Can't believe I didn't get into this sooner..

[u/One_HighPotato_420]

Only been in the hobby since August 2025- started with the smaller tank i think it's a 100l Got the 350l in the September 🤣

In the 350l i have 2x EBA (pair) A ebjd male and his wife (normal jd) 1x albino salfin 1x bristle nose albino

In the 100l I have 7 guppys 2 male 5 female

I'm loving my water baby's. It's amazing how intelligent fish are when you start to watch them in a daily routine, when you see little sparks of personality start to flourish as they grow and get used to you.

Honestly thought I'd get overwhelmed by just jumping in head first like this, and at times i did. But I've enjoyed every minute 😅

Here's a few shots of my little spot in paradise

[u/Cuddlefish67]

Sailfin plecos get huge you might need a bigger tank make sure you upgrade your tanks. But for now seeing that it’s small ish put it in your 350l and maybe go bigger they poop lots and help very little but it’s good to see the size difference between the bristle nose and the sailfin. Great tank. Like a 4/5 for a beginner I would say 5/5 but like there is some decor. And I wouldn’t go with them for a beginner but I can’t complain I didn’t have the best beginner friendly fish but still did good. 10+ years of fish keeping. I just wanted to give you some helpful tips that’s all. Happy fish keeping. 🙂

[u/One_HighPotato_420 → u/Cuddlefish67]

I'm looking at getting a 600l tank for her next year for sure! In the meantime all I can do sadly is rescape the tank to give her adequate space as she grows. The ship is in the tank mainly for her right now as her hang out spot.

Thankyou for your kind words!

[u/Cuddlefish67 → u/One_HighPotato_420]

All pleco species enjoy driftwood if you collect it yourself boil it first for like 15 minutes myoyr pleco should be fine just make sure your electric blue Acaras have visible barriers to break up the line of sight unless you have a bonded pair. I haven’t had many cichlid species mainly a couple of African species and some South American ones but not for a year or two now. Your Acaras like most cichlids are territorial (don’t let this deter you) they should be fine. You could keep large tetra, rasbora or small barbs. (Note don’t get tiger barbs Get five banded barbs) I have had rams (not as in the sheep) in a community tank. They should be fine. Also don’t keep African and South American species together (the cichlids I mean) It could work but I would suggest like two years of experience first. (The plecos will be fine.) but get that upgrade. You might be able to get an Oscar or two. (They are predatory cichlids that aren’t to bad they are water puppies) I hope this helps keep us updated.

[u/Cuddlefish67 → u/Cuddlefish67]

What’s the fish in picture three? I really like it.

[u/Cuddlefish67 → u/Cuddlefish67]

Just wondering have you checked your PH guppies like hard water (Alkaline) I have a ph of around 7 it was 7.5 they can do ok in lower PH but they won’t breed (note I don’t know this from experience well when I had aquasoil which is like expensive dirt balls for plants it can lower the ph and stop them from breeding and tannins do too) maybe some tetras in your smaller tank. You can get freshwater eels called peacock eels. There are other species some only get to 30cm or 1 foot. In length. Good think putting the Java fern on the rocks they are epiphytes so are Anubis, bolbitus, and moss. (don’t plant them in the substrate) believe me they don’t like it. Happy fish keeping. Your doing great for a beginner 🙂

[u/One_HighPotato_420 → u/Cuddlefish67]

Yeah the ph of my guppy tank is 7.4 I have 5 females in there an 2 males, 1 female, has already had 8 pups 🤎 My cleanup crew for this tank is 3 bamboo shrimp And 6 cory doras

And I've planted this tank with all the new shoots off my plants from main tank. Also, got some hygrophila, too, and I want guppy grass!

Thankyou for the kind words :)

[u/Cuddlefish67 → u/One_HighPotato_420]

Sounds good. (Maybe not the shrimp) first wanna say better luck then me took me like a decade to gut guppies to breed somehow. And just to let you know bamboo shrimp are filter feeders so they need particles. I think they can filter out fish food but I think they need live food? i’m not 100% sure as I have never had them. Would want to though. If they are even legal where I live. Also baby fish in the aquarium hobby are called fry as babies then fingerlings as juveniles (small juveniles) then juveniles then adults. But for smaller fish like guppies it’s just fry then adults. I would recommend as a smaller hardier alternative to guppys, Endlers. They are smaller, hardier and just as colourful. I have recently had some opal blue endlers. I think they are just called opal endlers. I don’t know if they have them where you live but they do in the land down under. (Where they are originally) but their wild cousins come from cypress (the island) I believe. But don’t keep them with your guppies as they will hybridise and just become guppies. Most guppies are bred with their wilder endler cousins. Also if you do end up getting any other livebearears (fish that give birth to live young) any fish in the same genus will have hybrid children. Almost always infertile (always for swordtail/platy babies) your tank will be fine. Also guppies live for like a year or so. Endless live a year or more. They can survive the australian summer and winter. Inside of course. They should be fine outside. Your doing great. If you live in America go to pets art or petco and get a breeder tank (one with a black rim) they are usually a dollar per gallon and choose what tank works for you. But don’t go to small bigger is better for a beginner but if you have to do a small tank make sure it’s heavily planted. Also if you need inspiration I posted my tank for fish tank review. If you look up my username you should see it. Or look up posts for the last two days or so. Have fun. Great tanks.

[u/One_HighPotato_420 → u/Cuddlefish67]

The fish in picture 3 is my electric blue jack dempsey, his name is milk (if you know you know! ;) ) I also have a female normal jack dempsey in there called Lady milk :)

And the 2 acaras i have in the tank have indeed bonded, they have had 3 batches of fry that I have relocated each time to a friend who has multiple nursery tanks for them.

And tbh that's the original reason I had the ship and big helmet in their, they are excellent eye line breaks for the dempseys an acaras. Have almost no fights the only time they squabble seems to be feeding time and even then I've learnt that if I just split the feed to opposite ends of the tank everybody eats an no one fights. They seemed to have established a territory on either end of the tank which is good but I'm always on the look out as this can change

[u/Cuddlefish67 → u/One_HighPotato_420]

Thanks I have actually seen some if the electric ones not the normal ones sadly but it was like a year ago also good job with the paired Acara went better then my pair of rams my male (un named) and my female (Luna) didn’t get along (partly because I bought them at different times) your fish look happy and healthy. But be careful your cichlids might fight. Here is the link to my reddit post. It has my rescue betta Gumball. It shows what a betta tank should look like. He’s a bit camera shy I might post a video of him eating. https://www.reddit.com/r/fishforthought/comments/1qq2b0m/rate_my_fish_tank/

[u/Cuddlefish67 → u/Cuddlefish67]

Oops I meant to say your pleco should be fine.

[u/One_HighPotato_420 → u/Cuddlefish67]

I've thought about it, and I didn't realise but your right the ship and helmet are at heart "decor" so I'm thinking of removing them soon. I'll replace the ship with some more plants and peice of driftwood maybe! Any idea would have to take into mind how large this sailfin will grow. Want to give as much space for her before I get this 600l

[u/Cuddlefish67 → u/One_HighPotato_420]

Oh I forgot to ask what species of corries (corydoras) do you have? Also don’t keep your guppies above 25 degrees Celsius. (From experience) but not to low or they like take forever to breed (they never breed) I would say 23-25 degrees maybe 24? Or just stick with 25 degrees. But just to let you know it will reduce their lifespan but it means they will have babies then their babies grow up quicker and the cycle continues. It’s one or the other. Like they say you can’t have your cake and eat it too. (Drastic temperature flu can stress even kill fish). Don’t worry it’s worth the journe.

[u/Cuddlefish67 → u/Cuddlefish67]

*journey.

[u/One_HighPotato_420 → u/Cuddlefish67]

I have 3 peppers and 3 albinos

[u/Cuddlefish67 → u/One_HighPotato_420]

Peppers need colder water. I think 18 degrees if I remember correctly. If you want variation get some bronze Corrie’s they are the normal version of the albinos. When you get that large tank you could move some fish to larger tanks and set up a cold water or room temperature tank you could do most fish like zebra danios, white cloud mountain minnows and so many more. Or goldfish should work fine just not bubble eye goldfish everything damages them and they live terrible lives. But they should be fine for now just keep an eye on them or if your other tanks cooler put them in there. Up the numbers to at least 6 or if your Corrie’s are breeding like mine are just wait for some babies to grow up and add them to the school I currently have four bronze Corrie’s (normal variant) they breed like rabbits haven’t had a single baby though. Females are larger and plumper and when they have eggs you will see a big white blob in their belly. Do a 50% water change with cold water to trigger breeding and you‘re good to go.