Can Anybody Give Me Adivce On This Tank Setup? Cheers

[Minibar-JG]

Hey, I'm Minibar-JG. I am new to this website, not exactly sure how it works but anyway, here goes. I hope to purchase a 'Fluval Roma 240', (if anybody is looking for a tank of 240litres/55 gallons, I recommend 'seapets.co.uk'. The tank I'm getting is £150 less than the exact same at pets at home. Thats the aquarium and cabinet!) I am wondering if you experts out there can give me any tips, comments, or even warnings! About this combination. So here goes, fish list below.
4x Bolivian Ram Cichlids (2 males & 2 females)
3x Angelfish (1 male & 2 females. If you have a better sex combination, please comment! I hope to get a small angel species)
5/6x Assorted Platies (2 males & 3/4 females Again if you have a better sex combination, please comment!)
7-9x Neon Tetras (Number of males & females does not matter, but same as above!)
3x Otocinclus (Sexes does not matter, but again... Also, if you adivce I keep them in a bigger group please comment!)
1x Bristlenose pleco (Preferably female, should be smaller, and more docile. But if you think she would need a mate, and the tank is big enough to accomodate them, please comment!)
Lastly,
2x Peppered corys & 1x Albino cory (Sexes no problem, the odd combination is a long story!)

Thanks for reading this, and any help you can give me will be very useful!
Cheers, Minibar-JG ( aka. Joe )

 

[kizno1]

Looks pretty much perfect to me but i would change one or 2 things.
If you go for 3 angels and a pair forms they will bully the 3rd so it would be best to get 4 and once a pair forms rehome the other 2. I think i would leave the ottos out because there very small and very sensitive to water quality. I also think it would be best to stick to 1 pair of rams because of the angel fish aswell. One last thing corys need to be in groups of atleast 4+ of each type.
Something like
2x Bolivian Ram Cichlids
2x Angelfish
4x Platys (1 male, 3 females)
10x Neon Tetras
1x Bristlenose pleco
5x Albino cory
5X Pepper corys

How does that look?

 

[Minibar-JG]

Looks pretty much perfect to me but i would change one or 2 things.
If you go for 3 angels and a pair forms they will bully the 3rd so it would be best to get 4 and once a pair forms rehome the other 2. I think i would leave the ottos out because there very small and very sensitive to water quality. I also think it would be best to stick to 1 pair of rams because of the angel fish aswell. One last thing corys need to be in groups of atleast 4+ of each type.
Something like
2x Bolivian Ram Cichlids
2x Angelfish
4x Platys (1 male, 3 females)
10x Neon Tetras
1x Bristlenose pleco
5x Albino cory
5X Pepper corys

How does that look?

 

[fluttermoth]

Hi Joe, welcome to the forum

I'll just make a couple of comments first; how are you going to cycle the tank? 90% of the members here would advise a fishless cycle; details of how to do this are stickied in 'The Beginner's Resource Centre' at the top of this forum.

Bolivian rams, angels and bristlenoses are virtuially impossible to sex at the age and size you see them in the shops; you may well have to take pot luck and see what you get. Both the otos and corys should really be kept in larger groups; at least 6 if possible.

There are only two (well, possibly three, but that's a scientific can of worms I'm not going to open!) species of angels; the 'normal' angel, Pterophyllum scalare and the Altum angel P. altum. Scalare are the smaller of the two, but still grow to 6 or 8 inches in length and 12" form top to bottom, so do make sure that your tank is deep enough (ie; at least 18") for them to be comfortable.

 

[Minibar-JG]

Hi Joe, welcome to the forum

I'll just make a couple of comments first; how are you going to cycle the tank? 90% of the members here would advise a fishless cycle; details of how to do this are stickied in 'The Beginner's Resource Centre' at the top of this forum.

Bolivian rams, angels and bristlenoses are virtuially impossible to sex at the age and size you see them in the shops; you may well have to take pot luck and see what you get. Both the otos and corys should really be kept in larger groups; at least 6 if possible.

There are only two (well, possibly three, but that's a scientific can of worms I'm not going to open!) species of angels; the 'normal' angel, Pterophyllum scalare and the Altum angel P. altum. Scalare are the smaller of the two, but still grow to 6 or 8 inches in length and 12" form top to bottom, so do make sure that your tank is deep enough (ie; at least 18") for them to be comfortable.

Thanks a lot guys! That is a lot of help, wasn't expecting it! Maybe this the friendliest forum around! I shall also look at the cycling page, thanks for the tip fluttermoth. I already planned on a fishless cycle, but I shall still take a look , again thanks A LOT!

Looks pretty much perfect to me but i would change one or 2 things.
If you go for 3 angels and a pair forms they will bully the 3rd so it would be best to get 4 and once a pair forms rehome the other 2. I think i would leave the ottos out because there very small and very sensitive to water quality. I also think it would be best to stick to 1 pair of rams because of the angel fish aswell. One last thing corys need to be in groups of atleast 4+ of each type.
Something like
2x Bolivian Ram Cichlids
2x Angelfish
4x Platys (1 male, 3 females)
10x Neon Tetras
1x Bristlenose pleco
5x Albino cory
5X Pepper corys

How does that look?

Thanks a lot guys! That is a lot of help, wasn't expecting it! Maybe this the friendliest forum around! I shall also look at the cycling page, thanks for the tip fluttermoth. I already planned on a fishless cycle, but I shall still take a look , again thanks A LOT!

 

[Aqua Tom]

Hi Minibar, welcome to the forum.

That is a nice size aquarium you are going for there. Seapets is well known to us on here. Have you looked on Ebay for a second hand one? If there is one in a reasonable distance from your home you can save yourself hundreds of pounds.

 

[Beanlekin]

I may be completely wrong here but don't angels sometimes eat neons? Someone please correct me if I'm wrong!

 

[FishAreFriendsNotFood10]

I may be completely wrong here but don't angels sometimes eat neons? Someone please correct me if I'm wrong!

ive also heard this when they get bigger depends on their temprement tbh all fish have different attitudes

 

[Rynofasho]

Only other thing I'd say is it will be tough the get two pairs of Rams like that. The females dont always accept the males you put with them, so you'd have better luck getting them to pair if you had more females to start. Something like 4 females and 2 males, and try to pair of both the males and then find somewhere to rehome the other two females or maybe give them to your LFS for store credit if they are in good shape.

Agree on the Corys in keeping them in bigger shoals, and also be aware that you may start seeing some fry from your Platys so you may want to have a spare tank in the back of your mind.

Everything looks good though from what I know and welcome!

 

[Minibar-JG]

Only other thing I'd say is it will be tough the get two pairs of Rams like that. The females dont always accept the males you put with them, so you'd have better luck getting them to pair if you had more females to start. Something like 4 females and 2 males, and try to pair of both the males and then find somewhere to rehome the other two females or maybe give them to your LFS for store credit if they are in good shape.

Agree on the Corys in keeping them in bigger shoals, and also be aware that you may start seeing some fry from your Platys so you may want to have a spare tank in the back of your mind.

Everything looks good though from what I know and welcome!

Hi Minibar, welcome to the forum.

That is a nice size aquarium you are going for there. Seapets is well known to us on here. Have you looked on Ebay for a second hand one? If there is one in a reasonable distance from your home you can save yourself hundreds of pounds.

Thanks for the tip, I'll check it out!

I may be completely wrong here but don't angels sometimes eat neons? Someone please correct me if I'm wrong!

Thanks, never heard of that before I plan to get only a small angel species but I'm not sure.. Thanks anyway for the warning!

 

[fluttermoth]

Even the smallest species of angel is large enough to eat a neon when fully grown. It's one of those grey areas you sometimes come across in fishkeeping; it works for some people and not for others.

There is a point of view that says if the angels are bought up with neons while they are still to small to eat them, they never see the neons as food. There is also the fact that angels do vary considerably in their temperament; some grow up to be relativly peaceful, while others can turn out to be right aggressive little b******s. All you can do is decide whether you want to try it or not tbh.

 

[Minibar-JG]

Even the smallest species of angel is large enough to eat a neon when fully grown. It's one of those grey areas you sometimes come across in fishkeeping; it works for some people and not for others.

There is a point of view that says if the angels are bought up with neons while they are still to small to eat them, they never see the neons as food. There is also the fact that angels do vary considerably in their temperament; some grow up to be relativly peaceful, while others can turn out to be right aggressive little b******s. All you can do is decide whether you want to try it or not tbh.

klkl, think I might try angels. But seeing as I have never kept angels before, I did consider dwarf gouramis (Colisa lalia, to be more exact.) I find these very pretty fish, and I may be able to keep 2 bolivian ram pairs, instead of just one Thanks again guys! I really wasn't expecting all this response!