Hello everybody! My name is jeremy. Im relatively new to aquaria with less than three years under my belt, but I do my research and keep up with my husbandry. Im very new to apistos. Im moving to portland this month and planning to convert the theme of my planted 55g to a S. American community. Im looking for some advice and/ or heads-up on possible problems. Here is my plan:
Livestock
a large school of cardinal tetras, probably around 20+.
A small pleco
possibly two species of apistos, Im thinkin viegita and cacatuoides (good beginner apistos right?)
amano shrimp and otos (noted that amano shrimp arent s. american)
Tank
heavily planted, 2wpg, compressed co2
eco complete substrate
aquaclear 110
fluval 350
being that Im moving out of town, Im not sure what the water params are going to be.
Questions-
1. I noticed in a lot of the pictures on this site that people are using sand as a substrate, will I be missing out on anything if I stay with eco complete?
2. Will two species of apistos be okay in this tank? what is a good stocking level? I like to be understocked, but I can cut some of that slack with the other livestock.
3. I read something on a post about plecos not being good tankmates with apistos, why is that? I would really like to have a small, ornate pleco, but I could stick with otos to save harmony.
on a side note, I am not using this tank for breeding, it is my show tank. At this point, I am not interested in investing the time or tanks to breed. I just got done breeding my s. american leaf fish, and Im ready for a break :wink:
here is a photo of my tank (haha, Im not the best photographer.)
Thanks for any and all help
flyfly
Livestock
a large school of cardinal tetras, probably around 20+.
A small pleco
possibly two species of apistos, Im thinkin viegita and cacatuoides (good beginner apistos right?)
amano shrimp and otos (noted that amano shrimp arent s. american)
Tank
heavily planted, 2wpg, compressed co2
eco complete substrate
aquaclear 110
fluval 350
being that Im moving out of town, Im not sure what the water params are going to be.
Questions-
1. I noticed in a lot of the pictures on this site that people are using sand as a substrate, will I be missing out on anything if I stay with eco complete?
2. Will two species of apistos be okay in this tank? what is a good stocking level? I like to be understocked, but I can cut some of that slack with the other livestock.
3. I read something on a post about plecos not being good tankmates with apistos, why is that? I would really like to have a small, ornate pleco, but I could stick with otos to save harmony.
on a side note, I am not using this tank for breeding, it is my show tank. At this point, I am not interested in investing the time or tanks to breed. I just got done breeding my s. american leaf fish, and Im ready for a break :wink:
here is a photo of my tank (haha, Im not the best photographer.)

Thanks for any and all help
flyfly