Juwel 180l tank stocking suggestions

[Armycarlos]

Hello, I am thinking of getting a 48gallon /180 juwel fish tank dimensions 101cm x 41cm x 50 CM (based on cost and space), I know this will take a long time to cycle the water correctly, and I am hoping to plant it with live plants and driftwood,etc. I know this may take a month or so to get the water right before stocking, So any advice would be great. I haven't got my tap water ph or any details on that yet but will shortly.

The fish I really would like are as follows: 8-10 cardinal tetras( or neon tetras plus 3/4).top/middle tank
6 panda corries.bottom tank

After another few weeks I would like
1 male dwarf gourami centerpiece (2 female if possible)

Sorry for so many questions but they are as follows:

1. Would the above be over stocking? If not would another type of schooling fish be good? Maybe rummynose or some other tetras?

2. What easy to maintain plants would best suit the tank and the above fish?

3. Any other stocking suggestions?

 

[fluttermoth]

Welcome to the forum

I'm afraid we really need to know the pH and hardness of your water before we can recommend any fish species; it is vital to the fish's long term health that they have the 'right' water.

For instance, all your current fish are soft water; if your water turns out to be hard, then you'll probably have to completely rethink!

Plants are also dependent, although less so than fish, on hardness; and it'll depend on what you want to stock too, as some fish don't come from areas with plants and tend to rip them apart.

I'm so sorry I'm sounding so unhelpful right now, but you can find out the details of your water on your supplier's website (do take notice the actual numbers, and what scale they're using, is it can vary), and it really will be very useful to know; both for stocking and cycling before you get fish (we have some very good guides and tips on cycling in the 'cycling your Tank' sub-forum too )

 

[Jeremy180]

Agree completely with fluttermoth, despite what many pet stores claim, changing your ph to suit your fish is FAR more difficult than just getting fish that suit your water.

 

[Armycarlos]

No not at all thank you so much for responding, after checking the local water area tests for the last month it says the pH level has varied from 7.9 to 8.3.

 

[Armycarlos]

Sorry correction my closer areas latest pH level is 7, I will get a proper testing kit obviously before doing anything

 

[Jeremy180]

Pandas are one of the most commonly farmed cories, tolerating higher ph than most others, but 8.3 sounds a bit high for even them

 

[Armycarlos]

Pandas are one of the most commonly farmed cories, tolerating higher ph than most others, but 8.3 sounds a bit high for even them

Sorry I was wrong with the original pH the area I am in is pH 7 and the water is soft.

 

[Jeremy180]

Oh, okay, good. Pandas are a bit smaller than the average cory, too (although nothing like pygmy cory), which should help with the bioload, as well.

 

[Armycarlos]

Great stuff, so maby 4/5 panda Cory's would be ok? As I think they are better in small groups , is that OK for 180 juwel tank?

 

[Jeremy180]

Neon can be a good choice for soft water, but are very sensitive to ammonia and nitrite, more so than other fish, I would suggest waiting on adding them until after the tank has been fully cycled for a couple of months with no spikes of either. EDIT: I would definitely recommend minimum of 6, too small a number and they can be nervous and shy. (they often school in the hundreds in the wild) the same for both neons and cories

 

[Armycarlos]

Perfect will do, would you recommend any specific water testing kits? Do you think that after a few months and if there are no ammonia or nitrate spikes adding the Cory's and neon or cardinals waiting another month if there is no issues that the dwarf gouramis 1 male and two females would be OK?

I know it's waayyy in the future but would be nice to look forward to a community of fish while not overreacting the tank

 

[Jeremy180]

API has a master freshwater test kit that is the best value for one that actually works properly.
EDIT: sounds like a good idea.
Take care when selecting neons or dwarf gourami, they can sometimes have a viral disease, neon tetra disease and Dwarf gourami indrovirus, respectively.
These are often fatal.
I would be especially careful that every fish in the display tank was healthy when selecting them.

 

[Armycarlos]

Great advice thank you so much. I will look into getting one at the end of this week.

 

[Armycarlos]

By healthy do you mean swimming ok and no unusual marks or deformations? Anything else I should look at, I know some stores are not supposed to be great for advice as they are just trying to make a sale

 

[Jeremy180]

Ok, good luck!