Just aquired a tank upgrade!!

[Abs 1]

Hi all, really looking forward to getting lots of fishy advice on here. Fairly new to keeping fish but did have some experience lots of years ago. I've just picked up today a juwel 180 rio second hand. I'm upgrading from a 40 ltr tank.
I currently have 3 plattys (2 female, 1 male, was hoping they were all female!) 6 harlaquins and 6 neon tetras. I'm finding it all a bit of a mine field with so many of everything on the market. I am wanting to stick to a community tank and adding corrydoras and a shoal of neon rainbows along with upping my harlaquins, and maybe a different tetra? Not too taken with the neons and a bristlenose. Any idea on how many of each I could have in a 180ltr or any other suggestions welcome!

 

[Colin_T]

What are the tank dimensions (length x width x height)?

What is the GH (general hardness), KH (carbonate hardness) and pH of your water supply?
This information can usually be obtained from your water supply company's website or by telephoning them. If they can't help you, take a glass full of tap water to the local pet shop and get them to test it for you. Write the results down (in numbers) when they do the tests. And ask them what the results are in (eg: ppm, dGH, or something else).

Depending on what the GH of your water is, will determine what fish you should keep.

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.

 

[Abs 1]

101cm x 50cm x 41cm.

We live in west Cornwall and i know we generally have soft water. I've just brought a full liquid test kit so I can do a fish less cycle and test the water for pH etc. I've always managed to keep plattys happily though as think alot are bred in the area.
Was originally thinking of getting angelfish but unsure about keeping them with my already smaller fish! The neons can go to a friend but I love the harlaquins, they are so active and stay in a lovely shoaling formation. The tank will be well planted with lots of hiding spaces so would the harlaquins be fast enough to get away from the angels when they get bigger? I know I kept angels in a big mixed community tank before with success. Female betas I looked at but their short life span puts me off! The other option would be exchange all small fish for bigger fish but I really wanted the corrydoras, the only thing that might make me change my mind on them are the pictus catfish as I used to have them and loved them. I think I prefer a peaceful tank though hence why was thinking the neon rainbows! There are just too many decisions!

 

[Naughts]

Hello and welcome
It will help if you get a number for your water softness/ hardness. Like Colin said you can find it on your water company's website. If you can't see hardness values post the link here for us to check if it's there. Units should be ppm or German Degrees.
I have the same tank. It has praecox rainbows and the biggest male is the most lairy fish in the community!
If you let us know the hardness we can work out a plan for stocking numbers and species,

 

[Abs 1]

Just checked on the website and 4 Germany degrees and moderatly soft.

 

[Naughts]

Ok great. 4degrees hardness translates to 72 ppm.
Have you experience of cycling a tank?

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 might suggest 15 corydoras, 15 harlequins. Also consider pencil fish

Search Results nannostomus — Seriously Fish

www.seriouslyfish.com

or small hatchet fish

Gasteropelecus levis – Silver Hatchetfish (Pterodiscus levis) — Seriously Fish

www.seriouslyfish.com

as they stay near the surface.

The neons and bristlenose will be fine in this tank.
I would recommend the platies stay in the 40 litre with substrate or mineral salts to raise the GH.

Praecox Rainbows need harder water but are unsuitable for the smaller tank. Angels need a bigger tank than the 180l.

 

[Abs 1]

Thank you for your help.

 

[Abs 1]

What about female betas?

 

[Essjay]

Female bettas have a reputation for going seriously wrong. There should be at least 4 of them, and they are usually kept in a tank by themselves. They may not be quite as aggressive as males, but they are still fighting fish; if one decides she doesn't like another, there will be a blood bath.

I'd give them a miss and go with something a bit less aggressive.

 

[Abs 1]

OK thanks.

 

[Abs 1]

Last try!! Gourami?

 

[Essjay]

Honey gouramis or pearl gouramis.
Avoid dwarfs as they often arrive at the shop with incurable diseases. Blue/gold/opaline are all varieties of three spot gouramis and they can be quite aggressive, even females. Honeys and pearls are less aggressive.

But if you did get gouramis I would have them as the only upper level fish.

 

[Abs 1]

Thank you so much for your advice, 1 last question, I need to get a filter for my tank, being that the fish I'm looking at getting need a slow flow filter and I have a 180ltr tank is there 1 you recommend. I'm more at ease with an internal with the flooring my tank is on.

 

[Essjay]

I have Eheim Biopowers in my 180 litre. I actually have 2 of the smallest size, but one of the largest size is perfect for a 180. (There is a reason why I have two - the pump on the large one finally stopped working; I had a small one in the cupboard so I used the pump from that, bought another small one and split the media)
Fluval U series also have a good reputation.

 

[Abs 1]

Thanks