tank is running, now what to add?

[switchcats]

Hi there,

I'm looking for ideas on what next to put in my tank? It's a 65G, and the current inhabitants are 4 dojo loaches, 1 rtbs, 4 giant danios, 5 gold barbs (babies), and 2 blood parrots (still grey-brown, not dyed!)

There's not much color in there right now, and want a little something while the bp's grow up. I'm thinking the following: (and not all of them)

- a variety of platy and variatus
- a gold, lavander, and dwarf gourami
- a school of male ruby barbs
- a small school of red rainbows

Any ideas will be appreciated, except for tetras, which I just don't like. Please don't flame me if I'm doing something wrong, but that's why I ask first, so that I learn before buggering up!

Thanks so much!

 

[switchcats]

Come on, someone has to have an opinion! :idea2:

 

[IceH2O]

You might be overstocked already.

I'm not sure of the adult size of these fish but I'm sure it breaks the inch per gallon rule that isn't all that accurate to begin with.

Correct me if I'm wrong on any of these.

4 dojos @ 10 inches =40 inches
1 RTBS @ 5 inches = 5 inches
4 G. Danios @ 6 inches = 24 inches
5 Gold barbs @ 3 inches = 15 inches
2 Blood parrots @ 8 inches = 16 inches

Total 100 inches.

 

[switchcats]

Not to be arguing with you, but I figure:

4 x 8" for dojo's = 32
4 x 4" for gd = 16
1 rtbs = 5
5 x 2" for barbs = 10
2 x 8" for bp = 16

total = 79

but, dojo's are at 5" inch right now, the bp's are less than 2" and they take forever to grow. The danios will probably die before then, from old age. And darn it all, I just might have to get another tank to house the bp's in on their own!

Plus, a lot has to do with how often you do the water changes and the filtration, and I got the best hob filter, and do changes every week. I won't do anything to hurt another living being on purpose. If I wasn't willing to take care of them then I wouldn't have them!

 

[OddFish]

I can't say if you are overstocked or not since if it were me I would move out oversizing fish and make sure filtration is working for what is in there, do water changes and tests and work with the system.
But I will say that my Parrot has gone from 3/4 inch to 4 inches in 5 months. So you may be outgrowing that tank sooner than you thought. Some of it may or may not have to do with hormones and being in or near other cichlids. But anyway.

 

[switchcats]

Trying to revive this conversation...

What about 4 dwarf rainbows?

Oddfish, those are some quick growing BP's. What are you feeding them? A friend has them as well, and she said that it took over a year for them to grow that much!

I'm just finding that the tank lacks a punch right now!

 

[zmazza]

I have two blood parrots and I swear I'll be super surprised if they ever reach the 8" mark before I'm 80 years old. My dojo loach is growing at a steady pace, I suppose. I think he's done an inch in 6 months. I think you'll be OK. If they start to outgrow, move them. I have my 2 blood parrots, dojo loach, and peacock eel in a 29. As they grow, they'll move. But now, the tank looks empty.

 

[switchcats]

So you have the same problem that I do. It's too bad that the really striking fish are mostly cichlids and incompatible with my current tank residents.