Some help needed :)

Briesje · Post by **Briesje** » Sun Aug 20, 2006 6:00 pm

As some of you know I do have 5 zebs... In september there'll be 4 more... Because I wanted to give the zebs more space, I decided to sell my cichlids (already done that) and use my rio 400 (400 l ~ 105 gallons) for the zebs...

The tank is empty now... Tomorrow I'll start filling it again...

But I do have an important question :
The filter is a 1500 l/h (395 g/h)... There is also an outflow installed at the exit...

Naturally I want to give them all the comfort they need... I also want some flow in the lowest areas... So, I think, a pump for the flow would be great... Which one should I buy??
I thought a 1000 l/h should be fine (264 g/h)... Do you agree or is this too strong?

Grts
Bries

Briesje · Post by **Briesje** » Mon Aug 21, 2006 12:05 pm

No suggestions?

Plastic Mac · Post by **Plastic Mac** » Mon Aug 21, 2006 1:17 pm

In short, that sounds fine to me.

McEve · Post by **McEve** » Mon Aug 21, 2006 4:48 pm

As long as you get the water well oxygenated it doesn't matter wether you do it with a strong current or by other means, in my opinion.

What you plan to do sounds fine

Briesje · Post by **Briesje** » Wed Aug 23, 2006 8:32 pm

Okay will look for a good pump...

Next question : tankmates...

I've read a lot and this is what I got :

YES with zebs :
- cherry shrimps : good cleaners, leave the zebs alone
- otocinclus zebra : match colours, not fighting for food
- phantom tetra : lively
- double red apistogramma : quiet, colourfull
- ramirezi : a couple (not more : otherwise they can fight)
- discus
- Carnegiella strigata strigata

NOT with zebs :
- neon / cardinals : they do eat food from the bottom and only leave a little bit for the zebs
- corydoras : they do eat all the food, are too good cleaners
- Amano Shrimp : can eat eggs, can be a danger
- gourami : do eat a lot

* For my rio400 I want some cherry shrimps, but how much should I put in there??
* Do ramirezis eat the cherry shrimps? Otherwise I can't put them together...
* Otocinclus zebra : can I put them inthere with the shrimps and ramirezis?
* discus : What do you people think of a couple?? Can they be together with the sherry shrimp?

Other question : Is the position of the pump for the flow good like in this picture?

McEve · Post by **McEve** » Wed Aug 23, 2006 9:34 pm

Hi Briesje,

I think I've seen that picture picture before?

Anyways, about your questions.

If you want to breed Zebras the best tankmates for Zebras are.... Zebras.

You can keep them with most of the fish you list, but I wouldn't bet on breeding nor surviving frys. Your best bet, if you really want to have another fish together with them would be the Discus. I've also read about Cardinals being kept with Zebras with some success. but both options requires that you set up a different enviroment at each end of the tank to satisfy both spiecies needs.

I've tried quit a few fish with the Zebras, but if you want to breed the Zebra you really don't have much option but to keep them in a species tank.

Sure the occational spawn and a fry or three might survive in a tank with other fish, but you won't maximise the potential of your Zebra group unless they are in a species tank

Tough choise to make as I can see there's quite a few fish and other aquatic creatures you are taken with, but... Zebras go best with Zebras - if it's breeding you want.

Oh, position of the pump. I think you'll find that different males prefer different flows over the caves. But that's easy enough to figure out. If a male takes possetion of a cave he likes it. If he moves out he doesn't

Adam · Post by **Adam** » Thu Aug 24, 2006 2:10 am

Hi Briesje,

Seen that picture before too .

You've got a good selection of possible tank mates there for the zebras, however I have to agree with McEve that zebras are best kept in a species tank. The main reasons being competetion for food egg/fry predation, current and temperature in a zebra tank may not be suitable for some of the speices you've listed. It would be a shame to have some nice Discus in the tank to only have them sulk in a corner because they don't like the current.

That said I can see the need for a clean up crew, the zebra ottos and cherry shrimps are real possibilities. Personally I would go for the red cherry shrimps(RCS); they are great cleaners, will be egg/fry safe because of their small size and will be well suited to the conditions in a zebra tank. They are also likely to breed as their life cycle is completed in freshwater unlike some of the other shrimp species. There are also some colourful shrimp from the Caridina species that remain small, apart from Caridina Japonica(Amano), but unfortunately they will not tolerate the temperature in a zebra tank. A few members here have RCS with their zebras and I haven't heard of any problems with them so far. Discus will thank you for providing them with live shrimp to eat. Rams will leave the adult RCS alone but will snack on their babies, ottos should be ok with the shrimp. You will also have to place sponges over filter and power head inlets or you will end up with a thriving shrimp colony in your filter, plenty to eat in there as shrimp are primarily detritus feeders. If you are after a shoaling fish you might want to consider Rasboras Hengli, a member here has successfully kept them with his group of zebras. They remain almost at the surface of the tank and do not feed off the bottom unlike cardinals. I used to have them myself until I gave them away, they are not as striking in appearance as the cardinals but they shoal together better. Cardinals seem to scatter in a tank unless they feel threatened.

With regards to pump position, in my own tanks I have placed a number of caves down and the zebras just pick the ones they like. Just have the outlets of canister filters and power heads facing in one direction down the length of the tank. Someone here once suggested that he had successfully spawned his zebras because the flow in his tank was from east to west, I'm pretty sure he was joking.

Regards.

Adam.

Briesje · Post by **Briesje** » Wed Sep 27, 2006 8:16 pm

Okay pictures (step by step)

23/08/2006

05/09/2006 Plants and wood

17/09/2006 Cherry Shrimp

17/09/2006

Briesje · Post by **Briesje** » Wed Sep 27, 2006 8:24 pm

24/09/2006

Hope the pump is installed as it should be?

discusbabe · Post by **discusbabe** » Wed Sep 27, 2006 8:39 pm

Wow! :O That looks lovely!!!! I'm beginning to think that about moving my zebra tank into a living room!

That set up looks amazing!

crazie.eddie · Post by **crazie.eddie** » Thu Sep 28, 2006 12:30 am

Nice tank. I can't tell from the picture, but does your powerheads have pre-filter sponges? If so, you should put one in there. Any shrimp, shrimp babies, or even zebra babies may get torn apart.

Briesje · Post by **Briesje** » Sat Sep 30, 2006 11:11 pm

My powerheads don't have pre-filter sponges... It's just an airflow

I just wonder if the direction is OK...

eklikewhoa · Post by **eklikewhoa** » Sun Oct 01, 2006 4:19 am

might be a coincidence but my powerhead is pointed east to west mounted slighty higher then the top of the cave and somewhat firward of the opening.

the little ones love since most of them are in caves already.

Briesje · Post by **Briesje** » Sun Oct 01, 2006 5:53 pm

does that mean that the direction of my flow isn't right? (sorry, I'm not English and I'm trying to understand it :p)
should I put the airflow at the right side of the tank?

eklikewhoa · Post by **eklikewhoa** » Mon Oct 02, 2006 2:10 am

either way it will work.

the way you have it the current will hit the front glass and be directed towards the caves. if mounted on the side glass the current flows across the face of the cave. either way current flows pass or into the cave.