# Rescaping my community



## Crossroads (Jun 28, 2014)

Through the combined efforts of duckweed, my own stupidity and winter power outages shorting out my heaters, my once beautiful 20 gallon community








Became nothing more than driftwood and a sad memory. However some of my community fish presevered and I am rebuilding in a 40 gallon breeder.

Currently I have rebuilt my shoals so my tank is as thus:
5 bronze corydoras
5 golden pencilfish 
1 female guppy
1 female betta

Lighting is a Fluval Aquasky.
Hardscape is driftwood.
Planting will consist of
Dwarf Amazon sword
Various Mosses
Alternanthera reineckii
Crypts

Proposed is as thus:
10 bronze corydoras 
5 golden pencilfish (hard to come by so I won't plan to restock heavily)
3-6 guppies
1 female betta
2 blue rams

This puts me no higher than 60% capacity. I don't want to deal with tetras again, but I'd like to add something else to the mix. The intention is to keep with South American fish, but I'd like a few ideas of what I can keep in a 40g breeder. Most of the non tetra fish I've looked at were 55+.

I am open to anything that is relatively peacful besides tetras.


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## Crossroads (Jun 28, 2014)

Update:
Found a pair of large electric blue rams who were snapped up instantly
Grabbed 8 bronze cories
Picked up 2 bunches of anacharis and 2 bunches of Alternanthera.


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## BlueInkFish (Jan 13, 2013)

Subscribing, this will be an exciting adventure.


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## Crossroads (Jun 28, 2014)

Hey Blu long time no see!


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## BlueInkFish (Jan 13, 2013)

Crossroads said:


> Hey Blu long time no see!


Certainly! I have only been browsing and not posting much due to errands. :lol:

I seriously can't wait for the outcome of this tank, :-D


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## Crossroads (Jun 28, 2014)

I was on hiatus due to stress so I feel ya blu

Hardscape was done about 2 months ago:








Plants added last night:


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## Crossroads (Jun 28, 2014)

Update...again.

So upon chatting with Lilnaugrim, I'm adding apistogramma to the mix I think, since I'm planning to take her golden ram and Apisto. Which means I'm going to be turning my hardscape upside down and rescaping tonight to provide more hiding places.

The new proposed stock list:
4 apistogramma (cacatuoides I believe)
2 blue rams 
1 female golden ram
1 female betta
1 female guppy
5 golden pencilfish
11 bronze cories

My panda cories will likely be moved to the 10g or something. I won't have all 4 apistos for a while so I should be understocked until I can move them.


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## BambooTikiBettaGirl84 (Jun 29, 2014)

Man your aquascape looks stunning! I can hardly wait to see it all filled in with the plants grown.

Will you be filling the tank all the way or leave some of it empty?


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## Crossroads (Jun 28, 2014)

BambooTikiBettaGirl84 said:


> Man your aquascape looks stunning! I can hardly wait to see it all filled in with the plants grown.
> 
> Will you be filling the tank all the way or leave some of it empty?


Plants or water level? 
The hardscape is getting changed with the realization that my apistos and rams won't have enough cover so I need to buy some cichlid stones.

The plan is to make a cliff face that is "tucked away" under roots. Stem plants and carpet plants will make up the planting for the higher light areas while the cliff face will be covered in mosses, rhizome plants and other low light plants. Planting will be moderately dense, since the apistos are typically more shy and need the extra cover. 

Water level will raise from that, I just didn't have a lid and have a cat. The lower water level was to keep him from fishing and keep the betta from jumping. 


As for news, I decided to not change my aquascape until I get my stones in since they are a vital part of the hardscape at this point. I added my rams and cories on Sunday because I felt bad that I was trying to QT in my 5g hospital. The older cories took to the younger ones like flies to honey. They are now swimming happily together and not sulking under the driftwood. The rams experienced a brief period of run and hide but are getting infinitely bolder and are content to come see me at the front of the tank.


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## Crossroads (Jun 28, 2014)

For my own notes. I'm hardly worried about a little overstocking, since I'm pretty regular on water changes. In fact I have one scheduled tomorrow.

I just realized that I needed more dither fish, which meant pencilfish and guppy numbers needed to go up xD I also learned that according to AqAdvisor, I could literally stock 90 neon tetras for the same stock level and I am laughing at the thought because there's probably someone out there who has.


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## Crossroads (Jun 28, 2014)

Had to return my cichlids with the realization that they were not EBRs, but rather acaras, a cichlid requiring 75 gallons as it reaches up to 7 inches long. Pity. My pair was charming.


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## ThatFishThough (Jan 15, 2016)

Can't see the pictures! ;___:

Go Advanced --> Paperclip ---> Upload


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## Crossroads (Jun 28, 2014)

There should be only 3 pictures in the thread, I didn't add any recently. 4 if you count the stock list.


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## ThatFishThough (Jan 15, 2016)

Still can't see them. ;-; Just shows a little image sign.


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## Crossroads (Jun 28, 2014)

I'll have to do it when I'm on an actual computer. I can't upload from my phone.


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## Crossroads (Jun 28, 2014)

Alright! Update time!
I scrapped my original design with the 17 cichlid stones in favor of moving my driftwood.








Mind the water, stirred up a lot of gross I missed when I did a vac last. I held off on plants while I was planning the cave system but with that idea scrapped I'm gonna pick up some next week (or hopefully I'll get hired at my area's new LFS and get all kinds of new stuff)

I replaced the pencilfish school with cherry barbs. Peaceful, gorgeous and not nearly as hard to get my hands on.

I received my Apisto and Ram from Lilnaugrim last week and they were introduced yesterday. They're happily settling in.









The Apisto has been named Lavache.
And the Ram, Chrysanta


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## Crossroads (Jun 28, 2014)

Again with the updates and rescapes, but no more rescapes, promise! But I'm gonna recap real quick!
















































Lavache is still alive, but Chrysanta passed away a few weeks after introducing her to the tank. I've given up on rams for the time being. I decided I couldn't do without my pencilfish after all and have a group in QT. Due to a lack of apistos in the local area, I've decided to get a school of black ruby barbs and complete the school of Odessa barbs that was given to me.


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## BlueInkFish (Jan 13, 2013)

Very stunning tank!


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## Gariana (Jul 22, 2015)

Crossroads said:


> Due to a lack of apistos in the local area, I've decided to get a school of black ruby barbs and complete the school of Odessa barbs that was given to me.


Ooh, I love Odessa barbs, gorgeous fish!
http://www.bettafish.com//www.pinterest.com/pin/create/extension/


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## Crossroads (Jun 28, 2014)

Gariana said:


> Ooh, I love Odessa barbs, gorgeous fish!


I agree! Mine think they're Cory cats at the moment.


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## Crossroads (Jun 28, 2014)

Also, I lied when I said no more rescapes. I uh, moved some plants around.


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