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lou66

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Hi i've not kept fish fr many years and would like some advice on if my tank is stocked ok or if i can add any more fish please.
I have a 180l Jewel bowed front tank and currently have 4 balloon electric blue rams 2 electric blue rams 1 german ram 1 clown loach 2 mollies and 2 angel fish. I'd quite like to get a bristlenose pleco and possibly another angel fish do you think this would ok or is that too many fish.
thanks
 
Welcome to TFF. :hi:

As this was your first post, and my first response to you, I am sorry it will be a bit negative. You have some issues already with fish.

First, is this a new tank, with fairly newly acquired fish? [I won't get into cycling, just mention it.] The clown loach needs a group of five minimum, or more, as it is a highly social fish and will be severely stressed without companions of its own species. But it also grows to 8 to 12 inches, and this tank is insufficient space for even one much less five. Can you return it? I hope so, as this is a problem.

The two angelfish could be another problem, depending upon their gender and whether or not they decide to bond or oppose one another. This is also as shoaling fish that lives in groups, and forms hierarchies. Two fish will only work long-term if they are male/female and decide they like each other enough to form a bond. But regardless of that, you do not want to add a third, that will result in a dead angelfish before many weeks have passed, almost guaranteed.

Next question is water parameters. Some fish have very specific needs when it comes to water hardness. Do you know the GH (general or total hardness) of your source water? And KH (Alkanity or carbonate hardness) and pH while you're at it. The website of your municipal water authority might have this data. Until we know this I cannot offer much more. Except that you have too many blue rams, though if you lucked out and all are female except one, it might work. I personally do not advise acquiring the "balloon" type of this or any species; this is not a natural condition and the fish will have internal issues because of this frankly cruel practice, and the only way to end it is by not buying balloon fish.

Byron.
 
Good Morning Byron
Thank you for your reply. I'm glad to get any advice as would like to keep a peaceful tank and know the fish are happy in their environment. So i will try and take back the clown loach back. I did read about the balloon Rams after i'd bought them and did regret buying them. There was a little bullying going on to start with but they seem to have settled down now and seem to all get on ok. I've had the tank about 2 months now and have added the fish gradually and i'm changing the water 25% every week. The 2 angel fish seem to get on ok and they are my preferred fish so would consider getting a shoal of these instead of having so many rams.
As far as the water is concerned i'll try and find out about that. I appreciate your advice thank you.
 
Good Morning Byron
Thank you for your reply. I'm glad to get any advice as would like to keep a peaceful tank and know the fish are happy in their environment. So i will try and take back the clown loach back. I did read about the balloon Rams after i'd bought them and did regret buying them. There was a little bullying going on to start with but they seem to have settled down now and seem to all get on ok. I've had the tank about 2 months now and have added the fish gradually and i'm changing the water 25% every week. The 2 angel fish seem to get on ok and they are my preferred fish so would consider getting a shoal of these instead of having so many rams.
As far as the water is concerned i'll try and find out about that. I appreciate your advice thank you.

You're welcome. Re the angelfish, you don't have sufficient tank space for a group, so stay with the two, and as I mentioned previously let's hope they get along. Same for the rams. But don't be discouraged if dead fish turn up down the road.

I would increase the volume of your weekly partial water change to about half the tank volume. Provided the parameters (being hardness and pH and temperature) are much the same between tank water and tap water, this is better; you really cannot change too much.

May have more when the GH and pH are known.
 

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