Stephen's 550L tank log (summary & continuation)

[Daveymancs]

Great video, they look really relaxed and happy

[Lee_k]

Nice fish Stephen! - Are there Cupids full size now or still size to go? - Cant tell if there still growing or if its just cus there in such a lovely large tank!

[Stephen]

@Lee_k

Nice fish Stephen! - Are there Cupids full size now or still size to go? - Cant tell if there still growing or if its just cus there in such a lovely large tank!

Thanks Lee

They are still juveniles and have some growing to do.
I guess they are 2.5-3.0 inches at present and will grow to a little over 4 inches.
Maybe another 12 months before they reach close to adult size.

[Martinspuddle]

@Stephen your EHEIM streamON+ pumps, how often do you clean yours?

Mine are running fine but I have noticed the impellers do look a tad brown in colour now.

[Stephen]

@Martinspuddle

@Stephen your EHEIM streamON+ pumps, how often do you clean yours?

Mine are running fine but I have noticed the impellers do look a tad brown in colour now.

I have cleaned and re-moved my Eheim streamON pumps but only temporary.
With the pleco poopers I used to clean them every few months, around the grills (the pumps not the plecos).
Like yourself the impellers looked a bit green/brown but nothing to get concerned about, it was just a very thin layer.

[Stephen]

It's been 4 weeks since I added fish to the 550L aquarium.
I'm barely 60% stocked at present and itching to add more fish from my list.

I have found some Bleeding Heart Tetra (Hyphessobrycon erythrostigma) which have recently arrived in from Peru or Brazil at my favourite LFS.
They are in quarantine at present (at LFS) and won't be available for another week or so.
I'm thinking of adding 15 x Bleeding Heart Tetra to the 550L aquarium.

Corydoras from the list are evading me at present.
I have found some Corydoras C123 at Aqualife which are from the Rio Nanay, they look nice from pictures.
They may be an interesting addition but I need to think about it for a little longer. I would prefer fish from Peru or UK tank-bred fish as opposed to commercially bred in Asia.
The Corydoras agassizii came in from Peru but I have a suspicion that they are all the same sex due to them all being the same size and shape, time will tell.

It may take a little longer but I'll get there.

[plankton]

Surely tank-bred fish are more in the line for conservation than getting the wild-caughts?
You also tend to get more internal problems with wild-caught......

[Stephen]

@plankton

Surely tank-bred fish are more in the line for conservation than getting the wild-caughts?
You also tend to get more internal problems with wild-caught......

I think I had a senior moment, I didn't type what I was thinking.
I wrote: "I would prefer fish from Peru as opposed to UK tank-bred fish".
I meant "I would prefer fish from Peru or UK tank-bred fish as opposed to commercially bred in Asia". (I have editted the original post accordingly)
I'm referring to Corydoras species. There are so many weak fish coming out of Asia (c.panda, c.sterbai etc..).
I actually don't mind "wild-caught" Corydoras as it keeps the strain/lineage true.
If they (wild-caught) are in the UK for sale then I would prefer someone caring, (like myself), to buy and keep them than someone else who may not be as caring.

I hope that makes better sense.

[Stephen]

September Update

I am finding it difficult in finding fish that would not normally be so difficult to find.
I have spent the past several weeks looking at alternative river systems (the current theme has only 3 species; Cupid cichlids, Ember tetra and Corydoras agassizii).
The river systems that I've looked at include the Rios Marañón, Nanay, Mamoré, Negro, Araguaia, Essequibo, Rupununi, Demerara and Orinoco.
I have done some extra research on the Rio Araguaia as it contains both the Cupid cichlids and Ember tetra.
I have also had another extensive look at the Rio Negro which also contains the Cupid cichlids.

In the Rio Araguaia there appears to be a lack of Corydoras species and/or availabilty but does have the smaller Aspidoras species.
In the Rio Negro there is far more choice and availability.

So I have a delemma; do I switch river themes or wait, waiting may be a long while ?
The fact that I'm looking at other river themes basically says that I'm getting a little frustrated, fish are not as readily available as they previously were.
Re-homing the Ember tetra and Corydoras agassizii is not a problem as my favourite LFS will take them for credit. That credit will more than pay for any new fish (I already have some credit).
Re-vamping the aquarium and not really having fish to put in it is frustrating.

I am thinking Rio Negro (which was a previous theme but went wrong when I introduced some fish which turned out to be predators)
Potential fish stock:-
9 x Cupid Cichlid (Biotodoma Cupido)
15 x Corydoras amandajanea
15 x Corydoras duplicareus
60 x Cardinal Tetra (Paracheirodon axelrodi)
40 x Rummynose Tetra (Hemigrammus bleheri or Petitella georgiae)
Represents 100% stock and 110% filtration based on all fish being fully grown.
Bear in mind that 3 (or 5) of the Cupid cichlids will be re-homed once they pair up.

The Cardinal Tetra and Rummynose Tetra (Hemigrammus bleheri) are readily available even in my local Pets at Home.
The Corydoras duplicareus can be swapped for similar looking cory such as Corydoras adolfoi, Corydoras burgessi, Corydoras crypticus, Corydoras davidsandsi, Corydoras rabauti, Corydoras serratus and a few "C" numbers. So plenty of options for similar looking Cory. Corydoras duplicareus is in my top 3 cory species.
The Corydoras amandajanea can be swapped for other species from the Rio Negro which also look different to the Corydoras duplicareus and the like.

Just looking at my options.
I'm not one to hang around, so any changes will be done quickly.

[Martinspuddle]

What the current back log of imports there's probably very little wild stock being imported at the present time and much of it that does will be going to the European continent, usually Rotterdam.