Two tanks, sorting, stocking suggestions

[bluemerlin]

I have two tanks...

46 gallon bow front contains
7 Columbian Tetras, 1 common pleco, 2 parrots, 1 midas, 1 jack dempsey, 2 jewels, 3 corys

My 55 gallon is cycling and presently contains 1 small pleco and 5 black skirt tetras.

Any suggestions on how to sort my fish between the tanks to maximize enjoyment?

I'm considering moving the Columbians to the 55 gallon to shoal with the black tetras.

[TheOldSalt]

You're on the right track, but you have it backwards.
Move the cichlids to the 55 and adjust the water accordingly for central america.
Keep the tetras in the 46 and adjust for amazonian conditions.
Keep the corys in the 46, and move the pleco to the 55.
This will give you very good results indeed.

[bluemerlin]

Thanks Old Salt

How do I research ideal conditions for Central America and Amazon?

[TheOldSalt]

Central American- Water a bit hard and alkaline.
pH around 7.5 to 7.8.
You can put some calcareous gravel in a bag in the filter to raise pH and hardness.

Amazon- water soft and mildly acidic.
ph 6.0 to 6.8.
Easy to make by using mostly distilled water with a bit of amazon extract or blackwater tonic in it. Otherwise you can put a bag of peat in the filter for several days, but this only works if the alkalinity is low enough, which it usually isn't.
The water will need either the peat or the extracts to be complete, even if the pH and hardness are already low enough.

Once the fish are in water more to their liking, you will see marked improvement in their coloration and behavior. They may even spawn.

[Lexus]

Originally Posted by TheOldSalt @ Sun Feb 20, 2005 5:11 pm

You're on the right track, but you have it backwards.
Move the cichlids to the 55 and adjust the water accordingly for central america.
Keep the tetras in the 46 and adjust for amazonian conditions.
Keep the corys in the 46, and move the pleco to the 55.
This will give you very good results indeed.

I agree with this except for the fact of messing with the conditions, most fish these days are aclimated to ph and water conditions that are different than there origin since they are farm bred and raised.

[MB75]

Originally Posted by Lexus @ Mon Feb 21, 2005 9:26 pm

I agree with this except for the fact of messing with the conditions, most fish these days are aclimated to ph and water conditions that are different than there origin since they are farm bred and raised.

Food for thought. Certain fish species lives in, well, let's say Amazon, for hundreds of years, generation after generation. During the hundreds or even thousands of years, this species has well adjusted to the surroundings, the water chemistry etc. It is the best they know, it is ideal for them.
Then some fish of this species are caught from the wild and then farm bred for some years for aquarium industry.
Do you really think that the anatomy, metabolism etc of this species change and develope in such a short time to demand something other than what nature has created it during hundreds-thousands of years?
No... Therefore, always try to offer the fish the conditions just like in their natural habitat...

A good exalpme of this is many tetra or rasbora species. When you offer them acidic soft water, black water for species coming from black water areas, they simply 'bloom'. It is worth it, giving the fish their natural conditions!

[Lexus]

yes, but it can also be harmful if you cant buffer the conditions and keep them at a steady level, then you will have problems, sometimes its easier to leave it be