Ideas for a community tank? 🐠🐠

[dkore23]

Hello, new guy here. I just finished setting up and filling my tank and would like to get some ideas for a community tank.
I just added the water today, and I used API stress coat + and API Quick Start.
For testing kit I have API Freshwater master test kit.

Tank size: 150 gallon
Filter: Fluval fx4 - 700gph
Heater: Fluval E300
Light: Fluval Aquasky LED
-1 air compressor
-Gravel substrate

Water paramaters:
pH - 7.8
dGH: 13

Here's a list of the fish I would like to add (and the amount I was thinking about adding).
Swordtail fish (4)
Glofish: Longfin Tetra (10)
Glofish: Danios (10)
Rainbowfish (3)
Bristlenose Pleco (3)
Dwarf Gourami (2-5?)
Kuhli Loach (8)

Other possibilities:
Angelfish (1)
African Dwarf frogs (3-4)


Some questions I have:
1) Would any species of shrimp, crabs, or crawfish be able to hang with the above fish?

2) If I add the Danios first while the tank cycles, how many should I add, and how long should I wait before adding more fish?

3) Any recommendations on bigger peaceful fish that would get along well with the list above and be in the same water paramaters?



Any help or input is greatly appreciated, thank you!

Here's a picture of the freshly filled tank:

 

[Rocky998]

I would read up on cycling a tank here first:

Cycle Your Tank! A Complete Guide For Beginners

Fishless cycling https://www.fishforums.net/threads/cycling-your-new-fresh-water-tank-read-this-first.421488/ Silent or plant cycling https://www.fishforums.net/threads/planted-silent-cycling.470400/ Fish-in cycling...

www.fishforums.net

I recommend doing a fishless cycle. As fish-in for a beginner can not be good at times.

If you want any bottom dwellers like corydoras or loaches, you need sand, not gravel. They may get injured. But if you want to keep the gravel, stick with mid-top dwelling fish.

A dgh of 13 is very hard water, so stick with things like cichlids and other very hard water species...

I am not an expert by any means but I did say what I know. Others with more experience on hard water setups can chime in

 

[dkore23]

Thank you.

I was worried about the gravel part for the bottom dwellers, so I'll stick with plecos and maybe get 1-2 bigger ones.

Cichlids are kind of aggressive though right?

 

[Rocky998]

Thank you.

I was worried about the gravel part for the bottom dwellers, so I'll stick with plecos and maybe get 1-2 bigger ones.

Cichlids are kind of aggressive though right?

Yes but that is what came to mind for hardwater species. There are also many rainbow fish that live on hardwater.
If softwater species are kept in hardwater their organs fail due to mineral build up inside.

But I would switch out the gravel anyway as debris gets lodged in there easier. Sand everything lays on top or just mixes with the sand. But it's still WAY easier to clean. Still your preference on that though.

Catfish would still appreciate sand

And yes, most cichlids can be pretty aggressive but in a 125g you can have a nice group where there isn't much aggression. Like an even pack of wolves kinda.

 

[dkore23]

Yes but that is what came to mind for hardwater species. There are also many rainbow fish that live on hardwater.
If softwater species are kept in hardwater their organs fail due to mineral build up inside.

But I would switch out the gravel anyway as debris gets lodged in there easier. Sand everything lays on top or just mixes with the sand. But it's still WAY easier to clean. Still your preference on that though.

Catfish would still appreciate sand

And yes, most cichlids can be pretty aggressive but in a 125g you can have a nice group where there isn't much aggression. Like an even pack of wolves kinda.

Thanks. I'm not really interested in doing a predator tank. From what I've read most of the fish on the list are well within the hardwater range of 13.

The tetras and danios might not be ideal but really only need the lower levels for breeding from what I've gathered. However I am just learning hence why I'm here so I appreciate the feedback.

 

[Rocky998]

Thanks. I'm not really interested in doing a predator tank. From what I've read most of the fish on the list are well within the hardwater range of 13.

The tetras and danios might not be ideal but really only need the lower levels for breeding from what I've gathered. However I am just learning hence why I'm here so I appreciate the feedback.

If you don't want predators most all fish are technically ... I have small fish but they are pretty aggressive with food and smaller creatures.

And no, it's not JUST for breeding. There are fish that live in softwater and fish that live in hardwater. Just like there are fish that live in salt water and fish that live in freshwater....
If you put a school of zebra danios in there right now they may live like 2 months max. Because they would get organ failure and die

 

[dkore23]

If you don't want predators most all fish are technically ... I have small fish but they are pretty aggressive with food and smaller creatures.

And no, it's not JUST for breeding. There are fish that live in softwater and fish that live in hardwater. Just like there are fish that live in salt water and fish that live in freshwater....
If you put a school of zebra danios in there right now they may live like 2 months max. Because they would get organ failure and die

I meant "predator tank" as in cichlids, oscars, ect. lol
But I will look into the hard water and weigh some options, thank you.

 

[Colin_T]

Water paramaters:
pH - 7.8
dGH: 13

Here's a list of the fish I would like to add (and the amount I was thinking about adding).
Swordtail fish (4)
Glofish: Longfin Tetra (10)
Glofish: Danios (10)
Rainbowfish (3)
Bristlenose Pleco (3)
Dwarf Gourami (2-5?)
Kuhli Loach (8)

Other possibilities:
Angelfish (1)
African Dwarf frogs (3-4)


Some questions I have:
1) Would any species of shrimp, crabs, or crawfish be able to hang with the above fish?

2) If I add the Danios first while the tank cycles, how many should I add, and how long should I wait before adding more fish?

3) Any recommendations on bigger peaceful fish that would get along well with the list above and be in the same water paramaters?

The GH is about 230ppm, which is fine for livebearers and rainbowfish. It's not good for most tetras or danios that do better in softer water with a GH below 150ppm. If you mix the tap water with reverse osmosis or distilled water, you could have soft water fishes instead of rainbowfish and livebearers.

No frogs in tanks with fish. If you want frogs, get a separate tank for them. If the fish get sick, the frogs will die if you use medication to treat the fish. Frogs do best in a single species tank with no competition and no fish to introduce diseases.
Same deal with things like crabs and freshwater crayfish. These are nocturnal predators and will kill frogs and fish when the lights are off so keep them in their own tank.

Most shrimp can be kept with fish but big fish will eat small shrimp.

Don't get dwarf gouramis (Colisa lalius) or any of their colour forms because they are regularly infected with Fish Tuberculosis (TB) and the gourami Iridovirus. Neither disease can be treated and once the disease is in the tank, it's there until you disinfect everything and start again.

Some rainbowfish can also carry Fish TB so try and get them from a reputable breeder or get eggs and grow them up.

Rainbowfish need to be in groups of at least 6 and 10-12 is better. They need a lot of plant matter in their diet and at least 50% of their diet should be plant based foods.

--------------------
Angelfish, most tetras, barbs, Bettas, gouramis, rasbora, Corydoras and small species of suckermouth catfish all occur in soft water (GH below 150ppm) and a pH below 7.0.

Livebearers (guppies, platies, swordtails, mollies), rainbowfish and goldfish occur in medium hard water with a GH around 200-250ppm and a pH above 7.0.

If you have very hard water (GH above 300ppm) then look at African Rift Lake cichlids, or use distilled or reverse osmosis water to reduce the GH and keep fishes from softer water.

 

[AmyKieran]

I meant "predator tank" as in cichlids, oscars, ect. lol
But I will look into the hard water and weigh some options, thank you.

Cichlids do have aggressive behaviours but in a tank that large, aswell as using the right tools to manage it, they are perfectly fine. I have 47 cichlids in my 50g all going great