55 gallon community planted lace Rock aquarium.

[JuiceBox52]

First I am the first person to to respect other people's views and I have stated multiple times my motto is agree to disagree. Yes science is science but understanding science and recommendations change all the time. I never asked for opinions on my tank setup I just wanted to enter into the tank of the month competition since I'm new to this forum but not new to the hobby. This was I re-establish cichlid tank that run its course for 7 years. People have different experiences with different species sharing tanks and some of the same experiences. For example I'm not going to put two angelfish in a 5 gallon tank. I'm not going to put fancy tail guppies with African cichlids ECT but when it comes to how many tetras you keeping a school or if you have multiple dwarf gouramis in a tank together as long as the tank has adequate size for the bioload it's really personal preference no science. Just because I have only two red eye tetras in my tank does not mean the red eye tetras will not thrive in the tank there is no science behind that sorry to say and as we all no science is constantly changing. For example when I started in the hobby with my father in the 70s the science was that you needed to change activated carbon end ammonia chips every 4 weeks and now the science recommends you not put activating carbon in your tank unless you have water issues or following medication treatment or add ammonia chips if you have a planted aquarium so science and recommendations change all the time.

The bottom line I did not ask for recommendations on stocking my fish tank but I'm not opposed to hearing what other people say or think but I will respectfully agree to disagree based on my own personal experiences with stocking an aquarium and tank mates for my fish.

I am truly here to interact with people who enjoy the hobby but I don't have to agree and I will voice my opinions. Yours truly Tony.

Nobody is trying to be rude or anything, but there is actually a lot of scientific evidence behind what @Byron mentioned.

 

[Tony blazer]

Nobody is trying to be rude or anything, but there is actually a lot of scientific evidence behind what @Byron mentioned.

Lol about what if a school of only two red eye tetras or separate tetras can thrive in an aquarium. Please I don't want to get into it on this thread this was supposed to be an entry into a contest. I would love to respectfully exchange views on this fascinating topic. Please start a post and let's go get a lot more people involved in the talk about the science of fish keeping.

Because I would love to see the article that has scientific data that says a schooling fish cannot thrive in a freshwater aquarium by itself or only with another pair. Please start a threat and let's have a discussion. You're truly Tony.

 

[Metalhead88]

Just to throw in there from some of my personal experience and observations. This is not science, but.....

Certain tetras, barbs, and other schooling fish will terrorize other fish or each other if not kept in large groups.

Corys are far less active in anything less than groups of 6. I had 3 for a few months while I shopped around to add to the group. They mostly sat around unless food was in the tank. When I finally found what I was looking for, I added 10 more and bam all 13 zip around the tank and dig in the sand constantly. They are obviously better off this way.

Maybe a group of 2 will be fine, but we will never recommend something that we would not do ourselves. Between some of the users that posted on this topic, there's probably a couple hundred years of fish keeping experience.

 

[Tony blazer]

Well I disagree I have 2 Panda Cory cats that are very active and moving around my tank with each other. I have two red eye tetras and two serpae tetras that hang with my guppies on cop. The tetras don't really interact too much with the guppies but I've never seen any aggressiveness a tail snapping. The two red eye tetras and serpae tetras are always next to each other but not to interact with each other the pair's just play and move around Chase each other a to play not really aggression.

I will certainly provide you a little video. Yes would it be cool 6 panda Cory cats moving a bath together hell yeah and 6 serpae tetras all moving left and right at the same time why not that's beautiful. I don't want to waste my final load all on the same species. My tank is freaking awesome I love watching it my fish appear happy and thriving. Please start another thread if we want to discuss these topics. This was supposed to be an entry into a competition for tank of the month not debate on the proper etiquette of the hobby of fish keeping LMFAO. I just wanted to enter into a competition

 

[Byron]

You are clearly going to go your own way regardless of the proven science that most of us accept. You have made some statements that are completely unsupportable. There is no way you can possibly know that your fish are "happy." The fact that they swim around the tank and go after food is not indicative of thriving fish. Many of the fish in your tank are under serious stress, something we cannot see until it is too late. Think of it as someone who smokes a pack of cigarettes a day, saying they are healthy. The time will come.

If you want to learn some accurate information on each species, have a look at the species profiles on Seriously Fish. This site is owned and run by ichthyologists, and recognized by the scientific community.

 

[Tony blazer]

@Byron happy fish lol. I stated this many times on this thread please respect it. this thread was an entry into a competition for tank of the month not a debate about how I stock my tank. There is a new thread if you wish to take this up please go there.

I will match my tank against your tank any day including lovegevity of my fish. I find it so funny how you think you know what makes a fish happy . I'm going to say this one time and only one time there is no science proven that a pair of tetras will not thrive in a community tank if they are not in a large group of the same fish (shoaling).

This is my hobby not yours I would not enjoy my 55 gallon tank if I only had 18 of my 24 fish bioload being two groups of tetras and a group of panda cats. I really don't like your tone I've been doing this hobby since 1970's and my fish are happy lol and usually live a very very long life with me and usually reach their Max in their life span.

I personally think what's more important in a aquarium is compatible tank mates consistent water parameters and alternating their diet. This post is not a debate this was a entry into a tank of the month competition. Please go to the other post if you want to continue this conversation yours truly Tony.

PS. I personally think people waste too much time chasing softness hardness and pH levels of their water when they should be focused on consistent parameters. For example each fish has a range of softness and hardness as well as pH however we all know that the majority of fishes are born in artificial fish hatcheries and usually are not in their natural habitat parameters. To me the most important factors 0 nitrites 0 ammonia low levels of nitrates and consistent level of pH and hardness whatever you decide to meet the needs of all the tank mates. Good day sir.

 

[Byron]

@Byron happy fish lol. I stated this many times on this thread please respect it. this thread was an entry into a competition for tank of the month not a debate about how I stock my tank. There is a new thread if you wish to take this up please go there.

I will match my tank against your tank any day including lovegevity of my fish. I find it so funny how you think you know what makes a fish happy . I'm going to say this one time and only one time there is no science proven that a pair of tetras will not thrive in a community tank if they are not in a large group of the same fish (shoaling).

This is my hobby not yours I would not enjoy my 55 gallon tank if I only had 18 of my 24 fish bioload being two groups of tetras and a group of panda cats. I really don't like your tone I've been doing this hobby since 1970's and my fish are happy lol and usually live a very very long life with me and usually reach their Max in their life span.

I personally think what's more important in a aquarium is compatible tank mates consistent water parameters and alternating their diet. This post is not a debate this was a entry into a tank of the month competition. Please go to the other post if you want to continue this conversation yours truly Tony.

PS. I personally think people waste too much time chasing softness hardness and pH levels of their water when they should be focused on consistent parameters. For example each fish has a range of softness and hardness as well as pH however we all know that the majority of fishes are born in artificial fish hatcheries and usually are not in their natural habitat parameters. To me the most important factors 0 nitrites 0 ammonia low levels of nitrates and consistent level of pH and hardness whatever you decide to meet the needs of all the tank mates. Good day sir.

I did not say you had to have only one or two species. Your fish are not happy, they are not healthy, and that is fact. Some of us have gone into this more in the other newer thread. Your opinion does not matter any more than mine, because the issue is not opinion it is science. The opinion you hold is not supported by any biologist or ichthyologist. When you go to a doctor for advice do you ignore that and follow your own? That is what you are doing here.

 

[FallenPepper]

Tbh bryon that website is a little wacky and you've tried to send me links to it about a fish you kept thinking I had when it's a completely different fish then tried lecturing me about said fish.

 

[Byron]

Tbh bryon that website is a little wacky and you've tried to send me links to it about a fish you kept thinking I had when it's a completely different fish then tried lecturing me about said fish.

Well, it is not my fault if you do not know or cannot give us the name of your fish.

 

[FallenPepper]

Bruh it's a spotted congo puffer and you kept saying it was another fish then persisted it was something else. I didn't ask what fish it was but you took it upon yourself to identify it wrongly. Can't believe were back to this or really you just like to fill your day with arguments for the fun of it

 

[Metalhead88]

@Byron
PS. I personally think people waste too much time chasing softness hardness and pH levels of their water when they should be focused on consistent parameters. For example each fish has a range of softness and hardness as well as pH however we all know that the majority of fishes are born in artificial fish hatcheries and usually are not in their natural habitat parameters. To me the most important factors 0 nitrites 0 ammonia low levels of nitrates and consistent level of pH and hardness whatever you decide to meet the needs of all the tank mates. Good day sir.

This is half true. Many fish will thrive in almost any degree of pH or hardness. Some fish need a degree of hardness. You will have best luck stocking for whatever hardness you're water consists of. pH is not as important consistency is absolutely most important when it comes to pH. If you have hard water discus and rams will die. This is why these fish are thought to be hard to keep. It's just that a lot of people don't understand or simply do not have the correct water supply to keep these fish.

If you are chasing numbers, you will have no success. Take the water that you have, and roll with it.

Many years ago, I tried an African cichlid tank. One by one they all died. I had no idea why. I had so much luck with my South American tanks and that tank was fully cycled. My ammonia was zero, nitrite was zero, and my nitrates were low. Everything should have been ok in my eyes.

Now that I have over a decade of more experience, I realize it was likely that my water was too soft as well as pH being low. I live in the same town as I did when I was in highschool, so I have the same water supply. I test a little wider these days and my water is soft. I wouldn't even bother with African Cichlids today.

You have a nice tank, and it's off to a nice start. I can tell it is fairly new based on the size of all of your fish.

No one said you can only have 2 types of fish, only that you should add more of the same kind. You have plenty of space for more tetras and corys.

 

[JuiceBox52]

This is half true. Many fish will thrive in almost any degree of pH or hardness. Some fish need a degree of hardness. You will have best luck stocking for whatever hardness you're water consists of. pH is not as important consistency is absolutely most important when it comes to pH. If you have hard water discus and rams will die. This is why these fish are thought to be hard to keep. It's just that a lot of people don't understand or simply do not have the correct water supply to keep these fish.

If you are chasing numbers, you will have no success. Take the water that you have, and roll with it.

Many years ago, I tried an African cichlid tank. One by one they all died. I had no idea why. I had so much luck with my South American tanks and that tank was fully cycled. My ammonia was zero, nitrite was zero, and my nitrates were low. Everything should have been ok in my eyes.

Now that I have over a decade of more experience, I realize it was likely that my water was too soft as well as pH being low. I live in the same town as I did when I was in highschool, so I have the same water supply. I test a little wider these days and my water is soft. I wouldn't even bother with African Cichlids today.

You have a nice tank, and it's off to a nice start. I can tell it is fairly new based on the size of all of your fish.

No one said you can only have 2 types of fish, only that you should add more of the same kind. You have plenty of space for more tetras and corys.

Well said

 

[JuiceBox52]

Bruh it's a spotted congo puffer and you kept saying it was another fish then persisted it was something else. I didn't ask what fish it was but you took it upon yourself to identify it wrongly. Can't believe were back to this or really you just like to fill your day with arguments for the fun of it

@Byron Has never seemed to argue for the fun of it. Not sure what happened with your puffer but his info is always reliable and can easily be fact checked

 

[Tony blazer]

Again this thread is not a debate about how I stock my aquariums. I did not ask for your opinion nor do I want your opinions. I have been involved in this hobby for over 45 years and always had success in any setup I attempted. Yes over the years I have learned and try new things. I have never had an epic failure of any aquarium I set up and the overwhelming majority of my fish live to there max of lifespan.

Again please respect this thread this was an entry into a tank of the month competition. I don't care what you guys have to say at this point. I feel you guys are arrogant close minded and probably live in your mom's basement. I am totally happy and my fish are happy in my awesome aquarium. Tony drops the mic. Moderator please start handing out infractions because they obviously can't read and do not respect a person's post or views. I do not want to deal with these clown asses on this thread thank you.

 

[Tony blazer]

This is half true. Many fish will thrive in almost any degree of pH or hardness. Some fish need a degree of hardness. You will have best luck stocking for whatever hardness you're water consists of. pH is not as important consistency is absolutely most important when it comes to pH. If you have hard water discus and rams will die. This is why these fish are thought to be hard to keep. It's just that a lot of people don't understand or simply do not have the correct water supply to keep these fish.

If you are chasing numbers, you will have no success. Take the water that you have, and roll with it.

Many years ago, I tried an African cichlid tank. One by one they all died. I had no idea why. I had so much luck with my South American tanks and that tank was fully cycled. My ammonia was zero, nitrite was zero, and my nitrates were low. Everything should have been ok in my eyes.

Now that I have over a decade of more experience, I realize it was likely that my water was too soft as well as pH being low. I live in the same town as I did when I was in highschool, so I have the same water supply. I test a little wider these days and my water is soft. I wouldn't even bother with African Cichlids today.

You have a nice tank, and it's off to a nice start. I can tell it is fairly new based on the size of all of your fish.

No one said you can only have 2 types of fish, only that you should add more of the same kind. You have plenty of space for more tetras and corys.

You pretty much stated what I stated above that people shouldn't Chase numbers it's more about quality of water (maintenance) and consistency with the ph and hardness no major fluctuations. It's also about compatibility of tank mates and in my humble opinion bioload. The one inch per gallon rule plus 10 to 20% over if you have additional filtration. My 55 gallon tank has has a 170 gallons per hour. I really don't want to get into this argument or debate with you on this thread this was not about debating this was a entry into a tank of the month contest. Thank you very much for f****** up my thread with all this b*******. Sincerely Tony