i have a bala that schools with my three loaches.6 bala sharks is fine for the time being.depends if you want to keep your balas longterm or get rid of some when your tank becomes overcrowded
New Tank - 150 Gallons - Fish Suggestions
- Thread starter quacketj
- Start date
I too think balas are fine in a 150.
12 -14 inches is full size, and you should be able to keep a school of 4 or so that size in a tank that big no problem.
but it will take up room for others..
12 -14 inches is full size, and you should be able to keep a school of 4 or so that size in a tank that big no problem.
but it will take up room for others..
Just me, but with a tank that size I would go with schooling fish, big schools. Like 40 Lemon tetra, 40 glowlites, and 40 neons. Finishing with a big school a dozen of panda cories. Maybe a half dozen of the brighter rainbowfish (bosemani) or something for a centerpiece. Lots of hardy plants, rocks, and driftwood. Would probably also build a nice canopy/stand for it.
I would also recommend against balas for that tank. If you've ever seen big ones in a 6 foot tank, you'd know why I think it's a bad idea. While they can turn around front to back, it's far from being roomie enough for them. They'll be crashing into the glass and just aesthetically way less than pleasing. Congo tetras are a fantastic big schooling fish with color and finnage that make them very attractive. Emporer tetras get good sized with a nice deep body and purple and gold along with their sparkling green and blue eyes.
The clown loaches will be fine with the angels if they are kept well fed. Clown loaches get a bad rap when they're kept in tanks too small for them without sufficient places for them to feel secure and enough of them to spread aggression. They're great fish. Maybe you can even teach yours to eat from their personal buffet bar like this guy
.
Barbie
The clown loaches will be fine with the angels if they are kept well fed. Clown loaches get a bad rap when they're kept in tanks too small for them without sufficient places for them to feel secure and enough of them to spread aggression. They're great fish. Maybe you can even teach yours to eat from their personal buffet bar like this guy
.
Barbie
BigFishKeeper
Host of Aquatic Wetline Podcast
Nope, it's bad form 
.
Bolivian rams are also an excellent, hardy addition for the tank. I think the aggression of the parrot is going to potentially stress blue rams more than they'd manage to survive. Bolivians tend to be made of hardier stuff. Sev's will eat plants, as will Uaru. Definitely remember where you want to end up with the tank as you plan the stocking.
Barbie
.Bolivian rams are also an excellent, hardy addition for the tank. I think the aggression of the parrot is going to potentially stress blue rams more than they'd manage to survive. Bolivians tend to be made of hardier stuff. Sev's will eat plants, as will Uaru. Definitely remember where you want to end up with the tank as you plan the stocking
.Barbie
Lupin
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My clown loaches poke their snouts out of the water before but this one is more impressive. Nice one, Barbie.I would also recommend against balas for that tank. If you've ever seen big ones in a 6 foot tank, you'd know why I think it's a bad idea. While they can turn around front to back, it's far from being roomie enough for them. They'll be crashing into the glass and just aesthetically way less than pleasing. Congo tetras are a fantastic big schooling fish with color and finnage that make them very attractive. Emporer tetras get good sized with a nice deep body and purple and gold along with their sparkling green and blue eyes.
The clown loaches will be fine with the angels if they are kept well fed. Clown loaches get a bad rap when they're kept in tanks too small for them without sufficient places for them to feel secure and enough of them to spread aggression. They're great fish. Maybe you can even teach yours to eat from their personal buffet bar like this guy
Barbie
the reason that I had suggested balas is that I have grown up a school of three to 12 inches in my 90 in the past. the height and width was fine for them to swim around and be active, but the 4 feet of length was NOT fine.
however, if you added 2 feet of length to a tank like that they would have been perfect IMO.
however, like I said, it does limit what else you can put in
good luck with whatever you choose!
and please post pics!
however, if you added 2 feet of length to a tank like that they would have been perfect IMO.
however, like I said, it does limit what else you can put in
good luck with whatever you choose!
and please post pics!
H'okay,
The bala sharks are officially out of the tank. They just get WAY too large too fast, so I'm going to skip on them. I still plan on adding to my clown loach total as soon as the tank is ready for it, so that will add enough size for the future. As for the clowns and the angels not getting along, I've never had a problem. The angels were the original tank mates and the clowns came later, so that may have helped if there was to be any sort of a problem.
I REALLY want some blue rams, however, I don't understand the major differences in the species itself. Bolivian? German? Balloon? I need the hardiest which can survive in my tank, so I'm willing to sacrifice the beauty aspect yet still be able to have a few of these fish.
The next big question I have is cycling my new tank. What do you think would be some good dither fish that would be compatible with what I already have? My first thought were tiger barbs, but no way in hell will they get near my angels. Then I thought zebra danios. Hopefully I can find a pack of larger ones so that they won't be swallowed when the big guys arrive. How many should I start off with? Won't it take a while for the ammonia level to rise in such a large tank?
Obviously when cycling a tank you need a source of ammonia (fish, decayed food etc) and keep an eye on your levels and let nature takes it course (I truly understand how all of that functions). I'm just wondering what else there is I can do to help the process. I have some live plants in my tank already, but only a couple which struggle to thrive w/ my very weak lighting. I'm hoping to transfer my weekly water change from my 29 gallon to my 150 gallon for the first month (the only problem is these two tanks will be in two separate houses). Along with that I'd like to take out deco from time to time, such as live/artificial plants, driftwood, gravel etc. Hopefully this provides the new tank with a good base of beneficial bacteria as well. I also planned on taking the latest filter pad from my HOB and putting it in my wet/dry. I'm looking for anything to make this process as seamless as possible. Does anyone else have any other suggestions? I'm just concerned with moving my guys out of their home and into the 150 too soon and losing what I've got.
Thanks in advance,
Tim
The bala sharks are officially out of the tank. They just get WAY too large too fast, so I'm going to skip on them. I still plan on adding to my clown loach total as soon as the tank is ready for it, so that will add enough size for the future. As for the clowns and the angels not getting along, I've never had a problem. The angels were the original tank mates and the clowns came later, so that may have helped if there was to be any sort of a problem.
I REALLY want some blue rams, however, I don't understand the major differences in the species itself. Bolivian? German? Balloon? I need the hardiest which can survive in my tank, so I'm willing to sacrifice the beauty aspect yet still be able to have a few of these fish.
The next big question I have is cycling my new tank. What do you think would be some good dither fish that would be compatible with what I already have? My first thought were tiger barbs, but no way in hell will they get near my angels. Then I thought zebra danios. Hopefully I can find a pack of larger ones so that they won't be swallowed when the big guys arrive. How many should I start off with? Won't it take a while for the ammonia level to rise in such a large tank?
Obviously when cycling a tank you need a source of ammonia (fish, decayed food etc) and keep an eye on your levels and let nature takes it course (I truly understand how all of that functions). I'm just wondering what else there is I can do to help the process. I have some live plants in my tank already, but only a couple which struggle to thrive w/ my very weak lighting. I'm hoping to transfer my weekly water change from my 29 gallon to my 150 gallon for the first month (the only problem is these two tanks will be in two separate houses). Along with that I'd like to take out deco from time to time, such as live/artificial plants, driftwood, gravel etc. Hopefully this provides the new tank with a good base of beneficial bacteria as well. I also planned on taking the latest filter pad from my HOB and putting it in my wet/dry. I'm looking for anything to make this process as seamless as possible. Does anyone else have any other suggestions? I'm just concerned with moving my guys out of their home and into the 150 too soon and losing what I've got.
Thanks in advance,
Tim
