doing this, I think I would put some cherry shrimp in it, along with something like white clouds, or those tiny tetra's (sorry the name escapes me right now), or some micro (galaxy) rasboras. I would really look at the rasboras if you can find them. I've only saw them in a store once a few years back and should have gotten them when I saw them, haven't seen them since. Pretty fish in person though.

And don't worry about the cherry's eating you out of house and home, as they will only multiply as much as the food source will allow. So if you feed less, less will make it to adulthood. (But you know, as popular as they are and as long as they've been in the hobby you really would think they would be more available in LFS than they are.)

I've got to plug some shell dwellers too. Multies, dwarf comps, and maybe occies would do OK in the tank plus might allow for some breeding. And I think you could still do some fish that live in the upper levels like the rasboras.

 

[misterking]

...or some micro (galaxy) rasboras.

Funnily enough, the same thought crossed my mind last night. If I can get hold of them they seem like they would be ideal. My personal favourite of such newer "rasbora" types are Microrasbora kubotai, but again, they seem to be quite rare (I've never seen them for sale). I suppose if I looked for them online I might have more luck.

I'm also actually considering cherry shrimp as of last night, they seem quite cool and I really like the colours, plus they seem to stay smaller than most other shrimp. I'm just trying to get as much movement and variety in without massively overstocking in the limited space of 6 gallons.. I'd love to do the whole bottom feeder - shoal - centrepiece thing but I don't see how I could get it to work in a 6 gallon!

Right now my ideas seem to be:

Male betta + cherry shrimp
Male betta + 4 pygmy cories
6 Microrasbora kubotai or galaxy rasboras + cherry shrimp
6 Microrasbora kubotai or galaxy rasboras + 4 pygmy cories

How do these sound to people? They probably look a bit overstocked.. but I reckon if I keep on top of regular (twice weekly?) waterchanges and maintenence I could make it work. In regard to the last two, do you reckon it's possible to add a centrepiece such as a betta? Or I wonder if I could get my hands on a scarlet badis or two... stop me if I'm going mad

I've already got my ideas on decoration.. it's going to be very "natural" looking, I've got a couple of lovely pieces of rootwood I was saving for a future set-up which would fit perfectly, cover a few branches in java moss or something similar, have some form of foreground plant such as hairgrass or glossostigma, have a few taller varieties of crypts towards the back, some pebbles over a sandy substrate.. hmm

 

[yhbae]

I did check AqAdvisor.. and although I'm not sure how much I trust an online "calculator" such as that, it did seem to think that the tank size + filtration would adequately cater for a betta and 4 pygmy cories.. but I'm not sure I'd be satisfied with just that.

Not to hijack your thread, but not all online calculators are created equal. This one received more than a year worth of work put into it, and half of the efforts were capturing experienced keepers' feedback into the application.

 

[misterking]

Not to hijack your thread, but not all online calculators are created equal. This one received more than a year worth of work put into it, and half of the efforts were capturing experienced keepers' feedback into the application.

Probably true. But as with anything else it has its limitations.. the majority of fish which would be suitable for the set-up I'm aiming for aren't listed on there, and so I can't really use it as a guide. My own experience also contradicts a fair bit of the "advice" it gives me.

 

[yhbae]

Probably true. But as with anything else it has its limitations.. the majority of fish which would be suitable for the set-up I'm aiming for aren't listed on there, and so I can't really use it as a guide. My own experience also contradicts a fair bit of the "advice" it gives me.

That's fair. I'd appreciate if you could list those species that are currently missing in the app and also those contradicts you found so far on the appropriate thread. I'd like to get the app report as accurate result as I can, and the best way to do this is to listen to people.

 

[misterking]

Well I haven't looked in full detail yet, but the things that stuck out for me was the lack of quite a few of the newer "microrasboras" and other small fish fairly new to the hobby (though, I'm a constant researcher into new species almost as soon as they become available, and understand not everybody is as crazy as me about it haha) and the fact that there's no male guppy option.. for example, I could easily keep 5 or 6 male guppies in the 6 gallons, but when I put that in it warns be about the eventual size, which is only applicable to females. Also little things like warnings that bettas may nip guppies fins (to me, a myth, I've never had this issue..), and that the list of filters and tank sizes/shapes isn't as extensive as it could be. I'm not knocking it, I think it's a great tool for helping newer fishkeepers keep in check and make sure they don't get the new tank bug and throw as much in as they feel without research, I just think it needs a little bit of refining I'll have another look and point out anything major.

Anyone else have any thoughts on my plans, or suggestions as to what you'd do with a 6g hex?

 

[yhbae]

Well I haven't looked in full detail yet, but the things that stuck out for me was the lack of quite a few of the newer "microrasboras" and other small fish fairly new to the hobby (though, I'm a constant researcher into new species almost as soon as they become available, and understand not everybody is as crazy as me about it haha)

I tend to add only species that have been requested by users. If you can point out the exact scientific names of these, I can add them to the wishlist.

and the fact that there's no male guppy option.. for example, I could easily keep 5 or 6 male guppies in the 6 gallons, but when I put that in it warns be about the eventual size, which is only applicable to females.

Really? I've never heard of this before about the size being only limiting to female guppies. Can you point me to a reference on this? I am curious.

Also little things like warnings that bettas may nip guppies fins (to me, a myth, I've never had this issue..),

Once again, I can set an exception between these but only if you are sure that these two will never cause issues.

and that the list of filters and tank sizes/shapes isn't as extensive as it could be.

Which tank sizes am I missing? Can you please point me to the ones missing? It's quite easy to add those once I know the dimensions.

As for the filters, which are missing? I've been adding new filters regularly since Sep 2009. Again, quite easy to add new ones.

I'm not knocking it, I think it's a great tool for helping newer fishkeepers keep in check and make sure they don't get the new tank bug and throw as much in as they feel without research, I just think it needs a bit of refining

Agreed, hence looking for more feedback. *BOUNCINGS

 

[misterking]

Tell you what, I'll PM you rather than extending it on the thread, may have to get back to you tomorrow as it's fairly late but I'll get looking

 

[yhbae]

Tell you what, I'll PM you rather than extending it on the thread, may have to get back to you tomorrow as it's fairly late but I'll get looking

Works for me. Thanks.