Good Use of Heavily Planted 55 Gal?

[PVT-Kanaka]

Aloha,

I have a 55 gal tank outside I use as a "tank of last resort" for plants that start to fail in my display tanks. It has a potting soil substrate and is densely planted (overgrown?) with jungle val, duckweed, random what-nots, probably some cryptocryne, and maybe a sword plant. Inhabitants include an indeterminate number of zebra danios who have had the colony up for about 3 years and subsist on whatever seems to be growing in the tanks with weekly feedings of dry foods. pH tends towards neutral with moderate to low hardness. The tank is outside year round, as our temperatures are tropical throughout the year, ranging at the lowest 68 F and sometimes creeping into the low 90-s F in the summer The whole set up gets an 80-90% water change every 10-14 days. The beauty of this tank is its simplicity and wildness (as well as its cheap source of val!), so, while I am willing to increase supplemental feedings, I'd rather not add filters and pumps.

By way of background, I have been keeping aquariums for 20+ years. I measure my fishes' lives in years, not weeks, so while I am not a breeder and I am a dedicated "bread-and-butter" aficionado, I don't consider myself a hack, either. I just keep the critters I can enjoy and to whom I can give a good home with minimal effort.

I have been cruising my local fish shops for something to put in the tank. I am ruling out live bearers due to the water parameters, and killifish are few to be seen (Currently, one LFS has some "blue panchax"). I had been leaning towards small anabantoids or even dwarf cichlids, but, due to the tanks exposed nature, I am loathe to put in something too expensive lest an wandering fowl or feral cat take interest! I had been kicking around the idea of kuhli loaches, but I think they would just get lost in the muck and weeds.

Anyway, suggestions from the community would be appreciated!

- Eric

[Crazygar]

Apistogramma would do well in there! They love that wild look and I would almost for sure bet $$ that they'd breed.

Gary

[twotone12valve]

Apisto's would look great in there, or maybe a bunch of neon's they're cheap and easy to find if anything decided to snack on them you would'nt be out a really nice fish. I don't think it would stay warm enough for rams but they would love a tank like that. Have you thought about live bearers? Maybe fancy guppys or endlers.

[Crazygar]

I think Livebearers are out. As for Apistos, I'm thinking this might be what you are looking for.

Gary

[ScottFish]

Aloha. It's up to what you REALLY want; not what we really want for you. I'm also partial to dwarf cichlids --apistos if you have access to good stock. That's a pretty interesting temp change range.

[PVT-Kanaka]

Thanks, everyone. I had not really considered Apistos; we do have some decent stocks out here from time to time on O'ahu. Likewise, I hadn't considered neons...probably because they were too obvious!

The temperatures, by the way, are extremes. It usually hovers in the high 70-s, but we do get some "dog days." The cold temperature is likewise an extreme, and it usually only happens at night after a string of rainy winter days. Absent air conditioning, I try make sure I only keep fish that can handle the higher temps and the periodic lower temperature as well.

[twotone12valve]

I think you have a lot options, just stay away from the top water stuff and I think you would be fine.

[kb46]

Have you considered rainbowfish? They are very hardy fish and their colour is much improved when kept in outdoor tanks.

[PVT-Kanaka]

KB46-

Actually, no, I had not considered rainbows. I would've thought the lack of current would've eliminated them as an option. We have a decent selection of them readily available, too. That might be just the ticket!

Eric

[Crazygar]

Good one KB46! Never thought about the Rainbows, and they are striking fish. I am interested on the final choices for this tank.

Gary

[C. Andrew Nelson]

Casting my vote too for Rainbows.

[Hurriken]

There is a guy in Michigan that breeds and sells rainbows. I was at a show and he had some really nice Praecox.

[ScottFish]

Is the guy a Leprechaun? (Rainbows --get it?)

[C. Andrew Nelson]

And was he carrying a pot o' goldfish?

[ScottFish]

Charming. (As in Lucky Charms --get it?)