Boyfriend's New Tank

[MisssMarie]

So, my boyfriend is asking me to come up with a stocking plan for his 50 gallon tank that is currently being cycled with some filter from a bit of my set up tanks, and is getting along nicely. His only main thing is that it MUST have a red tailed black shark. What else would be able to go in there and bring in some nice colors? Thanks!

Edit:
Tank dimensions are 36in long x 15in w x 20in h

 

[twodoctors]

If he wants a RTBS then you'll need to get something quite robust as RTBS is quite aggressive. You should look at medium size cichlids like firemouth, blue acara, rainbow cichlid etc. Without the RTBS the possibilities are (almost) endless!

BTW what is your pH?

Adrian

 

[pyrofishtoo]

Barbs are active and very colourful. They would compliment a RTBS very well. Also consider some loaches! Hmmmm, I'm getting some ideas!!!

 

[MisssMarie]

If he wants a RTBS then you'll need to get something quite robust as RTBS is quite aggressive. You should look at medium size cichlids like firemouth, blue acara, rainbow cichlid etc. Without the RTBS the possibilities are (almost) endless!

BTW what is your pH?

Adrian

He has his heart set on a RTBS, I told him it was aggresive, and he just shrugged. I'm sensing a theme with our fish choices! We tend to go for tropical aggresive fish (bettas, killifish, RTBS, etc)

Our pH is about 7.2, not too bad, but not great. I'm trying to figure out how to lower it a little, or should i leave it be?

What Chichlid would you recommend?

Barbs are active and very colourful. They would compliment a RTBS very well. Also consider some loaches! Hmmmm, I'm getting some ideas!!!

You think barbs would look nice??

And what kind of loaches do you like? Shoot me some ideas!

I'm glad he's letting me help make his stocking plan hahaha. I got him bit with the fish bug lol

 

[pyrofishtoo]

Any of the South/Central American cichlids would be fine. Your pH is pretty neutral so I wouldn't mess around too much with additives. I prefer not to play with my water parameters. I would still consider barbs and loaches!!!

 

[MisssMarie]

Any of the South/Central American cichlids would be fine. Your pH is pretty neutral so I wouldn't mess around too much with additives. I prefer not to play with my water parameters. I would still consider barbs and loaches!!!

What Loaches and Chichilids do you like? I don't really want any more red, because he's going to have a hard time figuring out whats what xD so i kind of want to color code them i guess! I also want to color code them because we have twins who are two years old (before any freaks, I adopted them and all that and he's like their father, been with me since I got them [a year and a half ago]) Like the one with red is the RTBS, and so on haha. So, yeah... Also, are there any small cleaner types i could add? I use oto's in my smaller tanks, but, i don't think they'd survive in this bigger tank. and would shrimp survive?

 

[pyrofishtoo]

Tiger barbs are always popular. If you want to stay away from red altogether, look at gold barbs which aren't as aggressive but will do fine. You can also look at zebra danio's or harliquin rasporas. Just get a school of eight+. You will appreciate them more in a larger group.
Not sure what cichlids are available in your neck of the woods but look for some rainbow cichlids Herotilapia (multispinosa), firemouths (Thorichthys meeki)or Salvini Cichlid (Nandopsis Salvini)

 

[MisssMarie]

Tiger barbs are always popular. If you want to stay away from red altogether, look at gold barbs which aren't as aggressive but will do fine. You can also look at zebra danio's or harliquin rasporas. Just get a school of eight+. You will appreciate them more in a larger group.
Not sure what cichlids are available in your neck of the woods but look for some rainbow cichlids Herotilapia (multispinosa), firemouths (Thorichthys meeki)or Salvini Cichlid (Nandopsis Salvini)

I like Salvini Cichilids, how many of those should i get? Would i still be able to get any barbs or loaches?

 

[MisssMarie]

Would i be able to get any Oscars or discus?

 

[pyrofishtoo]

Discus can be very sensitive and wouldn't do well with active fish like sharks. Oscars would be okay until they get big enough to eat the shark (and they will)

 

[Tizer]

You really think a RTBS is suitable for a 3 foot tank?

 

[pyrofishtoo]

You really think a RTBS is suitable for a 3 foot tank?

They grow to about 5". A 4' tank would be better but they will do okay in a 3' tank.

 

[snake007]

You really think a RTBS is suitable for a 3 foot tank?

+1

 

[onidrase]

Oscars would be okay until they get big enough to eat the shark (and they will)

And this is where you stop listening to this guy.

An oscar will not eat a shark. Sharks get plenty large enough to not look like food for an oscar. But your tank is too small for oscars and discus anyway. Discus are also sensitive, and they need a much higher temperature than most fish. They also get too big for your aquarium. It's good to only keep them with small tetras who can tolerate a higher water temperature or some sterbai cories of sorts.

I'd be a little worried about getting loaches, as red tail sharks can be quite aggressive, and since loaches share the same area of the aquarium (being the bottom) they might get attacked by the shark. If you aim for salvini, from what I know, they can be very aggressive, so keeping only one and some other schooling fish that can stick up for themselves is advisable.

Otherwise, I'm also going to have to agree with Tizer, the tank is on the smaller side for RTBS, they should have around 4 feet of length.

 

[Tizer]

4 foot is absolute minimum, have you seen how fast these guys are?