Stocking A Community Tank...?

[Gun]

Hi guys

Guys, when I stock my 48"x18"x18" community tank (sand substrate), I would like to have fish that swim at different levels. Could you help me out in identifying some fish I can do some research on...?

I have some fish in mind, up for any ideas though

Maybe..

Neon Tetra x 10-20 (not sure if 20 is to many?) I think these swim mainly in the middle area?

Khuli Loach x ? (turn the sand)

Dwarf Frogs x? (any type that wont eat my fish)

Catfish x? (Maybe this could be the 'eyecatcher')

Corys x?


Mmmm..don't think I've leveled those fish out very well, lol!

I think some sort of largish fish...or maybe a pair of fish (larger than the rest) would look great as the main fish. Then fish that swim at different levels..with some 'litte fellas' helping me out on the bottom..with maintaining the sand.

What do you think guys...any ideas would be great

 

[fishyness0809]

Hmmm...maybe a trio of dwarf gouramis (1 male, 2 female) or a pair if you have enough plant cover, hiding places, etc.

 

[minxfishy]

20 neons sounds good, although not too hardy these days, maybe cardinals would be better, once the tank has matured a little.

With the kuhlis, cory and catish you could be over loading the bottom a bit, maybe 4 kuhli's and 6 corydoras - personal fave albino's, great little fish, with bags of personality, that dont just sit on the bottom, in fact they race like loonies all over the tank

Centre piece fish? Personally wouldnt go for Dwarf gourami's, susceptible to disease (I know from personal experiece) maybe some pearl gourami's would be good, 1m to 2f ratio.

Then maybe some tetras, or barbs, cherries are pretty and need to be in 6+ group or some tiger barbs (gold, tiger and green) in groups of 8+ they leave most other fish alone and are also very active for the middle/top section of the tank.

Edit: Oops forgot the frogs, if you want, African Dwarf frogs are good (so I hear) and dont bother the fish, just make sure you dont get the clawed variety!

2nd edit LOL: Have you considered some rainbow fish, Bosemani are beautiful fish, very active, group of 6 would be good in that size tank. Or Lake Katubu rainbows, again group of 6.

I shall stop editing now

 

[Gun]

Hmm some very nice ideas in there, minxfishy

"with bags of personality, that dont just sit on the bottom, in fact they race like loonies all over the tank" That's very nice to hear..exactly what I'm looking for..lots of activity

So much choice...

I think for sure the Khuli's and Cory's will be there.and definitely the frogs if I can find them Then it's a matter of middle/upper areas. Tiger Barbs sound great, I've kept them before and they're a nice looking fish..would they be ok with neons/cardinals or emperors, minxfishy? Gouramis sound good aswell...you can get some pretty good colours in these fish...can't you? Maybe a type of danio for the upper area? Rainbows also could be a possibility

Maybe I put a list together with numbers, then you guys can tear it apart, lol! (Knowing me, there's bound to be to many or something)


fishyness0809, thanks also for the advice about the dwarfs...minxfishy experiencing disease with them don't sound good though

 

[minxfishy]

Dwarf gourami's are nice but there is a disease they are prone to, idiovirus I think, not what killed mine I hassen to add, but they are not particularly hardy.

I see no issues with the tiger barbs and cardinals or emperors, although I did mysteriously lose some neons when they were in with the tigers, but I cant be sure it was the tigers But with a large enough number of them, they are not as nippy as people seem to think, with a mix of the varieties of gold, green etc, they look great.

Yep make list, numbers and we shall be sure to 'advise ' you more.

 

[Gun]

Few more questions about the barbs, minxfishy.

Would the tiger, green and gold barbs swim together?

Are they ok with plants?

I should really go find this out myself

EDIT: Ok, ignore the first question, reading your post again...you've basicaly already told me they can, lol!

 

[PlatinumAngel]

Becareful with dwarf frogs in that deep a tank. They may struggle to get to the top for air. Mine thrive in a 10 gallon tank but died very shortly after I put one in a tank 18 inches deep

 

[minxfishy]

Yep all colour strains of tigers will shoal and fight together LOL - dont worry the fighting is mostly bluff and just for pecking order, but fun to watch them go round and round nose to nose.

They will leave the plants alone to my knowledge, when I had plants, it wasnt the tigers that bothered them.

 

[Gun]

Lol!

Minxfishy, your tank looks really great BTW

Do you have any larger pics? (Maybe I should go check members tanks section, doh!)

It's good to hear that the barbs should be ok with the plants...and the fact they have a bit of a scuffle now and then, more activity is more than welcome


PlatinumAngel : If they were rocks..say 1/3 height of aquarium. Would the frogs not use these to give them a head start to the top...?

 

[minxfishy]

Thanks Gun, just for you and anybody else thats remotely interested, here are my tanks (not posted anywhere else on this site!) - not exactly pieces of art but they do me:

Fluval 55 gallon:

Aqua One 50 gallon - still cycling and a good example of why you should boil and boil and then boil some more your bogwood or you get this beautiful tea stain look

The DP tank 15g(well it will be once its finished quarantining 3 blue acaras):

The Betta 10g tank:

Sorry for the poor pics, cameras are not my expertise.


You will notice the recurrent theme of silk/fake plants LOL and lots of pilfered rocks from the brook

 

[Gun]

Wow..nice tanks, minxfishy

Your 55g looks great..what backgrounds are you using in the first 2 tanks?

Loving the coconuts aswell

 

[minxfishy]

The rock backgrounds are a Juwel double sided background, one side is rocks (doh!) and the other is a light blue with plants on - I just wanted the rocks.

 

[PlatinumAngel]

I dunno if that would help them or not. (The frogs) I'm not an expert by any means, just know my experience with them. Mine mostly hide under things, not atop them.

 

[Gun]

Lol minxfishy..your backgrounds look 3d

Yeah,thanks for that PlatinumAngel

I'm going to try and find some more info about them (ideal depth of water,behaviour, etc). I think they would look great in a planted tank...and I love the way they swim

Edit: Oh and I just got out of work 3hrs early, so I have plenty of time to do some research on fishies...not that any of you needed to know that, lol!