My 135 Gallon tank, 72x18x24 has recently finished cycling about 2 weeks ago, and I moved my 8.5 inch Common Pleco (The Fish That Made Me Want To Keep Fish And Upgrade The Tank Size) from my 75 Gallon over. I also have 2 assorted angelfish and 5 peppered Cory catfish. I would like a community tank, so feel free to give any fish that you think will work well with the others. Would a school with Black Neons work with my Angles or not? (The Anglefish Are About 1.5" Long And 2" Tall)
135 Gallon Stocking 72x18x24 With Common Pleco
- Thread starter Tirethetiretrackeel
- Start date
Welcome to AC!
As long as the black neons get to pretty much adult size before the angels do, you should be fine. I would also suggest adding more corys of the same species, they're more fun in larger groups...5 is kinda the bare minimum for schooling/shoaling fish. You have lots of tank space, go big!
If you still have your 75g or another smaller tank to use for quarantine I'd highly recommend doing that for any new fish. I QT for 4 weeks of health to be safe.
Will you/do you have live plants? With the pleco I suggest plants like java fern & anubias that are attached to wood or rock & the plec can't dig up.
As long as the black neons get to pretty much adult size before the angels do, you should be fine. I would also suggest adding more corys of the same species, they're more fun in larger groups...5 is kinda the bare minimum for schooling/shoaling fish. You have lots of tank space, go big!
If you still have your 75g or another smaller tank to use for quarantine I'd highly recommend doing that for any new fish. I QT for 4 weeks of health to be safe.
Will you/do you have live plants? With the pleco I suggest plants like java fern & anubias that are attached to wood or rock & the plec can't dig up.
Any other suggestions for fish? Would a school of 8 cats be good? How many Black Neoms should I have? I also want 1 other type of tetra to go in the tank any suggestions? I use a 10 Gallon as a quarantine, as my 75 Gallon has Cichlids like Convicts which are aggressive? I also have a blood parrot in my 75 Gallon, but the Convict chases it occasionally. The Convict is full grown about 5" while the parrot is only about 6 months old and 3.5". I am also working on setting up a new 60x18x30 140 Gallon, should I move the parrot in their, the 135 Community or keep it in the 75? Also, do you think my Common will be happy for life in the 135?
It's great you have a QT! You can QT say, 10-15 black neons in a cycled 10g QT tank at the same time, then after they're done with QT, maybe 5-10? more peppered corys. With the corys, if you need variety you can get long finned or albino peppereds (be careful there are few albino species, peppers are more unusual) but they know they are the same species 
& will be more fun with more. Really, they are! & maybe they'll breed! Always fun to watch, even if you don't get survivors...but you might...especially with plants...(nagging just a bit, lol). If you really "need" another species of cory get at least 10 of each for maximun cory fun. The pleco will need a BIG hiding place or 2 under wood &/or rock structures. It has a strong sense of territory, corys just don't understand that concept & just bumble around in their cute cory way. I think I'd go with only 1 cory species...
For other fish with the pleco & angels, I love rasboras! (ok, not SA but, well, maybe you don't care about that, I often don't). I have kept & always like harlequin or espei, (similar), or red tailed (boraras petensis). All are peaceful, pretty & a nice contrast to your other fish. Tetras I would avoid include serpae & "skirts", too nippy to angels long fins. Also tiger barbs. A school/shoal of 10-15 rasboras of the same species will look good & behave in a "normal" schooly way.
I haven't kept convicts (too aggressive for their size & breed way, WAY too well) or parrots, or eels of any size (I'm a loach & catfish lover first), so I'll let others answer that part, I have no idea...maybe the parrot with eel? I dunno...like I said...
As for your "common" pleco, it depends on its species. Some max out at 10 inches or so, other get much bigger...like 18-24 inches. Can you post a pic? I'm not the best at pleco ID but we'll help you or direct you to planetcatfish.
& will be more fun with more. Really, they are! & maybe they'll breed! Always fun to watch, even if you don't get survivors...but you might...especially with plants...(nagging just a bit, lol). If you really "need" another species of cory get at least 10 of each for maximun cory fun. The pleco will need a BIG hiding place or 2 under wood &/or rock structures. It has a strong sense of territory, corys just don't understand that concept & just bumble around in their cute cory way. I think I'd go with only 1 cory species...For other fish with the pleco & angels, I love rasboras! (ok, not SA but, well, maybe you don't care about that, I often don't). I have kept & always like harlequin or espei, (similar), or red tailed (boraras petensis). All are peaceful, pretty & a nice contrast to your other fish. Tetras I would avoid include serpae & "skirts", too nippy to angels long fins. Also tiger barbs. A school/shoal of 10-15 rasboras of the same species will look good & behave in a "normal" schooly way.
I haven't kept convicts (too aggressive for their size & breed way, WAY too well) or parrots, or eels of any size (I'm a loach & catfish lover first), so I'll let others answer that part, I have no idea...maybe the parrot with eel? I dunno...like I said...
As for your "common" pleco, it depends on its species. Some max out at 10 inches or so, other get much bigger...like 18-24 inches. Can you post a pic? I'm not the best at pleco ID but we'll help you or direct you to planetcatfish.
Yeah, I have hear about the "Common" Pleco identity problem. Thanks for being so helpful, right now I'm on vacation (Going To Busch Garden Williamsburg) but when I get back in a few days, I'll try to get a pic of her. We have a nice price of driftwood for her (I Try To Make Her Extra Happy, As She's The Fish That Got Me Interested In Fishkeeping In The First Place) I also have an over a foot long Battleship wreck which looks nice in the scape, but is a nice cave for her and spends a lot of time in their. So a total of 10 Corys, 15 Black Neons, 1 Common Pleco, 2 Assorted Anglefish and maybe 10 Gold Priscilla Tetras would work? I know that tigers are bad, and I'll steer clear of them and Cichlids for the 135 community. Last question, is 2 Angles good or should I get another 2?
Also, if the Common looks like it may get a over 20" I can upgrade to a 7' by 2' or an 8' by 2' in about a year from now if needed.
Id increase your angels to 8 as well, since they naturally shoal in the wild.
Id go:
8 angels
15-20 med-large tetra
15-20 peppered cories
1 common pleco
Tetras, could do black neons as long as they're larger sized before your angels are adults as said above, but personally I'd go with a taller-bodied tetra to play it safe. Bleeding heart tetras are a nice size and would look nice in a large setup with angels
Id go:
8 angels
15-20 med-large tetra
15-20 peppered cories
1 common pleco
Tetras, could do black neons as long as they're larger sized before your angels are adults as said above, but personally I'd go with a taller-bodied tetra to play it safe. Bleeding heart tetras are a nice size and would look nice in a large setup with angels
So how about 15 Congo Tetras, 15 Peppered Cory's, 10 Neon Tetras, 1 Common Pleco, and 6 Anglefish? Would That Be Good?
No to "regular" neons with angels, they're a natural food in the wild, not a safe combo ever! Black neons are a bit larger & "should be" ok. I haven't kept congos with angels. It may work...I don't know...I've kept both but not together...Never tried diamonds or bleeding hearts but I've read pretty good things about their amiability...you never know.
With angels & groups...if a pair forms they may take 3 or 4 feet of the tank as their breeding territory forcing the others into what's leftover. I had 6 in a 4ft 75g & 2 paired up & had fry. The "others" would try to eat eggs & fry, stressing the parents & causing fights along the edge of their territories. It's not too terrible if you don't care about egg/fry survival but it's a bit distressing to watch. My pair carefully spit their fry into the filter intake rather than let them be eaten? Or just bad/bored parenting? No telling with cichlids...& angels are cichlids in a slightly more mellow way compared to many...
With angels & groups...if a pair forms they may take 3 or 4 feet of the tank as their breeding territory forcing the others into what's leftover. I had 6 in a 4ft 75g & 2 paired up & had fry. The "others" would try to eat eggs & fry, stressing the parents & causing fights along the edge of their territories. It's not too terrible if you don't care about egg/fry survival but it's a bit distressing to watch. My pair carefully spit their fry into the filter intake rather than let them be eaten? Or just bad/bored parenting? No telling with cichlids...& angels are cichlids in a slightly more mellow way compared to many...
Ok, so 10 Black Neons instead? Should I do just 2 angles, or make it 4 for a better chance of getting a pair?
