New Tank - Stocking Suggestions?

[Dylan_89]

Well, I've finally constructed my custom tank- 600x600x600 cube tank, great centrepiece in the room (once it's fully scaped and full of my lovely's i'll take some killer pics and a vid)

I've got a 3" BGK that will be moving into the tank for sure, along with 3 clown loaches (currently have 2, getting a 3rd soon)

I've got a list of fish i would LOVE to have, but I'm curious to know what YOU guys/gals would add to this tank to make it beautiful (keep in mind the BGK and clowns and there to stay, so compatible fish only!)

Fish I've thought about:
- Pleco/s
- Peacock/s
- Angelfish
- Butterfly Fish
- Gourami
- Tandanus Catfish
- Discus (This is of course a stretch, I don't know much about the requirements for discus, but my friend breeds them and is always looking for temp tanks [2 years] until he finds a buyer for the fish)

Pics accompanying your suggestions would be FANTASTIC!

 

[ddgbumblebee]

Hi,
I like the sound of your ideas but all my recommendations rely on that you don't overstock and school schooling species etc. and make sure the tank isn't overstocked with all of your fish. I'm giving you what I beleive is compatible with the fish you already have (other people may have different opinions).
-Plecs, yes
-Peacocks (I'm assuming you mean the cichlid from Lake Malawi) Definately not. The BGK and also the Clown Loaches, to a degree, enjoy a slightly acidic Ph. Lake Malawi cichlids require a much more alkaline pH and would be unsuitable.
(If you are talking about another variety of fish and I am mistaken then please say so!)
-Angelfish, yes
-Butterfly fish, yes (the surface dwellers- that look really cool)
-Gourami, yes
-Tandanus Catfish- (I have only ever seen these kept in coldwater so I cannot recommend you on these. Also I have never kept them and so am not aware to their requirements. Someone else should advise you on this.)
-Discus, yes (but, and with a very big BUT, I think that discus are far more successful on their own in a larger school. They are certainly not the easiest of fish to keep and not the cheepist to purcahse either. I would recommend setting up your tank with the above species that I have recommended and then possibly in the future embarking on discus. It's just that I would hate to see you spend money and then have a huge panic attack when some or all die due to a tiny little detail that you missed. I'm not under-estimating your ability in any way, shape or form I would just hate for you to be disappointed.)
Overall, a lot of these fish are compatible and should get along very well once you have organised group sizes etc. Good luck with this new aquarium!
Dylan

 

[Dylan_89]

Thanks for the response

I have no knowledge on the Peacock's, I would not have gotten them after doing research (which is a must before stocking any tank)
Any other form of cichlid that somebody can suggest??

Like I said, it was a very long stretch for me to choose discus, it was just kind of a "is this possible" suggestion so that I can broaden my knowledge a little more.

Tandanus Catfish are a species that can live in cold and warm water (from my experience & knowledge), but again these were not a main preference of mine, I just think they're beautiful fish.

I will obviously research each of the possible candidates before getting ANY of them - but a few quick queries:
- My knowledge on Gourami is very limited, as I have never kept them. How large will a gourami grow, are there any special things I need to know about them & what species is the "best" ("best" in this case I'm looking for a colourful, not too large, non-aggressive species).
- Butterfly Fish: I've seen quite a few at the LFS, I have no clue as to proper care for them, but they are such an eye-catcher I can't help but be intrigued!
- Plecos: I've kept a variety of these in the past, what do you recommend as the "best" (see gourami spec for "best" ) for a tank this size.

After I establish this I can worry about how many of each I will be getting (if any)

Cheers,
Dylan (co-incidence much?)

 

[Dylan_89]

Also, what do you guys think about sharks?

I'd love to keep shrimp in the tank, but they'd get eaten within a few hours

 

[OldMan47]

Sharks deserve their name, in my book. If I have sensitive fish or other things that cannot hold their own in an African cichlid tank, I avoid any of the shark fish including red tailed sharks.

 

[Dylan_89]

Righto, looks like the following:

To accompany my BGK & Clown loaches

- Angelfish x2
- Gourami (not sure on dwarf or not yet, or on numbers)
- Pleco (probably just the one to start)
- Butterfly fish (again unsure)


Let me know if anybody has any other suggestions

 

[markandhisfish]

sounds good apart from the bgkf and clown loaches , both of which will want a 5 or 6 foot tank. altho admitedly it takes clowns a looong time to get to that sort of size . in a 2ft cube if youre thinking discus , then realisticly youre looking at a proven breeding pair , which is very expensive .

 

[Dylan_89]

sounds good apart from the bgkf and clown loaches , both of which will want a 5 or 6 foot tank. altho admitedly it takes clowns a looong time to get to that sort of size . in a 2ft cube if youre thinking discus , then realisticly youre looking at a proven breeding pair , which is very expensive .

this is really just a temporary home for both the BGK and the clowns - I know how big they get, but do not have the room for a 5-6ft tank in my house currently. BGK's and Clowns take years to grow up to full size, so I'm thinking that as a temporary home, this will be more than enough

I've pretty much ruled out discus, it was more of a shot for information than a serious suggestion

Thanks for the reply!