# Looking for some opinions on 75 gal set up



## Nyxxi (Nov 25, 2011)

I recently (end of September) set up a fw 75 gal community. I tore down 2 well established 20 gal and combined everything in the 75. I cycled by running my established filters in the tank for a few weeks with my new hob filters. I added new stock 2 weeks apart each time. Everyone seems to be thriving. I do weekly 50% water changes and feed a variety of foods. My goal is to create a natural looking community (but not a biotope) I wanted it to be as colourful as possible without going with bright livebearers, dwarf gourami etc although I love these fish too I wanted a 'naturally colourful/patterned' look if that makes sense I have a few things I would love your opinion on. 

- What do you think of my stocking list. (other than I know I took a gamble on the corys getting eaten but they didn't) A lot of fish not A lot of fish?

- Any ideas what kind of pleco this is. I believe it was mismarked as it was sold as a gold vampire pleco but I always thought they had a light background with dark spots. I bought it anyways about 6 in 

- I feed a combination of flakes, micro pellets, algae wafers, frozen bloodworms, frozen carnivore mix (krill, squid, clam, lance fish, scallop) and earthworms (not all at the same time and not the same combination each day). I spend about an hour each day making sure I see everyone eating and that everyone is getting enough. The congos are greedy and it is hard to keep them distracted while I get food to the bottom sometimes I use tongs. How often should I feed the tank? Is once a day with shrimp pellets and flake/micro pellet and 2nd feeding later in the day with bloodworms and meaty foods enough or too much?

- My leopard ctenopoma (full grown) is very shy (as I expect for this type of fish not in a heavily planted tank) I plan on getting another one if I can ever find another one and floating plants(suggestions on the kind of floating?) to help him feel more comfortable. He is out and swimming around but as soon as I approach the tank he hideswill only take bloodworms which he rarely gets enough of and live nightcrawlers cut into 1.5 inch pieces. I tie them at one end with thread and lower them outside of his hiding spot after feeding everyone else. Any suggestions to help him be more comfortable? 

- I also want to build the rocks up more (but will remove them and silicone in place) in the middle and add another tall branchy piece of wood in the center. I want some more low light plants but have very little substrate (about an inch or 2) plus the pleco digs and something has been eating one of my crypts. I am thinking of doing a flowerpot full of flourite or two at the back with a taller plant? maybe a sword of some kind? had anyone done potted plants? any suggestions?

Thanks to anyone who read my novel, I appreciate everyone's opinion!


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## Nyxxi (Nov 25, 2011)

*Pictures for above Post*

Sorry it wouldn't let me edit the original post here are the pictures.


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## chenning (Oct 2, 2016)

You never said what all is in the tank. Looks like a dwarf G, leaf fish and pleco.


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## autumnwhiteee (Nov 22, 2016)

I think the pleco is a golden nugget pleco or a gold spotted pleco (Pterygoplichthys joselimaianus) It looks like a mixture between the two and its hard to tell from the photo. 

I would suggest putting the log in the centre left and then making statues out of rock and siliconing them together. It's hard to explain but pile them and stack them.


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