182L stocking!

[Cromid]

hey guys! Have been eyeing up a new tank for awhile, since I feel my 15gal is starting to get alittle crowded with my cories breeding from time to time (I’m now up 3 juveniles) so I was thinking of getting a 2nd and much larger main tank

saw this aqua one 182L long tank, dimensions - 122cm x 36cm x 45cm

obviously I’ve not even bought the tank, let alone set up hardscape, plants, or cycled anything but i like to research everything before I make any decisions.
So I’m intrigued to know what you guys think would be a nice stocked community tank of this size, and whether my initial thought is ok
You all helped me a lot when I started with my 15 gal and loved all your advice and recommendations

Living in Scotland My water is very soft. Water hardness/ph - 47ppm and ph of around 6.5-7 - so I know that limits some fish
Plan to be stocking hardscape with rocks and driftwood and plenty of live plants
Filter flow and heater/temp really will depend on what works stocking wise and il work around that.

my initial thoughts were

centrepiece fish: such as Pearl gourami/ honey gourami/ rams/ platys
18-24 schooling fish - either one large shoal or assortment of small shoals of tetras/ rasboras/ danios
9-12 cories (three of which will come from my existing tank)
Assortment of snails/shrimp

I’m not a fan of plecos so wouldn’t be looking to add one of these

I have always loved rainbow shark, but I think even at 182L I’m still pushing it to include one of these haha (one day!)

but any other fish you think would work, or any that you’d maybe suggest instead of what I’ve listed would be awesome! Just helps me get an idea before I start fully!

thanks as always ??

 

[Lajos_Detari]

Your ideas are good except that I will replace Gouramis/Rams/Platies with some Apistogrammas.
You can have Apistogrammas Cacatuidoes triple red or orange flash or Borelli Opal as your centrepiece.

For your top and middle level, you can have 1-2 groups of schooling fish.
Your top and middle level are important as you dont want your tank to look empty.

 

[Naughts]

I have a similar tank and stock but my water is middling rather than very soft.
I have 13 cories, 17 rummy nose tetra (active, attractive and great at schooling) and 5 honey gourami. I also have my 2 remaining dwarf rainbows (not suited to your water), a nerite snail and amano shrimp.
I recommend you cross off platies as they need hard water. Choose one type of apisto /gourami/ ram (careful of temperature requirements, GBR like it warmer than the rest of the community but Bolivian could be OK) and get a group of 5 or 6.
BtW, the calculator says those dimensions are 198 litres.

 

[Cromid]

Your ideas are good except that I will replace Gouramis/Rams/Platies with some Apistogrammas.
You can have Apistogrammas Cacatuidoes triple red or orange flash or Borelli Opal as your centrepiece.

For your top and middle level, you can have 1-2 groups of schooling fish.
Your top and middle level are important as you dont want your tank to look empty.

Thankyou! I hadn’t thought of apistos so i will definitely have a look into those!

 

[Cromid]

I have a similar tank and stock but my water is middling rather than very soft.
I have 13 cories, 17 rummy nose tetra (active, attractive and great at schooling) and 5 honey gourami. I also have my 2 remaining dwarf rainbows (not suited to your water), a nerite snail and amano shrimp.
I recommend you cross off platies as they need hard water. Choose one type of apisto /gourami/ ram (careful of temperature requirements, GBR like it warmer than the rest of the community but Bolivian could be OK) and get a group of 5 or 6.
BtW, the calculator says those dimensions are 198 litres.

That tank sounds like an amazing busy one! great to know I’m on the right train of thought for what I can stock - and that it works well for the fish too
thanks for your advice!
Oh really? I’m just taking it from the dimensions on the site and it’s claim that it’s 182 ? that’s odd! Maybe the dim incorrect

 

[Essjay]

If you read the volume from a site, it could be that the dimensions include the lid in the height while the volume is the amount of water the tank can hold.

 

[Cromid]

If you read the volume from a site, it could be that the dimensions include the lid in the height while the volume is the amount of water the tank can hold.

Aw thanks essjay, figured out it’s the external dimensions that they’ve quoted, taking off 12mm off each dimension for the thickness of the 6mm glass gives 182. So that makes sense

 

[Byron]

With your soft water you actually have a much wider range of options than someone forced into hard water. I concur with the suggestions of others above.

For centrepiece fish, keep i n mind that most cichlids (the rams, apistogramma, etc) are lower level fish. Gourami however would be more mid to upper and thus likely match what you are thinking of. Given the tank space, Pearls would be beautiful here, a group of five to seven, with more female than male. They do need floating plants.

I would leave out any of the so-called "shark" fish, especially as you intend a group of cories. Increase their numbers, the more the happier and that equates with healthier. I would be thinking 15 minimum, but 20-25 very nice. You can have one species, or combine them, just try to get several of each species you select, this does tend to fare better.

With gourami, you want quieter shoaling fish, so forget danios. Most of the rasbora are ideal, and many but certainly not all of the characins. Characins includes tetras, pencilfish and hatchetfish.

 

[Cromid]

With your soft water you actually have a much wider range of options than someone forced into hard water. I concur with the suggestions of others above.

For centrepiece fish, keep i n mind that most cichlids (the rams, apistogramma, etc) are lower level fish. Gourami however would be more mid to upper and thus likely match what you are thinking of. Given the tank space, Pearls would be beautiful here, a group of five to seven, with more female than male. They do need floating plants.

I would leave out any of the so-called "shark" fish, especially as you intend a group of cories. Increase their numbers, the more the happier and that equates with healthier. I would be thinking 15 minimum, but 20-25 very nice. You can have one species, or combine them, just try to get several of each species you select, this does tend to fare better.

With gourami, you want quieter shoaling fish, so forget danios. Most of the rasbora are ideal, and many but certainly not all of the characins. Characins includes tetras, pencilfish and hatchetfish.

to be honest, that sounds exactly like what I envisioned. I love cories and so knowing I could increase their numbers is awesome too. And with them being bottom dwellers I’d rather have a fish that uses the mid/upper levels like the Pearl gouramis more than some other lower level centrepiece fish.

so I’m thinking then off the back of your comment
5-7 Pearl Gourami
18-24 rummynose/neon tetras, either two smaller shoals of both or one larger of just one.
20 cories or potentially more, 9/10 of two species one big group of the same species
and
Some Snails/shrimp

 

[Byron]

to be honest, that sounds exactly like what I envisioned. I love cories and so knowing I could increase their numbers is awesome too. And with them being bottom dwellers I’d rather have a fish that uses the mid/upper levels like the Pearl gouramis more than some other lower level centrepiece fish.

so I’m thinking then off the back of your comment
5-7 Pearl Gourami
18-24 rummynose/neon tetras, either two smaller shoals of both or one larger of just one.
20 cories or potentially more, 9/10 of two species one big group of the same species
and
Some Snails/shrimp

This is good, but I would suggest increasing the small shoaling species/numbers.

Keep in mind that the rummynose and neon tetras will remain in the lower third, maybe half, of the water. Rummys are sort of active swimming fish but nothing that will bother the gourami, it is a different kind of active than say danios. And rummys always look better and fare better the more there are, they are one of the tightest shoaling characins; here I would consider around 20-25. I had 21 in my 4-foot tank.

Neons are fine, but a better choice might be cardinals. But whichever, here I would say 15-20. And this with the rummys above.

There are other options too, but I prefer not suggesting species as it is your tank, but I have set you on the right track I think, and am willing to comment if I see anything. But to whet your appetite...for a peaceful shoaling fish that will remain in the upper half (and not bother the Pearls or be bothered by them), look at Trigonostigma hengeli or T. espei; both are in the same genus as the common Harlequin Rasbora, but smaller and less active, and I have never know either to cause trouble.

 

[Essjay]

But to whet your appetite...for a peaceful shoaling fish that will remain in the upper half (and not bother the Pearls or be bothered by them), look at Trigonostigma hengeli or T. espei; both are in the same genus as the common Harlequin Rasbora, but smaller and less active, and I have never know either to cause trouble.

I have pearl gouramis and T. espei and I can confirm that they don't bother each other.

 

[Slaphppy7]

I have pearl gouramis and T. espei and I can confirm that they don't bother each other.

Same here, in a 29G

 

[Cromid]

This is good, but I would suggest increasing the small shoaling species/numbers.

Keep in mind that the rummynose and neon tetras will remain in the lower third, maybe half, of the water. Rummys are sort of active swimming fish but nothing that will bother the gourami, it is a different kind of active than say danios. And rummys always look better and fare better the more there are, they are one of the tightest shoaling characins; here I would consider around 20-25. I had 21 in my 4-foot tank.

Neons are fine, but a better choice might be cardinals. But whichever, here I would say 15-20. And this with the rummys above.

There are other options too, but I prefer not suggesting species as it is your tank, but I have set you on the right track I think, and am willing to comment if I see anything. But to whet your appetite...for a peaceful shoaling fish that will remain in the upper half (and not bother the Pearls or be bothered by them), look at Trigonostigma hengeli or T. espei; both are in the same genus as the common Harlequin Rasbora, but smaller and less active, and I have never know either to cause trouble.

thanks so much for your help and advice Byron ??
that’s great to know I can add even bigger schools of them, I try to stay on the side of caution when it’s a new tank size as I didn’t want to come out with a number that sounded ridiculously overstocked. But the more I can add, without overstocking, the better. I know it makes them happier too and helps to really get the most out of them.
Just to double check do you mean to say I could get away with 20-25 rummys and 15-20 cardinals? Aswell as the gourami and cories? Or was that an either or recommendation?

Oh no I really appreciate it so don’t think you’re overstepping by recommending any.
oh yeah I have seen those before, I actually got given one with my harlequins by accident. A very nice fish for sure, and abit more chill than the harlequins. I love the bright orange streak it has along its side

 

[Byron]

thanks so much for your help and advice Byron ??
that’s great to know I can add even bigger schools of them, I try to stay on the side of caution when it’s a new tank size as I didn’t want to come out with a number that sounded ridiculously overstocked. But the more I can add, without overstocking, the better. I know it makes them happier too and helps to really get the most out of them.
Just to double check do you mean to say I could get away with 20-25 rummys and 15-20 cardinals? Aswell as the gourami and cories? Or was that an either or recommendation?

Oh no I really appreciate it so don’t think you’re overstepping by recommending any.
oh yeah I have seen those before, I actually got given one with my harlequins by accident. A very nice fish for sure, and abit more chill than the harlequins. I love the bright orange streak it has along its side

I was working on the assumption the pearls (5-7) and cories (15+) are a given, plus the 20-ish rummys and the same neons or cardinals, and the suggested rasboras if you like.

Stocking an aquarium is often misunderstood, as we tend to think of numbers and volume, but that is not the only criteria, and not even the most important (in a sense). If the fish are given the environment they expect (this is programmed into their DNA) they will always have less impact on the biological system and they will be healthier.

 

[Cromid]

I was working on the assumption the pearls (5-7) and cories (15+) are a given, plus the 20-ish rummys and the same neons or cardinals, and the suggested rasboras if you like.

Stocking an aquarium is often misunderstood, as we tend to think of numbers and volume, but that is not the only criteria, and not even the most important (in a sense). If the fish are given the environment they expect (this is programmed into their DNA) they will always have less impact on the biological system and they will be healthier.

No that’s perfect thanks, I just wanted to clarify if you meant both, or one or the other.
Tbh I totally get what you mean. Think maybe I get abit too number focused sometimes because I am relatively new to the hobby and don’t want to make any colossal errors haha. But what my stocking currently is in my 15, The 3 juvenile cories would put it as overstocked on any calculator or on paper, but the tank is pretty much reached an equilibrium where I have to do very little, no algae issues, no water parameter issues, minimal water changes and filter cleanings and the fish are more active than ever.