New Tank, Trying To Decide On Substrate And Stocking.

[azzaknight]

that stocing sounds fine to me. i dont think you would get any problems. i would go with the loaches instead of the bristlenose.

 

[meguro]

I'd suggest to stock with 1x betta splendens solo.

What temperature were you planning on setting the tank to? Neons and corys prefer cooler temps ~24C, while blue rams, zebra danios and kuhlis prefer warmer ~28C. I'd suggest a temp. of around 25.5-26C if you were still going with the stock you listed. Don't buy angels if you get the neons.

Oh, and if you want your heater to have a longer life, tilt it to ~45 degrees. Something to do with the heat in the bottom coils traveling vertically straight up into already hot coils above and stressing the load.

You could use some top swimmers too.

 

[Cheery-up Bear]

Hiya. Thanks for the replies and the tip for the heater.

Builder was a no-show. However, I'm not giving up and will try someone else next week (when half term is over with!)

I was going to ask about temperature but was thinking around the 26 degree mark.

I've had a good mooch around a fish shop today and I really like the black tetras (that look like neons but a bit bigger with a black stripe.) Saw some rams and am totally in love with them! I could definitely go for a betta splendens. Would that rule out the angels?

Any tips for good top swimmers to go with that lot? Platties?

I know it sounds silly (and a bit dim) but I can't get my head round the stocking rules. If I had:


8 pygmy corrys
8 zebra danios (Could live without these if I go for the black tetras instead of neons.)
4 kuhli loaches
10 black neon tetras
2 German blue rams

is it easy to work out how much more room I'd have for angels/betta/guppies/'top swimmers or am I already over my limit?

 

[azzaknight]

i wouldnt add anything too that list and i would give a week or 2 between each adding off fish.

 

[Cheery-up Bear]

Thanks. Yes, I'm intending to spend a few months stocking it (for financial reasons as much as fish welfare.)
So that takes me to my tank limit then?

 

[youngfisher]

Remember that the khulis like to dig and hide.

 

[Cheery-up Bear]

That's part of their charm for me. I might get to see them playing when the lights are out too as the tank will be in my bedroom.

 

[Cheery-up Bear]

Quick update. New builder hopefully coming tomorrow. He's working on the house next door and thinks it will be okay. Bought a small 'complete setup' today to use as a quarentine/breeding tank. I'll start that one off first and the guy at the fish shop offered some filter media to start me off.

If I have the stuff from another tank, can I use flake food to cycle it or do I need to buy ammonia?

My son really wants angels. May have to rethink...

This is just too exciting.