Stocking Advice 125 Litre

Exactly my thoughts too. I am already in the process of increasing my remaining groups. The Embers will go from 6 to 12 as soon as the tank has had a couple of weeks to get used to the last increase. When I started (again), I just wanted as many different fish as possible, and I bought the listed minimum numbers, and some of them didn't thrive. The exception to this was neons, where there was a very good deal for 10 babies. I still have those, and they look tremendous.

I too believe that the quoted minimum numbers can often be on the low side.

                                          Skittler

I'm now planning a custom 150 litre tank with base dimensions of 40x90cm with a Fluval u4 filter. 

I've resisted posting for ages to try and avoid the ever changing mind of Matt!!  I seem to be quite set on this now (it's lasted as a plan for a good number of weeks)

I want it to look something like this https://m.youtube.com/#/watch?v=_ALgkZvCtwk

6 otocinclus
6 galaxy rasbora
6 alexrods rasbora
6 rummy nose terra
6 harlequin rasbora (mix of normal and purple)
6 sparkling gourami
6 ram (2 of each; normal,golden,blue)
2 or 4 checkerboard cichlid
Possibly a female betta if it will be compatible... they keep catching my eye 

I'm going to start buying the plants I want for it and eventually the wood and substrate to replace what's in my existing tank so that the move will be easier as I can take the maximum amount of beneficial bacteria over with them (I don't want to be running two tanks at once if I can avoid it).  Filter media from the old filter will be used in the new also to aid this, and stocking this up would be done gradually.

Any thoughts? Don't forget I'm in the small number of lots of species camp 

Lovely range of fish - oh, to have a tank of that size!

Otocinclus - if this is a new tank from what you have already, then definitely worth waiting until the tank is well-and-truly mature (eg at least several months) before introducing them, to ensure there's a good biofilm, etc.

Betta - unsure about its suitability or not in the tank, although it's female, but one of the others will no doubt know better.

It might also be worth checking the profile for sparkling gourami again, given how they are with shrimps, just to be certain that they'd be fine with other fish and especially bettas' fancy fins.

Really looking forward to seeing pics and videos of this tank once complete!

Tank planning and fish research is a very enjoyable part of the process. I'm following this thread with interest, especially as you have very different water from mone, so you are considering a lot of fish that I can't have. 

I don't want to turn you into Littlefish, but couldn't you squeeze in a small tank as well 

@Sue considering the pictures that @ColinB posted previously of furniture that had built in tanks, you could never be such a bad influence as Colin when it comes to squeezing in an extra tank. 

Tank planning and fish research is a very enjoyable part of the process.

Couldn't agree more... how many hours I must have wasted... 

I dread to think how much time I've spent (and still spend) on the community creator.     

I've had Bolivian rams and apistogrammas but only ever one species at a a time in any tank. I've never risked more than one species in a tank. I can't give you any evidence to say don't have more than one species; it's just my instinctive feeling.

You need the opinion of someone who has kept two or three cichlid species together.




I have tried to keep rams (not Bolivians, the other species) without any success. They always died within a couple of months. Rams tend to be picky about their water parameters, although individuals with nothing but commercially bred ancestors for generations will accept a wider range; it's those with fairly recent wild caught ancestors that are much pickier. They prefer soft acid water with low nitrates. And temperatures higher than most of the other fish in your list would like.
Are you totally committed to rams? Can I persuade you to choose another cichlid like Bolivian rams, apistogrammas or even Nannacaras or Laetacaras? (You'll find Laetacara Curviceps in the profiles on here as the flag cichlid, however these fish are like hen's teeth; I know someone who has been to every shop in Yorkshire and failed to find any).

I'll get googling about multi species tanks - they live together in the wild so fingers crossed 

The only caveat to that is that, in the wild, it's easier to escape if unhappy with the neighbours, while this is a bit more difficult in the confines of a tank. Having said that, you could always move them to another of your tanks if they weren't getting on.

Wow, I've just looked back at this thread and can see it started in March!... Good news is that I've got the go ahead (though not immediately) for a 200l tank and so, yet again, and following more research, my stocking ideas have subtly changed and I've firmed up my thoughts on equipment too:

8 otocinclus
8 galaxy rasbora
8 cardinal tetra
8 rummy nose terta
8 harlequin rasbora (mix of normal and purple)
8 sparkling/licorice gourami
4 german blue ram
4 checkerboard cichlid
8 pygmy cory (I've decided to give these a go, especially now I can get a larger shoal)

I'd like my tank to look something like this: https://m.youtube.com/#/watch?v=SVJWKpyaCyM though a low tech version eg. without carpeting plants.

I'm going to use a fluval U4 internal filter as these get very good reviews which I will hide behind the wood.

For lighting Ill probably use 2 of Hidom's CL-6B lights but like @Sue I'd be interested to hear people's thoughts on these if anyone has experienced with Hidom products (though again they get good reviews).  There will be an acrylic top (with air gap) on the aquarium so you can see in but to keep the heat in.

As for the substrate, I'm thinking of using https://www.amazon.co.uk/CLASSICA-NATURAL-AQUARIUM-CICHLID-SUBSTRATE/dp/B018ICFQGO/ref=sr_1_22?ie=UTF8&qid=1471686988&sr=8-22&keywords=1mm+sand with some root tabs in planted areas.

Any thoughts?

 

I can't seem to get the YouTube clip to work - it looks just like adverts for clips on a whole range of issues.

Link works for me but search for Aqueous Reflection by Glass Canvas Aquascape