Stocking Options For A 180 Gallon Tank ?

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mjfallon

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Hello all ,

Going to be setting up a new 180 gallon tank in the new year and would like some ideas on what's is the best way to stock the tank . I was looking at having a community tank but the options seem to be never ending . So after some research , I decided on a tank consisting of SILVER DOLLARS - BLEEDING HEART TETRAS - HARLEQUIN RASBORA - EMERALD CORY - GOLD BARB & AUSTRALIAN RAINBOWFISH . I've just been informed that the RAINBOWFISH might unsettle the SILVER DOLLARS !!!!

Any ideas / advice on choosing the fish and not forgetting tank set up - ( filters / substrate / plants - real or fake ) - will be greatly appreciated .

Kind Regards

Mj
 
So many questions (directly & indirectly) in one thread... IMO,.. it is the Silver Dollars which limits your freedom of choice to a large extent... for instance, Live or fake plants?.... It'll have to be fake (unless you can get a select few very durable live plants)... 180l tank??... I've had SD's the size of a saucer, so not advisable for a 180l....(and they are also very active & like schooling)... so in a nutshell, look at your other choices & build your decision around them....
 
So many questions (directly & indirectly) in one thread... IMO,.. it is the Silver Dollars which limits your freedom of choice to a large extent... for instance, Live or fake plants?.... It'll have to be fake (unless you can get a select few very durable live plants)... 180l tank??... I've had SD's the size of a saucer, so not advisable for a 180l....(and they are also very active & like schooling)... so in a nutshell, look at your other choices & build your decision around them....


180 gallons I believe they said. However, I'd still leave out the silver dollars as I think live plants are the way to go! As far as substrate, I'd consider sand or something like it for the cories. They like to play in it and big gravel can damage their barbels. Remember that all of the fish you've chosen are schooling fish, so that means at least 6 of each species :).
 
heres where people all have different opinions.

I've 9 silver dollars about 6 inches diameter if not more and I love them. they are always active colour up great with the reds and blacks in their fins. are totally peaceful asnd look great at feeding time. smaller fish may look a little lost in that size tank

I can't see why rainbowfish would harass the SD's?

Saying that all my plants went but I just bought plastic as I'd rather have the silver dollars

good luck
 
heres where people all have different opinions.

I've 9 silver dollars about 6 inches diameter if not more and I love them. they are always active colour up great with the reds and blacks in their fins. are totally peaceful asnd look great at feeding time. smaller fish may look a little lost in that size tank

I can't see why rainbowfish would harass the SD's?

Saying that all my plants went but I just bought plastic as I'd rather have the silver dollars

good luck

Okay Simonas... My concern was the size of the tank, & I read it as 180 liters.... I see now, it is 180 Gallons... Substantial difference..... (800 liters)
 
heres where people all have different opinions.

I've 9 silver dollars about 6 inches diameter if not more and I love them. they are always active colour up great with the reds and blacks in their fins. are totally peaceful asnd look great at feeding time. smaller fish may look a little lost in that size tank

I can't see why rainbowfish would harass the SD's?

Saying that all my plants went but I just bought plastic as I'd rather have the silver dollars

good luck

Okay Simonas... My concern was the size of the tank, & I read it as 180 liters.... I see now, it is 180 Gallons... Substantial difference..... (800 liters)


I didn;t mean any offence if any was taken Ludwig I was just observing how like anything movies and music we all have different opinions on our fish etc :good:
 
None taken Simonas.... If anyone should know about differences of opinions,......(maybe I just should not elaborate.)
 
SD's shouldn't be unsettled by rainbows IMHO, can you ask whoever has given that advice to provide some backup or further explanation behind their thinking.

For some good basic tank set up advise have a read of the link in my sig 'step by step guide to setting up an aquarium' that's a good starting point for your research. It covers selecting equipment, all the little bits and bobs to go on your stocking list, how to prepare the tank before adding fish, fish selection and lots of other useful bits and bobs. Post back if you've any specific questions after reading it :good:

The SD's can get to the size of a dinner plate if well cared for, all your other fish are going to stay around a couple of inches long. It feels a little disproportionate to me, like it'll look a bit unbalanced with lots of small fish then one shoal of really big fish. Not that you can't have size differences in your fish but I think it might work better if the larger fish were a bit closer in size to the smaller ones. Like if you had various small fish and then a group of angels which stay around 5" then that might be a bit better visually. That sort of thing is all personal taste though so really up to you!
 
SD's shouldn't be unsettled by rainbows IMHO, can you ask whoever has given that advice to provide some backup or further explanation behind their thinking.

For some good basic tank set up advise have a read of the link in my sig 'step by step guide to setting up an aquarium' that's a good starting point for your research. It covers selecting equipment, all the little bits and bobs to go on your stocking list, how to prepare the tank before adding fish, fish selection and lots of other useful bits and bobs. Post back if you've any specific questions after reading it :good:

The SD's can get to the size of a dinner plate if well cared for, all your other fish are going to stay around a couple of inches long. It feels a little disproportionate to me, like it'll look a bit unbalanced with lots of small fish then one shoal of really big fish. Not that you can't have size differences in your fish but I think it might work better if the larger fish were a bit closer in size to the smaller ones. Like if you had various small fish and then a group of angels which stay around 5" then that might be a bit better visually. That sort of thing is all personal taste though so really up to you!

size wise wouldn't the rainbows look ok with SD's as the rainbows grow to a reasonable size as well? I love rainbows when I see them in display tanks at zoos etc but never kept them bar a couple of boesmanis yrs ago
 
yup as i say it is personal preference really, rainbows do get bigger than the rest of the fish listed but still quite a way off the size of the SD's

but no hard and fast rules, it won't do the fish any harm, just a comment from my own personal tastes on stocking tanks. :good:
 

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