The Puffer Forum

My tanks still cycling and its not finished but I figured I'd share what I have already.
Its a 64litre (15gal) Interpet fish pod.
Standard aquarium gravel as a substrate, 2 pieces of bog wood/driftwood (was one large multi pronged piece but cut it up for better use. and a few plants, not sure on the names.


Ive got java fern on order to attach to the large piece of wood, and a few marimo moss balls ordered too. I want to add moss to the smaller piece of wood (which you can see just under the tip of the heater) but not sure whether to go with java moss or christmas moss (suggestions welcome).
I will be unpotting and planting the plants that are currently in there, I just havent got to it yet.

I also need to add a some more plants around the tank, and will be constructing a few slate caves as hides (mentioned here viewtopic.php?f=7&t=26219) for the fish and shrimp that will inhabit the tank, I will most likely be attatching moss to these too.

All suggestions welcome as I really wanna get this right, I hope everything ive got and got planned so far is good and alright.

One plant I like is floating water sprite. It can get out of control so getting rid of larger/rattier looking plants is advised when this plant multiplies. I have seen fish swimming and hiding among the jungle like roots.

I need to find some water sprite again

Ok Ive been thinking about this tank, Ive taken to red cherry shrimp as well as the dwarfs, if I just stick to 2 dwarf puffers instead of 3 or 4 & 3 oto's how many cherry shrimp could I put in this tank bearing in mind its 15gal.

Would, say ten cherry shrimp be ok or too many with the 2 dwarfs and 3 oto's

10 shrimp would be fine. They output such a small amount waste it is incredible. With 10 you'll have a breeding colony in a few weeks

Otos are difficult to keep. They are excellt fish and great at what they do, but for some reason people have a hard time with them. If they die it is usually right away. If they survive they will last quite a wile.

If the otos did die, would the shrimp eat algae off the glass or plants or will they just eat waste food, algae pellets and veg?

the shrimp by themselves make a great cleanup crew.

I wouldnt put Oto's in a new tank, they will die that way. If you really want them Id wait a few months and let your tank get established before getting them

The shrimp alone will not clean the glass, eat diatom algae etc..

For a while Ive been doing everything in my tank through a little feeding panel, well I opened the top earlier to take old carrot out and put new in, in hopes the pond snails wont eat my plants,
Anyway I noticed a "film" on the top of the water like liquid but floating on top of the water the way oil does, is this a by product of the cycling or of the living bacteria i added to begin with or something?