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Hi all,

I am very new to this and I am currently setting up a tank to keep Zebras. (I do already have 3 tropical community tanks).
I have a sandy bottom, with rounded pebbles and caves, I also have one small plant. I have a good current in the tank and temp 26 at the moment. I think I will be adding an air stone to help oxygen levels.

I know water quality is very important and currently in my other tanks I have some freshwater clams on the bottom, I have found these are very good at extracting any imbalances in the water. I also have cherry shrimp to help keep the tanks tidy.

I plan to keep the Zebras in a species only tank as I have been told this is best, but would it be okay/beneficial to add either of these as tank mates?

Also I am buying juvenilles from several locations, my local shop (maidenhead aquatics UK) which is very good, has their Zeb tank with quite hard local water which they are quite happy in. However, other breeders I have approached have their fish in RO water PH 6.7 (with minerals). I have tried to balance my water with a small amount of tap water to find a middle ground.

Any advice would be much appreciated as I really want my new additions to be happy and healthy!

I can't help re the clams as I do not keep them and am unfamiliar with their needs etc. But I can tell you that 26C is not warm enough for zebras. I keep mine at about 29-30C for the most part. During the changeover from dry to rainy seasons to try and trigger them I may let the temp drop a few degrees but I have never gone much below about 27C.

I have red cherries but was told by my invert adviser that they prefer cooler temps, so I personally would not think of putting mine in with my zebras. However, I know some people, including some members here, who do this and claim it works fine.

Thanks very much for the advice, I shall turn my heater up by a few degrees. I have also bought an air stone after reading some posts on here about oxygen levels. Hoping to have the tank ready in about 2 weeks for my first Zebras, how exciting!