New Tank

[Shekoi]

i've got myself a new 55g tank. I've set it up with sand plants and bogwood. i just need some ideas no what fish to get. i want a community tank.

i'd love discus, if tank big enough?

What other fish go well together?

 

[KarlskidMarx]

Before you get any real helpful answers, most people will probably wnat to know if your tank is cycled and what your ph and hardness are.

 

[TKOS]

While there are many fish that work with discus, I am not sure if they belong in a community tank. Discus' need a special setup that is best suitaed for a species only tank.

Is it the big fish you like, the colourful fish, schooling fish?

And yes, water params and info on the tank cycling is a good place to start.

 

[Shekoi]

ok i'll give discus a miss in this tank.

ph 7.2
hardness around 14
it's been set up for nearly 2 weeks with no fish in.


i'd like some schooling fish. i'd like a mix of bottom, middle and surface swimmers so action all over tank.

i was thinking of corries, common hatchlets, dwarf gourami and some kind of tetras.

 

[TKOS]

First I would suggest reading the sticky note at the top of the newbie forum on cycling of a tank. That is growing the nitrogen eating bacteria that help keep the water safe for your fish.


As for fish. A large school of cories will work in that setup. Hatchets are great fish but you must take every effort to cover every little spot on the top of your tank as they are notorius jumpers and escape artists. You could have 4 dwarf gouramis easily in that tank giving thhem enough room for aggession to be limited to some chasing.

Any of the tetras or barbs will do well in a school. I would aim for one big school of fish so that you don't get the noahs ark tank. This also helps keep aggression amoungst the group and away from other more peaceful fish.

Possibly a dwarf pleco (not a common or large one) would be a good addition as well.

I would suggest making a list of the fish you like then asking again to see the compatabilty of the species.

 

[Shekoi]

How About?

2/3 angelfish
5+ rummynose
5+ cardinal tetras
few black phantams
4 small corries
1 dwarf pleco ( clown pleco for example)

and may be 1 german ram?

 

[TKOS]

Personally I would say 2 angels, 6 cories (bigger groups are better), 1 dwarf pleco or maybe 4 ottos in place, and 2 school of tetras.I would loose the ram and the black phantoms. And it might be cool to have a school of cherry barbs instead of one of the tetar school. Plus angels can start to snack on the smaller tetras when they get big so take that into account.

I tend to like a medium to low stocking of tanks. I find that with some added plants this scheme can still make for a full and interesting tank but without the constant fear of the tank crashing if I go away for a week.

 

[Shekoi]

cheers for that TKOS
i think i'll go for your idea.

2 angels
6 corries not sure what sort yet
school of rummynose
school cherry barbs
1 dwarf pleco.

what should go in first to help with the cycling? i was thinking the rummynose.

 

[OrionGirl]

Can you share the filter media from one of the goldie setups? This would inoculate the new tank with the beneficial bacteria from teh get go, and you would be unlikely to experience serious, damaging spikes as long as you added fish slowly and in small numbers.

 

[TKOS]

There are two ways to cycle. Fishless and Fishy. Either way you choose make sure to read about it in that sticky I mentioned.

The rummynose tetras tend to be very picky with water quality, as do plecos and cories. Of those fish the cherry barbs are the hardiest. Make sure to get a test kit for ammonia and nitrite. When the ammonia levels get to 1ppm or the nitrites get to 0.25 ppm do a water change to get them lowered. Eventually they will fall to 0 and stay there. If you can seed the tank with filter media from an established tank or a decoration or some gravel then it will go faster.

Then add in another group of fish and do the same thing. Keep doing this, adding the angels last as they will be the more dominant fish. Or the pleco can go last as well as he will keep to himself.