Help stocking first aquarium

Hi all,

I’m new to the hobby and have been doing a lot a of research. I have just set up my new aquarium and am currently running the first cycle. My question is with regards to what fish I can keep. I have 230l tank (picture attached). I am getting overwhelmed by the different types of fish and different requirements. All I know for sure is I would like a community and I love angel fish.

What other tropical fish can I keep with 2 angels?
And how many?

I would preferably like fish smaller than angels and would love different colour varieties If people can give me some ideas good fish to keep together and how many is suitable for my tank that would be most appreciated.

Also a lot of research I have done mention gallons but I’m unsure of it imperial or US gallons. I love in the uk. So I automatically think imperial.

My apologies for the long thread

Welcome to TFF.

Before considering fish species, it will help to know your water parameters. Parameters refers to the general or total hardness (GH), carbonate hardness or Alkalinity (KH), pH and temperature. The latter you can obviously set with a heater, but the first two depend upon your source water. You should be able to ascertain the GH from your water authority, check their website. It may have KH too (not as important yet) and pH.

A 230 liter aquarium is 60 US gallons. The tank dimensions are also important for many fish, so if you can provide the length, width (front to back) and height, it will help. I will reserve comments on fish until we know the parameters and dimensions.

Byron said:

Welcome to TFF.

Before considering fish species, it will help to know your water parameters. Parameters refers to the general or total hardness (GH), carbonate hardness or Alkalinity (KH), pH and temperature. The latter you can obviously set with a heater, but the first two depend upon your source water. You should be able to ascertain the GH from your water authority, check their website. It may have KH too (not as important yet) and pH.

A 230 liter aquarium is 60 US gallons. The tank dimensions are also important for many fish, so if you can provide the length, width (front to back) and height, it will help. I will reserve comments on fish until we know the parameters and dimensions.

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Hi Byron my water is classified as soft but the site doesn’t give specific levels only ranges. I have attached a picture of the ranges. My tank size is W 116cm, H 60cm, D 38cm. Thank you I’m advance for your help.

Can you tell us the name of the water company and we'll see what we can find.
Alternatively, ring them and ask for hardness in numbers and the unit they use (UK water companies often use different units from fish keeping) of take a sample of tap water to a fish shop and ask them to test for GH and KH. Again, make sure they give you the number and the unit.

my water provider is Severn Trent. Their wedsite is

https://www.stwater.co.uk/my-supply/water-quality/check-my-water-quality/

you have to put a postcode in.

I’m sorry for being so annoying and a newbie.
And thank you for your help.


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That is very helpful, thank you. Don't worry, we were all newbies once

There are two units used in fish profiles, German degrees (aka dH) and ppm. Your hardness report gives 2.52 German degrees - the same as 2.52 dH. This converts to 45 ppm. This is soft water, suitable for most fish from south America and Asia and some parts of Africa.





You mention gallons in the first post - in fish keeping it is virtually always American gallons. The only time I've seen Imperial gallons used is with King British products. But most products give the dose rate in both gallons and litres, so use litres to be certain

Hello, and welcome to the forum!

essjay said:

This is soft water, suitable for most fish from south America and Asia and some parts of Africa.

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So what do you suggest? It depends on what the OP wants really.

(If the fish requires those specific water parameters.)

Thank you. Water parameters where really something that I was lost other than ph.

If angels are not a good choice is there any specifics you would recommend ?

I know my tank isn’t huge but I should be able to have decent number of fish right?

I’m not really looking for huge fish like discus or African cichlids. Angels where about as big as I was looking to go.

There are a few beautiful guppies I have seen but am worried about fin nippers as most sites I have seen don’t really say if fish are fun nippers or not.


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Angels are suitable for the water, but there are other considerations which Byron can explain better than me. Basically, angels are shoaling fish so you'd need a group of them. But if a pair formed and they spawned they would cause problems for other fish in the tank, including other angels. It is possible to keep a pair of angels, but they must be a bonded male and female. South American cichlids need to choose their own mates, so buying any male and any female could easily result in fighting and possibly death of one of them. Another problem with angelfish is that they are very hard to sex as juveniles - and all the fish in shops are juveniles - and even experts can be 100% sure.

There are lots of cichlids from south America; I know most about dwarf cichlids such as Apistogrammas as I have kept A. cacatuoides in the past. These dwarf cichlids would be fine in your tank, with most of the south American tetra species as upper fish.

Or perhaps gouramis. A group of pearl gouramis would go well, though you'd need to select tank mates from the more sedate, non-nippy species. Fish such as many of the tetras, or harlequin rasboras would work well with pearl gouramis, as well as bottom dwelling fish - as you have sand, that is perfect for corydoras, for example. Avoid dwarf gouramis as they tend to be diseased, and any of the colour morphs of three spot (blue, gold, opaline etc) as this is one of the more aggressive species.



Just a few ideas. There is more to stocking a tank than just the water hardness, though. They must also need the same temperature and sedate fish cannot be kept with active fish as the latter would stress the former just be their activity.

Essjay covered everything and very well too.

The aquarium is looking very lovely, the only thing I can suggest that will definitely benefit any of the fish you will be getting (now we know the parameters and have determined soft water species which are basically forest fish) some floating plants. Water Sprite is ideal, and there is also Frogbit and Water Lettuce. These are substantial plants and very beneficial.

Most of the soft water fish are shoaling species, meaning they live in large groups and need a decent sized group in the aquarium. You have the space so now it is just finding compatible species in terms of temperature, activity level, and general behaviours/traits. Most shoaling fish won't nip fins if kept in groups of say 9-12, though there are a very few that will and they can be avoided.

Have a look at characins, which are the tetras, hatchetfish and pencilfish from South America. Corydoras catfish. Some of the "odd" fish like common Whiptail, Bristlenose pleco, perhaps. The rasboras from SE Asia. Some of the gourami (essjay mentioned Pearl Gourami and these are beauties, and better choices than angelfish).

Thank you, you have all been very helpful I posted the same question in some other forums and let’s just say I have not had a very welcome from most of them.

You have given me some great ideas for fish. Now to do a little bit of research and see what’s available in my area before my tank is fully cycled.

I’ll be sure to post pictures when I get my first residents.

Thank you all, I can’t stress how helpful you have been


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Lukey_peeh said:

Thank you, you have all been very helpful I posted the same question in some other forums and let’s just say I have not had a very welcome from most of them.

You have given me some great ideas for fish. Now to do a little bit of research and see what’s available in my area before my tank is fully cycled.

I’ll be sure to post pictures when I get my first residents.

Thank you all, I can’t stress how helpful you have been


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If you see something you like, it would be advisable to post your intended fish before you acquire them. We have been very general in our suggestions because it is your aquarium and you should have fish you like, not what we may like. But every species can bring its own specific traits and issues, and once you have the fish in your tank it is not always possible (and certainly not kind to the fish) to have to take them back or worse.

Staff in fish stores are not known as the most reliable of sources, so don't be misled. They are there to sell fish; there are exceptions, but they are very few and far between.

I will do, as soon as I have a couple of plans I will post a couple of possible options.

Thanks again


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Hi and welcome.
Severn Trent covers a massive area but if you are in the E Midlands Wharf Aquatics is definitely worth a visit. Their selection is incredible. As Byron suggests don't be misled by the salesman trying to get a sale. Seriouslyfish.com is a good starting point for research and you could access it on your phone to rule out non starters. Still worth making a list of what you like and then asking on here though

seangee said:

Severn Trent covers a massive area but if you are in the E Midlands Wharf Aquatics is definitely worth a visit.

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Oops just seen your other post - no recommendations in the W midlands (at least not from me).