Help please--setting up river biotope in tallish tank

[2329]

Hi,

I have a 50 gallon (189 ltr) tank and I'm driving myself half crazy trying to figure out what to do with the extra height. I'm not in the position to get another tank right now. (Other general tank info: I have an inline heater and a Rena XP3 canister filter.)

Presently I have just 3 fish--a small emerald cory, a smallish bn pleco and a smallish red marble pleco (I've just rescued them from a tank with poor water conditions. Their fins are a bit ragged, but I've been told they can improve so long as their water is kept sparkling clean.) I'm in the process of getting them an aerator since the cory keeps going to the surface for sips of air (he's otherwise energetic and seems happy.) If I make this a river tank, would I be better off getting an aerator or a powerhead...or would I need both?

Ideally, I think I'd like to set up the tank as some kind of river biotope. And, ideally, I'd *really* like to make the most of all strata of the tank (maybe somehow building up different levels in the tank to possibly make more than just the bottom of the tank habitable to bottom-dwelling fish. Maybe something with driftwood, maybe terracing...I'm not sure what to do and am wide open to suggestions.) If I can find suitable stones somewhere, maybe I'll add stones and maybe plants. I really *am* up for suggestions, I've been thinking on it for days and I'm stumped (esp. with how to include the upper part of tank into a usable space for the fish.) Is there a good tutorial somewhere for how to set up a river biotope in a tall-ish tank (I think the height measures 18 or 19 in--45-48 cm.)

Speaking of fish...
I think I'm mostly fond of catfish and long-bodied loaches. With the two smallish plecos (they appear to be females,) could I add a couple more plecos as friends (or would that be tempting the fates?) I was thinking of adding btwn 2-4 more corys of some sort. I hope to find at least one fish for the tank that is very interactive--the kind of a fish that wiggles to see you're in the door and likes being fed by hand.

I'd be especially grateful for any and all suggestions. The tank will be/is being decorated to suit the needs and likes of the fish.

Thanks so much!

[Bas Pels]

It would help if you would put the length and so on on the forum.

I have no idea how this tank looks like

[Richard B]

I'm thinking along the lines of fine sand substrate, a few rounded river pebbles & some wood branches the start at the bottom & rise to the surface. A few plants could be used depending on your choice. I'd then increase the number of Corys to 6-8 all of the same species. Maybe add a group of hatchetfish for surface dwellers (keeping the south American theme). Then maybe add a male BN or a pair of sturisoma or farlowella or even whiptails. Finally a nice group of tetras of your choice which would make for a stunning display. You might still have room for something like a pair/ small group of dianema urostriata as a feature fish. A lot depends on the "footprint" not just the height.

Corys often take a gulp of air from the surface although additional aeration is more important than water movement.

[2329]

My apologies. The tank is a US 55G and measures about 18 inches tall, is 13 in. deep and 48 inches long (45.72 cm x 33.02 cm x 121.92.)

Richard B., I'm completely in tune with your aesthetic! I think I've finally come around to giving pool sand a try (I'm wondering if sprinkling in a little leftover gravel into the middle of the sand layer would inhibit gasses from building. What do you think?) Wood will be a certainty, too. I love the look of driftwood and the fiber it provides for the fish. I'm just hoping to find something fairly long lasting. I'm thinking of hitting the landscape centers in the next week to see what stones they might have (I'd love to find some nice, smooth sedimentary stones like the river had where I grew up. Out here in the west it seems we mostly have granite, limestone and volcanic rocks, but maybe I'll be surprised. We have rivers, so there must be river stones here, too.) Definitely striving for low-tech plants in the future.

[mg7454]

Good luck with your tallish tank!
I also have a tall tank, with my Syndontis Nigriventris aka upside-down catfish (5). They seem to have no problem with the tall tank, nor do any of my cory-catfish. I have a Fluval Aqua Clear filter which works very well.

As to a long-lasting driftwood, may I suggest Mopani driftwood; it is so dense that it will not rot. It is also very attractive, with a vanilla & chocolate swirl type of aesthetic.
My pleco has nibbled a little dimple in the top of one of my pieces, so I can say it is Pleco approved!
My smaller catfish love the knobby underside with the arches and concave & convex bumps.

As to the sand, I have not used it. I use small rounded gravel.
However, I believe I read that if the sand is only 1/2 inch deep, there is less problem with gases building up. Also, I believe that the sand must be rounded and not sharp, like play sand, but pool sand may be rounded as well. I'm sure there are plenty of sand-users on the forum who could advise you better than I on the sand.