# Tall Tank, Tall Grass, what fish?



## Questin (Sep 30, 2007)

I have a 75 Gallon Hex that I am going to be making into a plant tank. So far, in my mind, I have a center piece that is drift wood. This wood will shoot up at an angel of around 90 degrees and stop at the half way point of the tank. The tank being 26 inches tall. 

The tall grass I was thinking about would be Cryptocoryne, but not just in the background, but all over the tank, front to back, side to side. Not in a thick layout, but more of inches from one another. The wood being surrounded by it on all sides.

With all that in mind, what type of fish would like such a setup? Would look good in such a setup?


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## Adragontattoo (Jun 3, 2007)

Did you mean Crypt or Val?


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## Squawkbert (Jan 3, 2007)

Tank would be perfect for a couple of Angels, you could add some Hatchets & Cory cats too - for complete stratification of fauna!

I'd go w/ some Vals or Bacopa along the back, then have some Crypts in front. They start small but will grow tall & leggy as they crowd themselves and seek light. If it gets too crowded, you can break the clumps up & give away the big ones, starting over w/ the smaller ones periodically.

Your hex is a pretty deep tank... I'd look at w/ a DIY hood and a couple of 4 tube 55W PCs w/ AH-Supply reflectors (or whole retrofit kits) for lighting.


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## Questin (Sep 30, 2007)

I have a 150 watt metal halide with a pair of power compacts that fit over the tank already. Going to keep the lid off the tank so that I can get some flowering plants.

Angels would be very nice, just seem to be had to get out here. The only ones I have even seen are in a display tank. But I could always order online.

edit, oh I meant Altum Angel when I said that.


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## Questin (Sep 30, 2007)

Adragontattoo said:


> Did you mean Crypt or Val?


Cryptocoryne crispatula var. balansae


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## kwc1974 (Jan 4, 2006)

Tall grass like plants
You need a verticaly compressed fish, they feel at home in a grass like tank and look more natural.
A school of 5-7 of Angles (my preferance is Altum or natural color). Discus would also be great and would add a lot more color.
A school of cardinals would be great, with large fish like angles or discus, they would school tightly. But the downside is you would have some picked off and made snacks of.


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## Questin (Sep 30, 2007)

Well instead of Cardinals I could do the Congos instead, nothing is going to pick them off. How does that sound?


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## kwc1974 (Jan 4, 2006)

I like congos, a little big for my taste, but should work out.

I mentioned Cardinals because I liek the way that they school, and unless you have a preditor like angles they will relax and scatter. That and I like to keep species from the same local together. Just a preferance.

Dither fish that would not have a problem with Angles or Discus (I could be wrong, but I have had luck)
-Emperor tetras
-Black skirt Tetras
-large pencil fish
-rummy nose (will get picked off by large discus)


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## Squawkbert (Jan 3, 2007)

Congos, Rummys or Pristellas would all work - just don't get too large as a 75hex has pretty limited swimming room (laterally). I'd probably avoid Discus for a hex - better left to larger tanks IMO.

I think Pristellas & Rummys school tighter under most conditions, so if you're after schooling behavior, they'd probably be better than Congos, Cardinals etc.

That's a good amount of light for the tank - you might consider adding a foreground plant to lend the entire 'scape some more depth than would be provided by a "telephone pole surrounded by grass" 'scape.


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## Questin (Sep 30, 2007)

I have a 125 that is stocked with around 30 Rummys at the moment, so I have the schooling fishing that I want with that tank. This tank will be more about the plants then the fish, but I want to get fish that enjoy a tall grass.


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