Creating ideal conditions for L260

[EmilyD]

First post on the forum.

Last week, I got an L262 and an L260. They share a 125L Fluval Roma tank with three otocinclus, three female apistogramma borellii, and five lyretail killifish. The temperature is 25 degrees, and I live in a soft water area. The plecos remain incredibly shy, although I think they're leaving their hiding places in the middle of the night because the pellets I've been leaving for them are always gone in the morning, and they're too big for the killis and apistos.

I'm not sure I have enough dissolved oxygen in the tank for the plecs. I'm running two Fluval U2 filters, one of which has a DIY spray bar attached, and an airstone. I feel like I need a powerhead, but I have a Hydor Koralia in one of my other tanks for a rubberlip pleco, and that thing throws out a ton of current. I don't think the killis or apistos would appreciate that. I was Googling powerheads for nano reef tanks and became overwhelmed with the number of the things, and then figured I would ask people on here what powerheads/wavemakers/other things they use for their reophilic Hypancistrus when they don't want to blast the tank with a strong current.

Any thoughts/suggestions?

[Lycosid]

If the goal is more oxygen and not actually more current then why not just use airstones?

The argument I generally hear against airstones is that very little oxygen actually exits the bubbles into the water. This is probably true. However, the reason powerheads oxygenate water is that they "stir" the water, preventing it from forming a high-oxygen layer at the top and a low-oxygen layer at the bottom. If you place airstones or bubble bars correctly you should be able to "roll" the water in the tank using the upward lift of the bubbles to continually bring bottom water to the top, thereby pushing high-oxygen water down on the other side of the tank.

Other people may have better idea, but I feel like being intentional about the current from the airstones could help.

[Jools]

You'd probably need to use airstones with those other fishes in there which do not like current at all (killis and apistos). The disadvantage of airstones is you need a noisy air pump and they do not heat the water. Power filters are quieter and do heat the water. That said, you've got two power filters already, as long as they lift water above the surface I'd say you DO would be fine.

If I may, what you really need is another tank. In nature, Apistos and Killies are found in not more than puddles. Those plecos in strong flowing rivers and rapids.

Jools

[Speedy1985]

I'm curious as to what makes you think that you do not have enough dissolved O2? If it is because the plecos are shy, consider that generally speaking, Hypans will stay in their caves and hides more often than not during the day and feed at night.

[EmilyD]

Paranoia, mainly. I'm sure they're feeding at night, as the shrimp pellets I'm dropping at night are always gone, and my otos can't do that much damage to the courgettes I put in.

I'm running three tanks now, but the apistos and killis can't be moved to the others. One is designed around the L187b (it's cold and fast), and the 'low-flow' tank contains a Bolivian ram and some aggressive cherry barbs. For now anyway, I'm going to have to be creative.

[Speedy1985]

Paranoia, mainly. I'm sure they're feeding at night, as the shrimp pellets I'm dropping at night are always gone, and my otos can't do that much damage to the courgettes I put in.

It's easy at times to think something may be wrong, but don't let paranoia drive your decision making. They are obviously eating, which is usually one good sign of healthy fish. Use visual observations of their appearance and behavior to make decisions. I think many people "tinker" and medicate more on emotion and worry instead of when it is actually needed. For some usually less experienced keepers, those decisions may be driven by the tactics of fish shops looking to make sales.

[TwoTankAmin]

Most of the gas exchange in tanks takes takes place at the surface. An airstone or sponge filter roils the surface when the bubbles reach it. They also turn over the water as noted above. Plecos need good oxygenation more than current in any case.

Listen to the folks above, things are fine in the tank except the fish should ultimately be in different tanks.

I have kept both apistos and killies in a planted 5.5 gal tank w/o a heater and with a Whisper Mini hang-on. Those fish were not together in the tank, they were in it at different times. There were also a few panda cories in it as well as some red cherry shrimp. You could easily put the otos, apistos and killies into to a 10 gal. planted tank with a decent sponge filter. Not expensive and small tank that is easy to stick some place smallish?

[EmilyD]

I have a plan in place to shift some fish around and a powerhead that might arrive in the post at some point.

Which shoaling or mid/upper level species would you keep with those plecos?

[TwoTankAmin]

Both your plecos are found in the Rio Tapajós. You can use small tetras or one of the smaller rasboras such as harlequins https://www.seriouslyfish.com/species/t ... eromorpha/ or espei https://www.seriouslyfish.com/species/t ... igma-espei and they should all do fine.