Trying To Figure Out The Stocking For A 70 Gallon Tank

[pumpkinnose]

Sorry for the "be4" not everything would fit.

A little history on me. I always had a 10 gallon aquarium with goldfish in it, so this is my first try at tropical fish. My parents never taught me to do a cycle before we placed fish in it, so that is something totally new to me but I think I'm getting the handle on it although I'm sure I still make a few mistakes here or there. Such as not cyling when our last goldfish died and immediately adding 6 platies to a clean tank. I've only lost 2 fish since we bought them.

Anyways my family has plans to move in a year and I want to upgrade my existing fish to a bigger aquarium. I'm looking at going ahead and getting a 70 gallon once we get settled, since that will make the pleco happier then the 10 it is in now. Anyways I'm trying to look at fish for my family to add to the ones we have. I would like to have a plan so we can go into the pet store and get what we want instead of debating when we get there and get things we don't want or won't work.

Right now we are setting at:
3 sunburst red platies (1 m, 2 f)
3 Panda Platies (1 m, 2 f)
1 pleco

When I get the 70, I will probably be doing a fishless cycle so everyone will still be stuck in the 10 until that is fully done.

Then I want to add:
3 more platies (blue variation, bumble, or white mickey mouse)1 m, 2 f.
5 marbled hatchet fish
2-3 honey gourmi or 2-3 dwarf gourami

I am not actually sure on the dwarf gourmi since I read last night on another site that they carry a virus and I don't want to risk the other fish getting it.

I've looked online and all of them can be put at the same temp, PH, and hardness. And I have the 101 Best Fishes by Kathleen Woods but it doesn't give that info in it or all the assorted kinds of fish you can get.

My question is will all of these be able to live peacefully in an aquarium or have I set myself up for a disaster. If they can live peacefully, I still have around 16.8 gallons left to play with if I do get the 3 gourami since right now I have the total added with 3 honey gourami, and the dwarf are larger.

Are there any suggestions on what else I can add or suggestions on what to take out and replace with? And I will say this list isn't fully set in stone yet except for the first set of fish. So anything put up for consideration will be looked at and discussed with my family.

Thanks

 

[SamLovesCorys]

Those fish will all coexist happily I think, and in a 70 gallon you could have a lot more as well. How about a couple of shoals of some kind of Tetra or Rasbora, and maybe a shoal of one of the Corydoras Catfish species.

However, i'm guessing the pleco you're talking about is the Trinidad or in other words Common pleco listed in your signature, in which case you need to find a new home for it soon, as it will rapidly grow to about twice the length of your 10 gal tank! Even in a 70 gallon it will be a squeeze, and they produce a lot of waste. I would consider returning it to the store.

Regarding Dwarf Gouramis, they are pretty weak and prone to disease, and also can be very aggressive, so honeys might be a better choice.

 

[pumpkinnose]

I don't think the pleco is going to outgrow anything to soon. I've had him 3 years and he don't even touch the width of the tank yet. I know he's shrunk due to the tank but I'm really hoping he'll make it at least 1 more year. If you look at Butterfly and Poe's pregnancy journal in Livebearers you'll see a picture of him there somewhere. I'm not worry about the waste as of now I vacuum the tank about twice a week. I know major waste of water but it gets used on the outside plants.

 

[SamLovesCorys]

I don't think the pleco is going to outgrow anything to soon. I've had him 3 years and he don't even touch the width of the tank yet. I know he's shrunk due to the tank but I'm really hoping he'll make it at least 1 more year. If you look at Butterfly and Poe's pregnancy journal in Livebearers you'll see a picture of him there somewhere. I'm not worry about the waste as of now I vacuum the tank about twice a week. I know major waste of water but it gets used on the outside plants.

I personally think that if he's even close, it's a pretty cruel way to keep a fish. He can't have much space to move. I don't think your really in a position to wait another year, as by the sound of it, his growth is already becoming stunted, which can be very harmful to the fishes health. Sorry to be the bringer of bad news, but I think for the fishes sake you need to take him back.

Sam

 

[N0body Of The Goat]

The minimum dimensions considered reasonable for a fish in captivity are a length 4x the total length of the fish (including tail), width 2x the total length of the fish, depth 2x the the fish's total length. Active fish need considerably larger minimum requirements.

My biggest fish is my ~25cm TL Synodontis notata, he(? no ballooned out belly like females are supposed to have) is in theory close to fully grown, I've only had him(?) since about late Feb/ early March. He lives in my mainly African themed 150x60x60cm garage tank, it should just about satisfy those minimum requirements for life, giving him the width and depth to change direction without much discomfort. If at some point in the future I can source an affordable tank that has 90cm front to back, I would love to give him an upgrade...