stocking plan for my 90 gallon

[klfvilla]

Today I went to Big Al's and looked at the fish. All I actually purchased was a diffuser bar and some bits and pieces for my Fluval 404 which pumps water out in a terrible splashy fountain. I was hoping to get closer to formulating a stocking plan but after seeing so much too choose from, I'm probably more confused than ever. The manager did say he'd take my clown loach in which is something good because I don't want loaches. They have the koi angels I've been thinking about and they are beautiful and I probably will go with a (hopefully) peaceful tropical tank with koi angels as the centerpiece. I would like the angels to be ultimately the largest fish in the tank so I need to consider adult sizes on anything else that is added. Also, I want maximum variety, colour etc. so I want to keep the minimum number of each type of fish that would work so I can have maximum variety overall. I would like some type of schooling fish and some fish for the bottom also. I haven't read up on any of these but here are a few of the things I liked the looks of. Syno Ocellotus or Syno Angelicus for the bottom. I don't know if these are schooling or not but I liked the Rummynose Tetras but also the neons and actually I liked all the tetras. I also liked the tri-colour and rainbow Platys. I liked the pearl and emerald gouramis. Right now the tank has three dwarf platies and one opaline gourami which I think is a female. If there was some chance of my male betta actually going in that would be a bonus because it would free up his 10g for quarantine use. Oh, and I really want to order some mystery snails. Bay City Bettas has a 4 pack in different colours. Any help in formulating a stocking plan would be appreciated!

 

[BIGgourami]

well, the angels obviously
i'd say:
5 rummynoses
5 neons
5 panda (or other, i just think pandas are nice) cories
4-5 otos
3-4 gold barbs
4-5 marbled hachet fish
4-5 assorted platies or mollies or swordtails

 

[davexstumpe]

- go with 12 tetras rummynoses are by far the best small schoolers
so you could do 12 rummynoses, or 12 neons, or 6 of each if you want variety.

- 6 corys for the bottom. i liek pandas or schwarzs.

- 3 otos

- you should be fine with adding the betta, just stay away from Dwarf puffers and guppies

- 4-5 snails, i'd go with as many different colored mystery snails as i could find.

- 8-10 shrimp. i liek bamboo or cherry shrimp, but cherry shrimp would probably breed like crazy and you might end up with a bunch.

- 8-10 platys

and that still leaves room for angels or whatever else you wanted to put in

 

[KnaveTO]

If you want colour and something to mix with your Angels you may want to think of Keyhole Cichlids and or Blue Rams. They will not (I believe) outsize your Angels and the colours of both are quite pretty. However only get a pair or three of each and only one male of each

 

[Derringer]

If you only have the 404, I would suggest adding more filtering capacity. Try to get 10x + turnover and you might be able to stock the tank a bit fuller, specially if you're considering the bulk being smaller fish.

 

[klfvilla]

Thanks for the great suggestions! Keep them coming please! I think I might be getting somewhere here. And yes I do have additional filtration. There is also a Hagen 402 Powerhead running in there. I just mentioned the Fluval 404 because I had some set-up issues with it (there was just a spout for output and I didn't like the water shooting out so I got the diffuser).

 

[Rbishop]

12 rummynoses
8 panda cories
6 otos
4 gold barbs
12 marbled hachet fish

5 Angels of your choice/color (you will have to watch for pairs forming up)

some shrimp/snails

You need more filtration though and a heavy water change schedule

 

[klfvilla]

I don't want to be forced into a heavy water change schedule. I can definitely commit to 50% change 1x weekly but I'd rather not go beyond that. I'd prefer to cut down on stocking if necessary in order to keep things running smoothly with a once a week water change. I'd like to keep filtration as is also, running a Fluval 404 and a Hagen 402 Quick Filter, if that is OK. There are also 2 air pumps (I guess the only benefit to those is some surface aggitation?) Also, I thought that all barbs were fin nippers. Incorrect? Also, from the previous owner of this tank I inherited what I believe to be a small opaline gourami, female I think. This is quite a nice, personable little fish although my betta chased it when I had it briefly in my 10g. Do I just leave this fish on its own? Need to try to return it along with the clown loach that is going back? Or buy it more of its type?