135 gallon stocking help needed

I am working on restoring a 135 gallon and I should have it up and running in about a month. I already have a 2" green severum, a 2.5" blue acara and 6 2"-2.5" angelicus loaches. I want to add 4-5 red head geo tapajos and 4 clown loaches, but I have been thinking that if I get the geos and the clown loaches along with the 6 angelicus loaches I already have, I will have a crowded bottom layer. So I have been thinking of rehoming the angelicus loaches, getting the geos and clown loaches and getting a flagtail prochilodus instead of having the angelicus. Or maybe getting rams or kribs instead of the angelicus (although they too are bottom/mid dwellers, so it still might be crowded)?

So my original idea was to have:
1 green severum (already have)
1 blue acara (already have)
6 angelicus loaches (already have)
4 clown loaches
4-5 red head geo tapajos
7-8 Denison barbs

Do you think the bottom is too crowded this way?

Now I know the flagtail will swallow whole anything that fits in its mouth, so the rams, kribs and barbs would not likely mix with it.

So my options are to remove the the barbs and angelicus for the flagtail. Remove the angelicus for rams or kribs. Or to keep the set up I am originally thought of. Thoughts?


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Glabe said:

I'm not too sure about the redheads specifically, but I don't think Geos would appreciate the hustle and bustle of 10 good sized loaches buzzing around the bottom. IME, angelicus are super active and nosey

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True, but so are clowns. The clowns do have an advantage over the angelicus though. The barb under the eye is definitely a "back off" technique that lets them live well with cichlids. I don't know if my angelicus will get torn up by the cichlids when they are older. At baby sizes, 135 gallons is a ton of room and I will likely experience little to no aggression for at least 6-9 months when some of the cichlids start to get to larger sizes. Bioload wise though, the angelicus are much, much lighter than clowns. I am torn between which one I should choose. Or if I should have any at all. Do you think choosing six 6" max sized loaches or four 16" maxed sized loaches is better? Or am I better off without loaches? Would Cory cats be a better fit?


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Glabe said:

I'm pretty sure angelicus have the spines, also. and you're right, as babies, it's no biggie. maybe you can try them all and have one of those unique tanks that works only because all of the fish were raised together and decided to be compatible with each other

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You are right. All the Botia species have the spines. I had thought it was just the clown loach. Cool. Learn something new every day. LOL

I am going to give it a try. The geos and angelicus loaches get to be around the same size. Loaches max out at 6" and the geos max out at 8", so shouldn't be many issues.


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