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Stocking Input

1K views 8 replies 6 participants last post by  Peanut72 
#1 ·
First off, sorry if this post 2x, having some internet issues today. So, I was th inking aobut stocking the tank and wanted to run some ideas by you guys first to see what you think and suggest changes. The tank has been running for about two weeks now and seems to be holding stable with water parameters but cloudy water.

The tank:
-75 gallon with a Marineland Emperor400 hob
-4' 6500k Ultra Sun Super Daylight
-gravel substrate
-bubble curtain
-several plastic plants and decor. I plan on changing all of that with some rocks, driftwood and live plants.

Here are the particulars on the water parameters as tested this morning:
-pH - 7.6
-ammonia - 0-.25 cant really tell for sure
-Nitrites - 0
-Nitrates - 5
-GH - roughly 9 - Byron helped me figure this one out, thanks

Heres what I was thinking about putting in the tank:
8 - Black Skirt Tetras - already have these in the tank
2 - Dwarf Gourami - I really want Bandeds but not sure if these will fit
4 - Mickey Mouse Platy - the wife wants these
6 - Cherry Barb
6 - Harley Rasbora
1 - Bristlenose Pleco
2 - Angels - These I want most of all so willing to part with others

Stocking thoughts #2 include or replacing others from above with:
4 - Peppered Cory
6 - Rainbowfish

This kind of sounds like a tall order for the tank and wanted to run this by you guys first before I start putting anyting else in the tank. I already made a rookie mistake of putting fish in the tank that wont work and paid the price by losing a few to a not so friendly Tiger Barb. I have since taken them back and put in the Tetras and they seem to be doing great. I plan on adding the others every week or so with the Angels going in last after some plants. I am open to all suggestions on these, just want to make sure these will play well together. The only issue I see right off is that some of the fish are pushing the upper limits of pH in my tank. Im not looking to breed or raise any so Im not so conserned if eggs or fry become snacks, but dont want any of the stocked fish to end up that way.

Also I am open to suggestions on plants. I have skimmed through the write-up that Byron did on plants, but still need to sit down and give it a good one over. I was thinking something tall and something that floats and something to grow on the wood. Just dont know what any of it is. Like I said, I am open to all suggestions and comments, just dont wanna sacrifice any other fish by making rookie mistakes.

Thanks
Todd
 
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#2 ·
As for the stocking, I'll let someone else comment... Angels should be fine as long as you get small ones and let them grow to adults in the tank.

As for plants..
I would get either Twisted Vallisneria or Echinodorus "Vesuvius", Anubias or Java moss would be nice on wood...(Anubias Barteri Var. Glabra (Minima) comes to mind)
Echinodorus Ozelot would also be a good fit, the relatively high light should bring out a reddish color.
For filling in the blank spots, ludwigea repens and

Another plant that works well and looks extremely interesting is Rotala Wallichi. It may not grow red/orange, but it seems to grow well. Cabomba Furcata would work as well. (It grows purple in high light, and green in low light.)

For the foreground, Monosolenium Tenerum would be nice, or just go with the fallbacks.. Dwarf sag, pygmy swords, etc.

Floating, either Amazon Frogbit (#1 choice) or Water Lettuce...
 
#3 ·
Stocking wise I would make sure the angels you get are going to be from similar water params as yours. 7.6 isn't that basic, but is at least a full point away from the 6-6.5 that Angels tend to like. Tank raised angels should have less problems.

I think you could probably fit that list, or most of that list in that tank, but you'll either need to do the live plants before the full bioload is installed, or get a bigger filter. With a tank that size I'd have a hard time not grabbing a canister. I've got a Cascade 1000 on my 55g and might go to the 1200 with a 75g tank. Or you can go Eheim. They'll do you right too.

I'm most worried about whether the Gouramis would get along with the angels or not. I'd be more worried though if you were thinking pearl or blue gouramis instead of the dwarfs. Just my $0.02.
 
#5 ·
Agree with previous posts. If you are really set on angels, then the decision must be made to build the proper tank around the angels. A 55g can be a lovely home for angels, but not including some of the other fish. And first, angels are shoaling fish that do best in groups (unless you are considering a breeding pair, which is something else). A group of 4-5 in a 55g, well-planted, some branches, would be stunning. Substrate fish (Corydoras, small pleco [the common reaches 18 inches, BN are fine]) and suitable upper fish like one of the Rosy Tetra clade (in our profiles there are several species under characins, the Hyphessobrycon genus, use the scientific list option and they will all be together). Blackskirts are known to nip and angels are a temptation. I would not mix gourami with angels, too similar, too alike in temperament, territorial, etc.
 
#6 ·
I think i am giving up on the whole angel thing. As much as i want them i think i will just hold out and do an entire angel tank later. So, that being said taking the angels out of the equation, how does the rest look. Leaving everything else as is ans just not doing the angels. I got the tetras because someone at a fish store who breeds angels claimed they would do fine together. Again, fallen victim to the lfs. It was sort of an impulse buy. Went for a new heater because i forgot to unplug it and did a 50% water change and it busted. This community tank planning it getting way more difficult than i thought it would be. This fish plays well but dont fit water params. The next fits water but dont play well. Anyway thanks for the feedback. I will have angels but just not in this tank

Can i put the gouramis in if i dont do the angels? If so can i do bandeds? How many? I know that more than one male wont play well in the same tank but can i put in more females? The lfs has them and they are beauties.
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#7 ·
I think i am giving up on the whole angel thing. As much as i want them i think i will just hold out and do an entire angel tank later. So, that being said taking the angels out of the equation, how does the rest look. Leaving everything else as is ans just not doing the angels. I got the tetras because someone at a fish store who breeds angels claimed they would do fine together. Again, fallen victim to the lfs. It was sort of an impulse buy. Went for a new heater because i forgot to unplug it and did a 50% water change and it busted. This community tank planning it getting way more difficult than i thought it would be. This fish plays well but dont fit water params. The next fits water but dont play well. Anyway thanks for the feedback. I will have angels but just not in this tank

Can i put the gouramis in if i dont do the angels? If so can i do bandeds? How many? I know that more than one male wont play well in the same tank but can i put in more females? The lfs has them and they are beauties.
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At least you are giving thought before impulse buying, and that is very good. Once you have this or that fish, it is not always easy to reverse, not to mention the stress on the fish. Decisions now may seem tedious, but it is nothing compared to the frustration when the3 "community" fails fish by fish.

In your original second choice, the rainbow fish are now feasible; basic water suits them, and a 55g is room for a group of 5-6 (they are shoaling fish). And the other fish do not have any serious issues, except maybe the gourami. Have a read of the profile, the dwarf gourami has issues these days.

The banded gourami is Trichogaster fasciata. It is included in our profiles (click on the shaded name). As it mentions there, in a 4-foot tank a group is feasible. But I would then leave out the rainbows; either one or the other. This gourami can be a pair, or a small group of 5-6.
 
#8 ·
I don't see any problems with the fish you want to get. I use to have a similar setup in a 90 gallon with rainbows, pearl gourami, orange gourami, dwarf gourami, blue gourami, honey gourami, an angelfish and several tetras and rasboras. The only thing that I would be worried about is the bristlenose pleco. I had one that ate my smaller fish and took off the outside layer of skin on one of my blackskirts.
 
#9 ·
I wasnt real excited about the Dwarf Gourami, just read a few posts here and other places that they would work better with Angels. Now that the Angels arent much of an issue I will be leaning more toward the Bandeds. I like them so much better. The lfs has a pair of males in a 125g and they face off now and then and then head back to their respective sides.

So now I feel a whole lot better about the stocking of the tank. Will give a little more thought about the pleco. Not real set on that one, but did like the looks of it. NOt even sure if there is one local or not, havent reallly looked.

Thanks
Todd
 
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