Couple different ??s

[CatFishLady]

1. In your opinion, What's the quickest way to cycle my 75gal?

2. After my 75gal cycles, I plan on moving both of the catfish (1 blue channel cat, 1 4-line pimodella) from my 55gal over. What do you think would be the best tankmates for them? Substrate is tahitian moon sand.

3. After I move the cats, what would be good tankmates for the rams, gourami and mollies in the 55gal?

4. I have noticed more and more snails in my 55gal (a little smaller than a dime size). All the fish in there currently are NOT taking care of this problem. What can I add to the tank that will get rid of the snails and survive with the current tankmates? (see signature)

5. I plan on converting my 55gal from gravel to sand --- eventually! I want something heavy that won't create a cloud when one of the fish digs or swims next to it (like the moon sand does). I was considering pool (silca) sand. Is that heavy sand or is there something better? There will be cichlids in this tank.

[eklikewhoa]

Re: Couple different ??s

1. In your opinion, What's the quickest way to cycle my 75gal?   Use seeded media from an established that or go with Bio-Spira, I usually buy the same canisters for my big tanks and just switch the can around when I need to get a tank going.

2. After my 75gal cycles, I plan on moving both of the catfish (1 blue channel cat, 1 4-line pimodella) from my 55gal over. What do you think would be the best tankmates for them? Substrate is tahitian moon sand. Probably some SA cichlids with the cats

3. After I move the cats, what would be good tankmates for the rams, gourami and mollies in the 55gal? Rams like soft water and mollies the opposite so that's something to think about too, probably some rainbows or something?

4. I have noticed more and more snails in my 55gal (a little smaller than a dime size). All the fish in there currently are NOT taking care of this problem. What can I add to the tank that will get rid of the snails and survive with the current tankmates? (see signature) Clown loaches, most loaches or botias.

5. I plan on converting my 55gal from gravel to sand --- eventually! I want something heavy that won't create a cloud when one of the fish digs or swims next to it (like the moon sand does). I was considering pool (silca) sand. Is that heavy sand or is there something better? There will be cichlids in this tank. Pool sand is good much better then playsand, but for most cichlids like malawis/tangs etc. I would go with a buffering substrate...something that can raise the hardness and pH to their liking. Personally I would use Eco-complete Cichlid substrate or something fine aragonite.

[Tiapan]

Re: Couple different ??s

i happen to agree with pretty much all of what EK said, also since they can deal with a variety of water conditions just like mollies, several of the more common guaramies would probaqbly do fine in the molly set up, along with rainbows. also larger tetras like emporer or bleeding heart

[CatFishLady]

Re: Couple different ??s

2. After my 75gal cycles, I plan on moving both of the catfish (1 blue channel cat, 1 4-line pimodella) from my 55gal over. What do you think would be the best tankmates for them? Substrate is tahitian moon sand. Probably some SA cichlids with the cats

3. After I move the cats, what would be good tankmates for the rams, gourami and mollies in the 55gal? Rams like soft water and mollies the opposite so that's something to think about too, probably some rainbows or something?

5. I plan on converting my 55gal from gravel to sand --- eventually! I want something heavy that won't create a cloud when one of the fish digs or swims next to it (like the moon sand does). I was considering pool (silca) sand. Is that heavy sand or is there something better? There will be cichlids in this tank. Pool sand is good much better then playsand, but for most cichlids like malawis/tangs etc. I would go with a buffering substrate...something that can raise the hardness and pH to their liking. Personally I would use Eco-complete Cichlid substrate or something fine aragonite.

2. Is there anything besides cichlids that will go with cats?

3. My rams & mollies are all doing well in the same tank!! Can I put any other small cichlids in there with the rams?

5. The substrate will be for SA cichlids only. I don't plan on doing any Africans. Is there a good heavy sand I can use for them?

[CatFishLady]

Re: Couple different ??s

Also, I'm looking to have fish that don't hide often. Right now the tank looks so empty because of all the shy fish I have!! That being said, will the rainbows, gouramies and tetras stay out and swim around??

[sproett]

Re: Couple different ??s

The rainbows will constantly swim around, very pretty to look at.  You could also try other dwarf cichlids, some are harder to keep then others.  You could also try angelfish, they are cichlids, although they will get large.  Kribensis are small cichlids and are very colorful.  I've heard they are super easy to breed.  Silver dollars would work too.  

As for your other tank, you could also go with native fish (like bluegills or other perch).  I imagine silver dollars would be fine in there, they do well in large groups (6+).  

I think the pool sand would work great.  

As for the snails, I'd try to get them out rather than get fish that eat them.  Most of the snail eaters (other than puffer fish) like to be in schools and can get pretty large.  You can put in a cup with zucchini or other veggies in it before you go to bed and remove it when you wake up.  Do this several times and you'll see your snail population decline pretty quickly.  I recently tried this and it worked pretty good.  If you go the fish route than the fish Eklikewhoa mentioned will work but remember they get pretty big.

[sproett]

Re: Couple different ??s

Oh, the tetras will swim around too, as will the other fish I suggested.  Not sure about the gouramies, it's been years since I've kept them.  I do know that with schooling fish they feel safer in high numbers.  It's better to have 20 of one type of schooling fish than 10 of two different types.