stocking list...good one??

[jerzsky]

i have a 55gal with 9 fish present

1-pleco
2-botia loaches
3-cory cats
1-suckermouth cat
1-giant danio
1-silver dollar

artificial plants
plenty of rock caves
two castles
bio-wheel 350 filter- 350gph
azoo 5500 air
powerhead
fine rock substrate-soon to switch to tahitian tropical moon sand-good stuff!

i would like to ad the following let me know if these are a good adition, and any info good/bad on my selections:

2-german gold ram
1-goo obo gudgeon
2-emerald green cory cats
1-black ghost knifefish
2-ruby red pencil fish
1-golden stripe pleco
4-rosy barbs

thanx for any advice, or suggestions! :shark:

 

[jm1212]

how many of these threads did you make?

what type of pleco
what type of loaches (botia loaches could be any)
you are going to need more giant danios and silver dollars, and i think your tank is to small for a school of 6 silver dollars.
suckermouth catfish? is this just another pleco?

what you can add depends on what your pleco, suckermouth catfish, and loaches are.

you should add more of the corydoras you have before you add a new species
a black ghost knife is definitely out- they grow huge.
you arent going to have room for any more schools after you fill out the ones you have now.
no more plecos.

 

[GirlieGirl8521]

You are trying to mix too many species of fish. Some of them are schooling or shoaling, so just having 1 or 2 of that type isn't good enough. If this is what you have to work with:
1-pleco
2-botia loaches
3-cory cats
1-suckermouth cat
1-giant danio
1-silver dollar

Then you should first add 2 more loaches, 3 more cories of the same type, 5 more danios (these get pretty big and take up some space). I don't think your tank is big enough to house a school of full grown silver dollars and the other fish, so I suggest you take it to the LFS and swap for something else.

If you take the Silver Dollar back, you have room for another school of fish. I'd go for something small. The Pencilfish might work, although I don't know their temperament (timid?), so I'm not sure how they'd work with the danios. You might be better going with some Dwarf Neon Rainbows if you can find them, because Danios, especially the Giants, are really hyper fish, so you have to be careful what you keep with them.

The Rams should work. A Black ghost knife will get too big for the tank. The Rosy Barbs are a bit too big to have a school of, since you already have the Giant Danios.

What type of Suckermouth Catfish do you have? Is it a pleco or an algae eater like a Chinese Algae eater?

 

[jerzsky]

when i got the suckermouth..it was labeled as an orange algae eater...he's small about 2 in. the pencilfish are very friendly, ive had them before. the danio IS very hyper...i might get rid of him to my lfs. my pleco looks like a sailfin, but i dont think he is..i cant remember what type he is from when i bought him. the loaches are redtail, but they also look like redtail sharks??? so if i remove the danio and silver dollar, what could i work with?? from what i posted? is it bad to have such a wide diversaty of fish? any help is greatly appreciated! thank you!!

 

[GirlieGirl8521]

There is a such fish as an Orange Tailed botia. If you bought them as loaches, then its probably what you have. They look almost identical to Red-Tail sharks except the sharks only have a red tail while all the loach's fins are orange. Most of the pictures I see of the loaches though, don't have a dark body. But, when I did a google search, I did find a couple pictures where they had dark bodies. Here is a site I found with some pictures, so hopefully you can ID yours.
http://www.loaches.com/species-index/yasuhikotakia-modesta

If your pleco is a sailfin, you will eventually have to return it, sell it, or get a bigger tank. Also, sometimes people confuse Common plecos with Sailfins and they get too large for a 55g as well.

when i got the suckermouth..it was labeled as an orange algae eater

Its not really a catfish It is a Chinese Algae Eater, which is a Cyprinid. They can get about 8 inches and get more aggressive with age. They also eventually stop eating algae.

so if i remove the danio and silver dollar, what could i work with?? from what i posted?

You could get a school of the Pencilfish. I'd get atleast 6, 8 would be even better. Then you could pick another school. Rosy barbs can be nippy sometimes, but if you have enough they may behave. You could also look into some colorful tetras or rasboras. I'd make the second school 8 as well. You still should get more cories and loaches (if its a loach and not a shark)

is it bad to have such a wide diversaty of fish?

Diversity isn't bad. Its when you have alot of different fish and don't give them the proper number if they are schooling or shoaling fish that is the problem. Also, you have to consider the behavior of some fish and their potential size.

So, how about this stocking:

8 Pencilfish
8 rasboras/tetras of your choice
8 Cories
4 Loaches
2 Gold Rams
1 pleco (until he outgrows the tank)
1 Chinese Algae Eater (until he starts attacking tankmates)

I'm not sure that the gudgeon fits in. I've mostly seen them kept in species tanks. I think they are peaceful, but I do know that they jump, so you'd have to keep the tank covered.

You could swap your pleco out for a Bristlenose, Rubbernose, or Clown Pleco, as any of those will not outgrow your tank.

 

[BigRun]

Some Tetras that I enjoy and that would look good schooling in a tank that size.

Black Skirt Tetra (Gymnocorymbus ternetzi) Silver with Black fins, grow to about 2-1/2 in.. Not super active like to dart to surface when feeding, fun to watch.

Blue Flame Tetra (Hyphessobrycon columbianus) Blueish iridescent body with Reddish fins. 2-1/2 inches or so. A bit more active and very pretty.

Pristella or x-ray fish (Pristella maxillaris) Silver body with red tail fin and banded dorsal fin. 2" long. Always active but not hyper, not a shy fish, fin always on display. My favorite Characin.

 

[jerzsky]

thanx...i like the list you posted...it's a good selection...thanx for that link, they are loaches, but mine are just a little darker than others i guess.

the golden algae eater i bought, i just checked, at liveaquaria, is a gyrinocheilos aymorieri just like a chinese, and yes they can get to one foot, and become semi-aggresive.

i beleive the pleco is just a reg one, we'll see.

im definetly getting the gudgeon, my friend has one and it's awesome! doesnt bother anyone, and with the amount of hiding i have, he'll be right at home! n yes they are jumpers! good thing i got a cover!!

thanx for all your info..keep in touch :shark: