compatability help

[ocbtospidey]

Pretty new to the hobby but I plan on going with a 125 gallon tank a need some help on fish compatability and what plants to stock. Here is the list of fish I was thinking
Gold nugget pleco-1
Red tail shark-1
Neon Blue Dwarf Gourami-2
Flame Dwarf Gourami-2
Dojo loach-2
Gold Doubloon Molly-4
Black Sailfin Molly-2
Dalmatian Molly-2
Rope fish-2
Assassin snail-5
Golden rabbit snail-4
I know I'll have to change some of these just would like some advice on these.

 

[Tifftastic]

For your mix the gouramis and the mollies would be fine together, along with the snails and pleco. However, the red tail shark can be really territorial and I wouldn't recommend them with the more slow moving dwarf gouramis. Unfortunately the rope fish is highly predatory and while smaller will make a quick meal of your baby mollies (which you will have a lot of) and when it gets a just a little bigger will easily eat your mollies. Rope fish have large mouths and, like catfish, will eat anything that fits. Lastly, the dojo unfortunately needs cooler water than the rest of the species you listed.

I would recommend swapping the dojo, the rope fish, and the shark for a group of kuhli loaches. With the size of tank you could also easily up your numbers of mollies and gouramis. Or add a large group of an active smallish schooling fish.

 

[rufioman]

^yup. Lots of stocking issues I can see, particularly the rope fish. You have a HUGE tank on your hands, so make sure you do your research properly before just chucking fish in there. I agree with the schoolers and smaller loaches in place of your more aggressive choices. You could literally put about 20 kuhli loaches in there without your bio-load even noticing it.

 

[ocbtospidey]

The red tail shark is one that I really wanted. I will switch the dojo with some Kuhli loaches and the ropes can go. How many mollies and Gourami would you suggest? Could I add some Platinum Lyretail Molly and dome gold sailfin mollys?maybe a couple discus?

 

[Tifftastic]

If you want the red tail shark you could plan a stock around that fish and nix the mollies and gouramies and go in a different direction. Like red tail shark, pictus catfish (they hang out in groups about midwater), some loaches like botia histrionica, medium semi aggressive schoolers (Buenos Aires tetras, or giant danios etc), and something like a severum for a center piece fish. These are just examples though.

If you stick with the other method you can easily do like 30 mollies (accounting for offspring and other stock). I would not recommend discus as they are rather particular in their requirements and can be pretty tough if you're new to the hobby.

 

[Kannan Fodder]

I've had a ropefish before and Tiff is 100% right about their predatory nature! Fascinating fish, but you will have to keep larger tankmates. Also avoid bichirs, which look similar, and are just as predatory - and more mobile. (I'm setting up a 180g, and I'm working my stocking around a bichir and tinfoil barb.)

Khuli loaches are great fish, but sometimes very hard to find. You could also add a school of cory catfish, which are much easier to find. I have ghost shrimp as the cleaning crew in my 29g, and they are pretty entertaining.

No experience with the rainbow shark, as I've avoided them because of their size and aggressive nature. I've avoided most "sharks" because they get too big for smaller tanks, which is what I've always had. And the "shark catfish" is actually a brackish water fish.

Never kept discus, but I understand they have some pretty specific requirements - soft, acidic, warm water. I have a relative who kept them, and she made it sound like it was extremely difficult. Granted she is a bit of an attention seeking drama queen.

I have rotten luck with gourami and mollies. Could be I just lucked out and got unhealthy fish, because mollies are supposed to be quite hardy. I have a friend with a custom 65g, and she initially stocked it with a handful of mollies, which soon reproduced and fully stocked the tank. She doesn't do anything special, and she's had this tank for years! It's actually a really nice tank, with nothing but mollies of all ages.

 

[henningc]

I agree with the above. Sharks are cool but limit everything else. If you go with a cichlid or cichlids than you may be able to keep the shark, but the cichlids will limit the number of fish in the tank.

Typically, I do my research on my interests and stock in zones. Top, mid-water and bottom. T his way you can find a bological / feeding nitch for each type of fish. If you decide exactly what you're keeping ask for assistance again and folks here can help you with their experience and knowledge.