Stocking New 50 Gallon Tank

mozcheez

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I've a 10 gallon tank I've maintained at work for 3-4 years now. I've finally purchased a much larger tank for home. This is my first time stocking such a large tank and I plan on purchasing some species that are new to me, and so I was hoping for some tips/advice.

The tank is just over 50 gallons (freshwater, of course). Dimensions are 48.25"L x 12.75"W x 20"H. I'm using a Penguin 350 GPH HOB filter and Eheim Jager 150W heater. Standard flourescent hood lights. Substrate is aquarium gravel. I will likely switch to sand in the future, but that is a couple years off. For now, I have fake plants/decorations. One thing at a time :)

The tank is currently fishless cycling, and I'm sensing I'm nearing the end of the cycle. How depressing it is to test the nitrites each day and see the API NO2 test tube turn purple. Come on blue!!!! Anyway, I'm really looking forward to stocking.

So, I've been doing my research, checking out threads, and comparing fish compatibility and recommended water parameters. I'm trying to choose from the following, but am definitely open to suggestions.

I'm 100% certain I will have at least 6 cories (probably peppered) because I am in love with these guys. Also, I'll be having 3-5 dalmation mollies, but they will be introduced months from now. I've been keeing them at work and now have 2 adults + 5 fry. Once the fry are old enough to be sexed, I plan to separate the genders - 1 group at work, 1 group at home. I really enjoy raising fry, but I really want to keep my molly population limited. Plus, I'm not 100% sure they're as peaceful as some of my other selections below....

So, here's what I hope to choose from:

Bottom to mid strata suggestions
6+ cories (I will probably buy more later, depending on how the loaches work out, if I purchase them. Or should I just invest in more cories now?)
3-4 clown or kuhli loaches - not decided on this yet. I noticed that clown loaches are pretty expensive, but that won't deter me if they are the best option. I'm concerned about the kuhli's since I don't have sand substrate. From what I've read, either of these will get along with cories? I'm aware I will probably need more hiding spots if I choose kuhli's.

Mid strata suggestions
10+ neon tetras
10+ pearl danios
10+ tiger barbs

Mid to top suggestions
(remember I'll probably have 3-5 dalmation mollies down the road)
1 pair of dwarf gourami
6+ harlequin rasbora
6+ marbled hatchetfish (if I can find them locally - my hoods are full and only cut out to make room for heater cord and HOB filter)

Also I was looking at African Dwarf Frogs, but I currently don't have an opinion one way or the other on them.

Remember, I do not plan to stock my tank with all of these! I know that's way too much! They are only what I plan to choose from. I'm attaching a picture of my current setup in case it is helpful. Please let me know what you think, or if you have any other suggestions. I love active fish. I'll be visiting the LFS tonight to take a look at their inventory to see if I have more (or less) options.

Thanks for your time, everyone :) It's almost Friday!

photo 2.JPG
 
Welcome to the forum! :) You could easily have 10 Corys instead of 6 if you want. I am planning on 10 in my 46g. Every time I up the number of cories in my tank, they get so much more active. Kuhlis will work with Cories, but you may want to wait until you have sand. They will be so much happier! Clown loaches need LARGE tanks and big numbers. There are smaller loaches if you like them...yo-yo loaches are cute, but schooling fish are best 6+

I love the look of Tiger barbs, but you may want to stir clear of them for this tank. They are aggressive and nippy. I decided not to get them either until I can have a species tank for them. I don't know anything about frogs.

The other schooling fish could work, just pick the ones you like best :)
 
stick to bigger numbers of less types of fish. id have probably 2 decent sized shoals, group of cories, a couple of nice plecs, and some angels i think, not a gourami fan. my personal choice would be:

15+ beunos aires tetra
15-20 cherry barbs
10+ 3 lined cory's, or a rarer species.
3 hopolo cats
pair of black angels, or maybe a black and a platinum.
2 proper nice plecs, green phantom, flash plec, queen arabesque, too many to choose from.

with sand, lots of wood and 2 or 3 types of plant only, keeping it simple but full.
 
I love the look of Tiger barbs, but you may want to stir clear of them for this tank. They are aggressive and nippy. I decided not to get them either until I can have a species tank for them.

Thanks for that tip. I'll steer clear of them for now.

stick to bigger numbers of less types of fish.....

with sand, lots of wood and 2 or 3 types of plant only, keeping it simple but full.

Thanks for tips. I won't be converting to sand for quite some time and am hoping not to have to change the tank layout too much (unless I need to accommodate a shy species or something similar).

So I'll probably be sticking with tetras and/or danios for mid-strata shoaling. Would 10-12 of each be too much with, let's say, 10 cories? I'll still have those mollies eventually, too :\ Then possibly a pair of gourami's or some rasboras for the top? I'm worried I'll get carried away and overstock.
 
Here's my stocking as an example

10 corys
15 von rio tetra
3 platy
1 clown pleco (huge bioload so I count him as a few fish)
5- apistogramma

And I feel like my tank has a little room for some kind of individual mid-top dweller. You could have the harlequins in place of my plec and apistos...mollys instead of my platys...and your tank is bigger....

Your plan is def. going to work.
 
Thanks again. I found some gorgeous powdered blue dwarf gouramis in my LFS tonight being harassed by a 7" goldfish. I feel compelled to save at least 2 of them, so I might adopt when the tank is ready. I'd like at least 2 fish with a little bit of size, so that would do it just fine.
 

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