Wio 75F stocking advice, Gobies or Hillstreams in shallow tank? Alternatives?

[BenR24]

Hi all,

Looking at getting some more livestock for my wio 75f (75x40x25cm), currently i have 9 embers, 1 cardinal, 1 otto (all moved over from past scapes, was a group of cardinals but this solo one has been going for 4+ years now). Basically i'd love some gobies but i think i know the answer would be a no with not having a lid, but not sure about hillstream loaches? The rocks have a nice coating of algae now for them. I'd take any other recommendations, would also consider a pair of appistos as well as not kept them for a while.

many thanks!

 

[seedoubleyou]

I’ve not kept hillstream loaches but I believe they require a heavily oxygenated tank, given they come from fast running streams.
How about Pygmy cories? Or something like Dario Dario that are small and cryptic.

Or just take a punt on the gobies, technically an open aquarium is a no no for all fish anyway.

 

[BenR24]

I’ve not kept hillstream loaches but I believe they require a heavily oxygenated tank, given they come from fast running streams.
How about Pygmy cories? Or something like Dario Dario that are small and cryptic.

Or just take a punt on the gobies, technically an open aquarium is a no no for all fish anyway.

I've considered some pygmy cories, and love dario dario's too. I've never had jumps across my open tanks but I absolutely get its always a possibility.

i've been reading your posts on marine tanks and seriously considering taking a dip into them as there is so many affordable 2nd hand set ups on fb marketplace! Been doing a load of research, loving it.

 

[seedoubleyou]

considering

If you’re not to far from Harlow you have access to an incredible LFS for reef keeping.
People are constantly changing and upgrading kit in the reef hobby so there’s always second hand stuff to be had.
A small second hand system will definitely wet your appetite and see if that side of the hobby is for you.

 

[BenR24]

If you’re not to far from Harlow you have access to an incredible LFS for reef keeping.
People are constantly changing and upgrading kit in the reef hobby so there’s always second hand stuff to be had.
A small second hand system will definitely wet your appetite and see if that side of the hobby is for you.

I pass by harlow way fairly often, but more round colchester area where there is some great marine n coral shops - reef exotics looks really good and clean.

 

[seedoubleyou]

I pass by harlow way fairly often, but more round colchester area where there is some great marine n coral shops - reef exotics looks really good and clean.

Well if you do get into the Marine hobby then be sure to visit Advanced Aquarium consultancy in Harlow.


(I don’t make habit of referencing companies that don’t sponsor the forum, however they only offer marine and so don’t compete with our sponsors).

 

[BenR24]

Any other stocking recommendations?

 

[seedoubleyou]

Any other stocking recommendations?

Pleco? One of the “designer” ones that stay on the smaller size.

 

[BenR24]

Pleco? One of the “designer” ones that stay on the smaller size.

perhaps, always liked the zebras but they're better in warmer water and groups right? used to have L200 which i was fond of

 

[seedoubleyou]

zebras

I’ve kept a zebra pleco before, i always keep my tanks no warmer than 23 degrees.
They’re another fish that like highly oxygenated water though.
I can’t speak for them long term either as me and long term don’t mix in this hobby.

 

[TropicalSteve1]

out of interest what light are you using?

 

[seedoubleyou]

out of interest what light are you using?

Looks like a twinstar

 

[BenR24]

out of interest what light are you using?

Twinstar 600s II that i've adapted into a hanging set up - DIY job

 

[shangman]

Your tank is lovely, gives nice river vibes. It’s easier to suggest more stocking ideas if we know more about the tank.

How old is the tank, what temp is it, how hard is your water and what’s the filter/flow like?

 

[BenR24]

Your tank is lovely, gives nice river vibes. It’s easier to suggest more stocking ideas if we know more about the tank.

How old is the tank, what temp is it, how hard is your water and what’s the filter/flow like?

Thanks!

My apologies, so the filter is moved on from my ada 60p and is a biomaster 250 (got brand new for a steal, i know its on the smaller side) i've also got an eheim skimmer for further flow, so the flow is probably round middle as the ember tetras don't appreciate very high flow. Tank temp is set to 24 degrees, i'm in a rather hard water area think my water is 19 dgh or total hardness of 340 mg/l? But this would be lower with wood and aquasoil in the tank. Tank is a month old now, so there is a nice green coating across the rocks, a lot of the plants are reused from a previous scape and alphagrog across the back of the scape so lots of filtration in the tank too.

Thanks.

 

[shangman]

Thanks!

My apologies, so the filter is moved on from my ada 60p and is a biomaster 250 (got brand new for a steal, i know its on the smaller side) i've also got an eheim skimmer for further flow, so the flow is probably round middle as the ember tetras don't appreciate very high flow. Tank temp is set to 24 degrees, i'm in a rather hard water area think my water is 19 dgh or total hardness of 340 mg/l? But this would be lower with wood and aquasoil in the tank. Tank is a month old now, so there is a nice green coating across the rocks, a lot of the plants are reused from a previous scape and alphagrog across the back of the scape so lots of filtration in the tank too.

Thanks.

At a month old, your tank is really young still so I would stock slowly over the next 6 months. It’s still in a very early stage even though it looks lovely - the microfauna and plants will need more time to grow and stabilise to support microfauna-eating fish. Some fish will be ok already, but a lot of fish you seem interested in can be delicate and need a more mature tank.

I think you could keep blue gobies, but a month isn’t enough time to develop the biofilm and algae on the rocks for them to eat - better to stock them in 3 months+. If the skimmer is breaking the surface of the water for extra oxygen then it’s worth a try. For the first few weeks I would clingfilm the top to stop any potential jumpers, I know people who let them in open tops but it’s always a risk.

In your tank apistos which don’t mind hard water would be good - borellii and cacatoides which are both beautiful. I think they'd be fine but in an ideal world they do better with some sand (they naturally sand sift).

Hillstream loaches I'd treat like the blue gobies and otos - better to add them when the tank is more mature so the biofilm they eat is more plentiful. Your tank temp is also the hottest they're ok in, they like it a bit cooler.

In an ideal world for the stream/river stocking you want to thrive, you'd have more flow from a bigger filter and a cooler temp of 21/22, which borelli apistos would be ok with. I'd replace the tetras with white cloud moutain minnows which would also thrive in the higher flow and cooler temp. You might also be able to get away with a bamboo shrimp or vampire shrimp which are fab after 6 months or so of maturation - thy are large but don't move much as long as you feed enough and they have a good perch for catching.

If you don't want to go that route as it is more niche, theres a lot more stocking options but they probs won't give that river-y vibe. You could try something like a red lizard catfish or some otos (perhaps a few of the more patterned ones?) for a suckerfish alternatives, and maybe some cories or small loaches for the bottom instead of blue gobies - I'm currently loving rosy loaches. The apistos would work either way, perhaps better with some leaf litter.

 

[BenR24]

At a month old...

Thank you so much for a detailed response. as I mentioned a lot of substrate and filtration is from a rescape (and had some stones outside in the sun in a bucket to build up microfauna)- but definitely agree it needs more time to establish.

Blue gobies have been a bucket-list fish for sometime for me, and generally do clingfilm, what i did on my betta tanks too. I'll aim to give a decent gap on the water level too.

There is some sand mixed in with the wio substrate but could add a bit more on top if i go for apistos.

Brilliant, i like to run the tank on the cooler side, and it probably is a little cooler than what the heater is set at, i'd also consider stepping up to a biomaster 600 soon, especially if going down the root of the gobies etc (not if i got apistos though as read they pref lower flow?). I'm letting the embers run their course for now as they were from the previous scape, however, might put them in the betta tank possibly. Cloud minnows are nice too, toyed with getting them for my barrel pond but went for platinum ricefish instead.

I've had bamboo shrimp before, and also vampire shrimp look great, enjoyed watching the one that was in riverwood aquatics stream scape. Got some huge amano shrimps in this tank, had the for around 5 years now!

Thank for alternatives but I do lean towards the river-y vibe as that was my original inspiration. Another note If eel like if i did apistos i'd want to go further towards biotope set up with more wood and botanics. But my next tank is more likely to be african cichlids or marine.

Thanks again!


Edit: another possibility i considered were dwarf neon rainbows? would they suite or not really

 

[pollyandpear]

Could you not put on some netting on the top to prevent gobies jumping out?

What kind of environment do gobies require, I've always thought they are fascinating little fish

 

[seedoubleyou]

netting on the top

It would have to be a very fine mesh. Fish always seem to find a gap especially the small fish kept by freshwater aquarists.

 

[AlecF]

I don't know why, and it's the opposite of what you asked, and there's the lid issue, but somehow I could really imagine some rocket / clown killifish in that tank.