Author Topic: Stocking ideas (Read 12379 times) 98 replies

barneyadi · « **on:** January 31, 2020, 07:31:38 PM »

So as you know I now have 3 tanks. Tank one (125l) currently has 12 harlequins in it, Tank two (125l) has a few neons in it and tank 3 (200l) is new.

The plan is to move the neons into tank 1 and increase their number and probably add some Zebra Danios.

I have been doing some reading on Guppies, Platys, Swordtails and Sailfin Mollies. I understand that Platys and Swordtails shouldn't be kept in same tank due to possible cross breeding, and Sailfin Mollies and Guppies shouldn't be kept together. So with this in mind would this work?

Tank 2 (125) put in Guppies and Swordtails

Tank 3 (200) put in Sailfin Mollies and Platys.

Can always swap the platys and swordtails around. Are there any other fish that would be happy in tank 2 or 3?

And what is best substrate for tank 2 and 3?

Thanks

Sue · « **Reply #1 on:** January 31, 2020, 07:45:53 PM »

You have soft water don't you? In that case the best substrate, if you can source any, is dolomite gravel or sand. Dolomite is calcium magnesium carbonate which will increase GH, KH and pH, which is what livebearers need. If you can't find that, look for a substrate made for Rift Lake cichlid tanks.

barneyadi · « **Reply #2 on:** January 31, 2020, 07:48:39 PM »

Quote from: Sue on January 31, 2020, 07:45:53 PM

You have soft water don't you? In that case the best substrate, if you can source any, is dolomite gravel or sand. Dolomite is calcium magnesium carbonate which will increase GH, KH and pH, which is what livebearers need. If you can't find that, look for a substrate made for Rift Lake cichlid tanks.

Am going to add aquarium salts to both tanks, will that make a difference to substrate?

Matt · « **Reply #3 on:** January 31, 2020, 08:14:57 PM »

Not sur ehow much you wanted other suggestion here but a couple of things that jumped out to me for a tank of about your size...

You have chose all midwater swimmers so look into something like Corydoras or Bolivian Rams for bottom dwellers, or maybe pencilfish for surface water dwellers.

Tiger barbs are also a fish that’s jumping out at me for some reason which you may wish to consider.

That said I think your plans look fine!

barneyadi · « **Reply #4 on:** January 31, 2020, 08:23:54 PM »

Quote from: Matt on January 31, 2020, 08:14:57 PM

Not sur ehow much you wanted other suggestion here but a couple of things that jumped out to me for a tank of about your size...

You have chose all midwater swimmers so look into something like Corydoras or Bolivian Rams for bottom dwellers, or maybe pencilfish for surface water dwellers.

Tiger barbs are also a fish that’s jumping out at me for some reason which you may wish to consider.

That said I think your plans look fine!

Would the Corydoras, Rams and Pencilfish be happy in the harder water? Tiger barbs im not keen on as they can be aggressive. Would Rosy Barbs be an option?

Sue · « **Reply #5 on:** January 31, 2020, 08:54:56 PM »

No those fish need soft water.

Quote

Am going to add aquarium salts to both tanks, will that make a difference to substrate?

When you say "aquarium salts", what exactly do you mean?

barneyadi · « **Reply #6 on:** January 31, 2020, 08:59:50 PM »

Quote from: Sue on January 31, 2020, 08:54:56 PM

No those fish need soft water.

Quote
Am going to add aquarium salts to both tanks, will that make a difference to substrate?
When you say "aquarium salts", what exactly do you mean?

Hi Sue

This is stuff I am going to add.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/JBL-2490200-Aquadur/dp/B009JGLTSI/ref=asc_df_B009JGLTSI/?tag=bingshoppinga-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=&hvpos=&hvnetw=o&hvrand=&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=e&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=&hvtargid=pla-4584413736665222&psc=1

Sue · « **Reply #7 on:** January 31, 2020, 09:05:45 PM »

That's fine. When I read aquarium salts I wanted to make sure you didn't mean the stuff sold as just 'aquarium salt'

Using a Rift Lake substrate won't do any harm, it is just a belt and braces approach.

Re other fish for tank 1, I would leave out the danios and look at one of the fish Matt suggested. Danios are fast swimming fish which would stress the sedate swimming neons and harlequins just be their swimming behaviour. Matt's suggestions are all sedate fish.

Matt · « **Reply #8 on:** February 01, 2020, 01:06:17 AM »

You can look at the water hardness ranges of all these fish and more on the seriouslyfish website. I doubt they are compatible with the livebearers as well. I was thinking you might want to have 1 livebearer tank and 1 other tank??

Littlefish · « **Reply #9 on:** February 01, 2020, 05:35:02 AM »

Quote from: barneyadi on January 31, 2020, 08:23:54 PM

Tiger barbs im not keen on as they can be aggressive. Would Rosy Barbs be an option?

As much as I enjoy my tiger barbs, they are very lively & inquisitive (definite finger nibblers when hands are in the water) , I've only ever kept them in a species only tank, and would be very reluctant to mix them with any other fish because of the reason you mention.

There are plenty of other fish that would be more suitable for a community tank.

barneyadi · « **Reply #10 on:** February 01, 2020, 07:18:12 PM »

Quote from: Matt on February 01, 2020, 01:06:17 AM

You can look at the water hardness ranges of all these fish and more on the seriouslyfish website. I doubt they are compatible with the livebearers as well. I was thinking you might want to have 1 livebearer tank and 1 other tank??

Sorry @Matt got confused what tank you were talking about. Pencilfish and Corydoras would be a great fit with the neons and harlequins in the planted tank. So that then leaves 2 tanks. 1 definitely livebearers and with sailfins and platys in one and swordfish and guppies in other, that could work.

Quote from: Littlefish on February 01, 2020, 05:35:02 AM

Quote from: barneyadi on January 31, 2020, 08:23:54 PM
Tiger barbs im not keen on as they can be aggressive. Would Rosy Barbs be an option?

As much as I enjoy my tiger barbs, they are very lively & inquisitive (definite finger nibblers when hands are in the water) , I've only ever kept them in a species only tank, and would be very reluctant to mix them with any other fish because of the reason you mention.

There are plenty of other fish that would be more suitable for a community tank.

@Littlefish A barb tank would be interesting, it seems most barbs (apart from tiger Barbs) seem quite peaceful. I wonder what might go with them.

Littlefish · « **Reply #11 on:** February 01, 2020, 07:48:40 PM »

I've promised myself that one day I'm going to do a heavily planted tank with just checkered barbs.
I've always just liked the way they look, and thought they'd be pretty cool in large numbers.

barneyadi · « **Reply #12 on:** February 01, 2020, 08:40:57 PM »

Quote from: Littlefish on February 01, 2020, 07:48:40 PM

I've promised myself that one day I'm going to do a heavily planted tank with just checkered barbs.
I've always just liked the way they look, and thought they'd be pretty cool in large numbers.

@Littlefish I love the look of barbs but concerned they wouldn't get along with each other.

Littlefish · « **Reply #13 on:** February 01, 2020, 09:02:55 PM »

What I've read about that barb in particular indicates that it's peaceful, timid, and a shoaling species. The more the merrier as long as there is capacity in the tank.

Perhaps do some reading around the species that have caught your attention. You may find that they are suitable for the set up you're planning.

barneyadi · « **Reply #14 on:** February 03, 2020, 03:02:12 PM »

Ok, so decided to make a list of possible fish I like. Having asked which would go with which etc, and getting lots of differing info I have listed below possible options (and 1 seemingly poor option a LFS suggested)

Option 1
Rasboras, Platys, Guppies, Neons, Molly, Danios, Gouramis and Cherry barbs.

Option 2
Siamese Fighting fish (Just 1)
Neons
Endlers

Option 3
Discus x 4

Option 4
Cichlids
Kribs

Option 5
Odessa Barb
Ruby Barb
Cherry Barb

The bad option I will get you to pick out. Do the options sound reasonable? Any additions/removals from each option?

Cheers

David

Sue · « **Reply #15 on:** February 03, 2020, 03:16:06 PM »

Comments, the bad options first and some observations on the OK options

#1
This is a mix of hard and soft water fish. Platies, guppies and mollies are hard water fish, the rest are soft water fish. The two groups should not be mixed.
Gouramis should not be kept with active fish like danios, but are fine with rasboras, neons and cherry barbs (which are quite sedate and placid for barbs) in a big enough tank.

#2
Bettas should be kept alone, they are solitary fish and do not need or want tank mates.
Neons are soft water fish while endlers are hard water fish so should not be kept in the same tank.

#4
Kribs are cichlids. They are African cichlids from soft water so they can't be kept with Rift Lake cichlids which need very hard water. But they cannot be kept with soft water American cichlids either. African and American cichlids have evolved on different continents and cannot understand each other's signals, both physical and chemical. This can lead to fighting.

#3
Discus are soft water fish which need warmer temps than most fish. A breeding pair can be kept in a 4 foot tank, but 4 discus would need bigger.

#5
This sounds fine provided the tank is big enough.

barneyadi · « **Reply #16 on:** February 03, 2020, 03:34:27 PM »

Quote from: Sue on February 03, 2020, 03:16:06 PM

Comments, the bad options first and some observations on the OK options

#1
This is a mix of hard and soft water fish. Platies, guppies and mollies are hard water fish, the rest are soft water fish. The two groups should not be mixed.
Gouramis should not be kept with active fish like danios, but are fine with rasboras, neons and cherry barbs (which are quite sedate and placid for barbs) in a big enough tank.

#2
Bettas should be kept alone, they are solitary fish and do not need or want tank mates.
Neons are soft water fish while endlers are hard water fish so should not be kept in the same tank.

#4
Kribs are cichlids. They are African cichlids from soft water so they can't be kept with Rift Lake cichlids which need very hard water. But they cannot be kept with soft water American cichlids either. African and American cichlids have evolved on different continents and cannot understand each other's signals, both physical and chemical. This can lead to fighting.

#3
Discus are soft water fish which need warmer temps than most fish. A breeding pair can be kept in a 4 foot tank, but 4 discus would need bigger.

#5
This sounds fine provided the tank is big enough.

Thanks @Sue With regard to cichlids, if I were to think about them, would I be right in thinking I would need to get those from the same region for them to get on?

Hampalong · « **Reply #17 on:** February 03, 2020, 04:25:59 PM »

I agree fully with what Sue has said.

Regarding cichlids, it would be best to just keep one species, as each fish or pair would need its own territory, which would be at least half the tank. Mixing them can be done but there’s never a guarantee of peaceful coexistence, and definitely not if they breed.
There are a few small species that are peaceful enough to live in a tank with non-cichlids. Kribs aren’t really one of them if you have a pair (might happen, might not), but one on it’s own will probably be peaceful enough, with space, as it will settle for the other fish staying out of its way. But there’s always the chance of the hormones flowing and the fish coming into breeding condition, and defending a territory while waiting for the opposite sex to swim by...

For soft water look into Apistogramma, Cleithracara (keyholes), Laetacara, Nannacara and Bolivian Rams from South America, and Anomalochromis from Africa. These are all small and very peaceful (for cichlids) towards non-cichlids. They should all work very well in a community... they will probably breed if kept well, but they won’t annihilate the other fish if they do...

For something a bit bigger you could try Thysochromis or Pelmatochromis, both from Africa, although not commonly kept and so not easy to get hold of.
Kribs and the other species of Pelvicachromis can also be very peaceful and worth a try, but they’ll be aggressive when breeding.

For hard water there’s only really Herotilapia, the Rainbow Cichlid, which is (almost guaranteed) peaceful.

Mixed Barb tanks actually work very well, and there are Barb fans that keep exactly that. Any Barbs of similar size should all get along together ok.

Littlefish · « **Reply #18 on:** February 03, 2020, 05:50:56 PM »

My only input is that I think odessa barbs are stunning when they mature.

Matt · « **Reply #19 on:** February 03, 2020, 07:37:15 PM »

As I know you are getting different opinions from different places, I though it also worth adding that I agree with all that has been said.

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Stocking Ideas

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