180 Gallon: Taking Fish Suggestions!

[bitteraspects]

Hey

Yeah, nice list let me know how it goes, think ours 150g needs restocking soon, changing alot of the stocking round as it is.

that sounds like a awesome stocking .... am very jealous... btw

love to see the look on the LFS when u ask for that much stock.. lol

Haha well I won't be purchasing that bundle all at once (I'm sure the salesclerk would have a heart attack) but they'll probably be really amused to see me come in every week for months to come.

6 Boesemani rainbowfish
20 Zebra danio
20 Harlequin rasbora
10 Swordtails
4 Keyhole Cichlids
4 Blue Rams
30 Cardinal Tetra
15 Diamond Tetra
5 Pearl Gourami
8 clown loach
20+ cories

Think is you need some kind of algae eaters, a group of 5 or so bristlenoses, or a big shoal of otto's (theyre also a schooling fish and look great in big numbers)

maybe even look at buying a shed laod of cherry shrimp. i think that tbh if you have enough in the first palce. they should breed well and produce enough offpsring as to not got all eaten, especially if the tank is full of plants.

you could also add a few more rams, maybe a coupla more keyholes's

thanks.

why would you "need" algae eaters?
let alone a large group?

they create more waste then the help the tank. i wouldnt bother.
if youre that concerned with algae, get 1 common pleco

In regards to the common pleco, I'm afraid their potential adult size sort of scares me off! Although I've heard they're fantastic fish. I was thinking about the bioload due to the bristlenoses...hmm...is it really worth it? Maybe I should just settle for more kuhli's...or increase the cardinal shoal?

you said its a 180g right? that will house a common pleco. however, nothing is better for algae then good ol elbow grease and WC. plecos will just add to your bioload. not to mention, tons of stringy poop on the bottom of the tank, just looks gross.
id definitely suggest increasing the numbers on one of the other groups

same could be said with other fish though. in general all fish produce waste so why bother with any of them.
some people may just like plecs because of the way they look... not because of what there for.

but anyway you have a good point. there probaly wouldnt be any algae in the tank anyway... so if the reason for having the plecs is to control algae then i wouldnt bother either as they do produce alot of waste.

plecos produce more detrius then just about any other fish. and when youre talking about a group,
and when it comes to plecos, most people dont keep BN for their "looks". they keep royal, or zebras. people keep BN because they eat algae and dont grow as big as common plecos.

Oh, dear. A humongous bioload is the last thing I want, although I do enjoy a heavily (but not over) stocked tank. That why I like sticking to the little guys. I have Arowana & Pacu dreams, but they're right alongside my buying-the-ocean dreams and so perhaps they'll have to be put on hold for awhile...a very long while. So without the bristlenoses, do you think I should just add more kuhli's instead? Or make one of the other shoals a bit bigger?

im sticking with more clowns personallu. lol. but thats just me. its really your decision. cardinals will have less of an impact on the water parameters the the khulis. not by much, but less.

 

[MyraAlam]

Hey

Yeah, nice list let me know how it goes, think ours 150g needs restocking soon, changing alot of the stocking round as it is.

that sounds like a awesome stocking .... am very jealous... btw

love to see the look on the LFS when u ask for that much stock.. lol

Haha well I won't be purchasing that bundle all at once (I'm sure the salesclerk would have a heart attack) but they'll probably be really amused to see me come in every week for months to come.

6 Boesemani rainbowfish
20 Zebra danio
20 Harlequin rasbora
10 Swordtails
4 Keyhole Cichlids
4 Blue Rams
30 Cardinal Tetra
15 Diamond Tetra
5 Pearl Gourami
8 clown loach
20+ cories

Think is you need some kind of algae eaters, a group of 5 or so bristlenoses, or a big shoal of otto's (theyre also a schooling fish and look great in big numbers)

maybe even look at buying a shed laod of cherry shrimp. i think that tbh if you have enough in the first palce. they should breed well and produce enough offpsring as to not got all eaten, especially if the tank is full of plants.

you could also add a few more rams, maybe a coupla more keyholes's

thanks.

why would you "need" algae eaters?
let alone a large group?

they create more waste then the help the tank. i wouldnt bother.
if youre that concerned with algae, get 1 common pleco

In regards to the common pleco, I'm afraid their potential adult size sort of scares me off! Although I've heard they're fantastic fish. I was thinking about the bioload due to the bristlenoses...hmm...is it really worth it? Maybe I should just settle for more kuhli's...or increase the cardinal shoal?

you said its a 180g right? that will house a common pleco. however, nothing is better for algae then good ol elbow grease and WC. plecos will just add to your bioload. not to mention, tons of stringy poop on the bottom of the tank, just looks gross.
id definitely suggest increasing the numbers on one of the other groups

same could be said with other fish though. in general all fish produce waste so why bother with any of them.
some people may just like plecs because of the way they look... not because of what there for.

but anyway you have a good point. there probaly wouldnt be any algae in the tank anyway... so if the reason for having the plecs is to control algae then i wouldnt bother either as they do produce alot of waste.

plecos produce more detrius then just about any other fish. and when youre talking about a group,
and when it comes to plecos, most people dont keep BN for their "looks". they keep royal, or zebras. people keep BN because they eat algae and dont grow as big as common plecos.

Oh, dear. A humongous bioload is the last thing I want, although I do enjoy a heavily (but not over) stocked tank. That why I like sticking to the little guys. I have Arowana & Pacu dreams, but they're right alongside my buying-the-ocean dreams and so perhaps they'll have to be put on hold for awhile...a very long while. So without the bristlenoses, do you think I should just add more kuhli's instead? Or make one of the other shoals a bit bigger?

im sticking with more clowns personallu. lol. but thats just me. its really your decision. cardinals will have less of an impact on the water parameters the the khulis. not by much, but less.

Its become cardinals vs. clowns in my mind. *sigh* Life's so hard sometimes... If I were to go with the clowns, how many do you suggest I add? (Same question for the cardinals)

 

[bitteraspects]

to be honest, i dont know much about cardinals. i dont keep small fish.
as for the clowns, it depends on your situation. while they do grow EXTREMELY slow, they can get to around 16" (though i have never personally seen one past 11", and that was only 1) it will take them around a year to get to the 6" mark, and then they start growing even slower. i had around 18 in my 180 with some of my datnoids, and that worked out perfect. i actually was thinking of buying more, but couldnt find ones that were similar in size.
another thing you have to factor in is cost. im not sure what they cost near you, but here, youre looking at between $6 and $18 for small ones, while cardinals are closer to maybe $2/ea. also, depending on your current set up, you may want to add a powerhead for them. they like the motion in the tank.

 

[MyraAlam]

to be honest, i dont know much about cardinals. i dont keep small fish.
as for the clowns, it depends on your situation. while they do grow EXTREMELY slow, they can get to around 16" (though i have never personally seen one past 11", and that was only 1) it will take them around a year to get to the 6" mark, and then they start growing even slower. i had around 18 in my 180 with some of my datnoids, and that worked out perfect. i actually was thinking of buying more, but couldnt find ones that were similar in size.
another thing you have to factor in is cost. im not sure what they cost near you, but here, youre looking at between $6 and $18 for small ones, while cardinals are closer to maybe $2/ea. also, depending on your current set up, you may want to add a powerhead for them. they like the motion in the tank.

Definitely in regards to the power head. As for cost, well, despite the tank+equipment coming to me pretty cheap, all of the inhabitants will add up to quite a lot. Since this tank has been such a dream of mine for so long, I figure might as well spend a bit more but be happy with the results. Dats are fantastic fish, I bet that tanked looked awesome with the clowns and them! Currently I'm planning on 8 clowns- what would you suggest I increase the number to? (Assuming cost is no issue...but comfort/room in the tank most certainly is) I'm almost certain I'll increase their number rather than the cardinals'. I love the little guys, but I think I'm more or less set with 30. Let me know!

 

[bitteraspects]

30 will be a lot. but like i said, they grow really slow, so that will work for a few years at least. 30 clowns will cost a pretty penny though. but i definitely understand where youre coming from about doing it right the first time.
id make sure you do a lot of research on clown loaches before making that kind of an investment. they have specific needs in regards to ph levels, temperature, and are prone to white spot when younger. also a lot of WC need to be initially treated for internal parasites. but you will find all that info in your readings. it would just be sad to get 30, only for them not to make it.
how long have your current 8 been in the tank?

 

[MyraAlam]

30 will be a lot. but like i said, they grow really slow, so that will work for a few years at least. 30 clowns will cost a pretty penny though. but i definitely understand where youre coming from about doing it right the first time.
id make sure you do a lot of research on clown loaches before making that kind of an investment. they have specific needs in regards to ph levels, temperature, and are prone to white spot when younger. also a lot of WC need to be initially treated for internal parasites. but you will find all that info in your readings. it would just be sad to get 30, only for them not to make it.
how long have your current 8 been in the tank?

Oh I'm sorry, I think I worded that very badly. I meant 30 cardinals, not clowns. I'd be more than a little terrified of getting 30 clowns! As of right now I'm considering 8 clowns. How many more should I add? And if they really are that sensitive, perhaps I should leave it at 8 and add balas instead?

 

[bitteraspects]

its not that theyre necessarily sensitive, they just need to have a tank set up for them properly. then theyre no problem.
balas are pretty hearty fish. theyre pretty much throw and go. so to speak.

 

[MyraAlam]

its not that theyre necessarily sensitive, they just need to have a tank set up for them properly. then theyre no problem.
balas are pretty hearty fish. theyre pretty much throw and go. so to speak.

Here's the current plan:

6 Boesemani rainbowfish
20 Zebra danio
20 Harlequin Rasbora
10 Swordtails
4 Keyhole Cichlid
4 Blue Rams
30 Cardinal Tetra
15 Diamond Tetra
5 Pearl Gourami
8 Clown Loach
15 Assorted Corydoras
10 Khuli Loach
5 Bala Sharks

I was thinking, why not make it 10 clown loaches instead? And make it 8 Boesemani's? Just to give them a few more buddies...

 

[Inchworm]

Hi MyraAlam

What a terrific tank that will be. I love peaceful communities.

You do have some very big fish in the mix. Both clown loaches and bala sharks will grow quite large compared to the others. Balas get to 14" and clown loaches can reach 16" so in time you could have a problem if all of them thrive. There so many good, yet smaller, fish that you can consider instead, unless you really have your heart set on them.

Bristlenose plecos are small (5") and won't add a significant amount of waste to a tank that size, They are an interesting fish to look at since they are so different in appearance to all the others you are considering. A pair or two would be a nice addition. They come in brown and albino, regular or long finned types. You can feed them zucchini and other vegetables. I never thought I would like plecos, but these little fellows changed my mind completely.

Gouramis are graceful fish that are lovely to look at. Any of the regular sized ones are nice, and the pearls are beautifully colored. Males can be territorial, but that shouldn't be a problem in a tank of your size.

Kuhli loaches are fantastic if you have a sand or fine gravel substrate. They love to burrow into it. They will share vegetables with the BN plecos, if you were to get them both.

Another fish that I like that's often overlooked when planning a community is the blind cave tetra, Astyanax mexicanus. They don't have eyes, but do remarkably well without them. Unlike many tetras, they don't need to be kept in a large school.

Glass catfish, Kryptopterus bicirrhis, are another possibility. These fish are delicate with almost entirely transparent bodies. A group of them will find their spot among the plants.

And of course there are corys. They are schooling fish that actually seem to enjoy each other's company. I'll talk to you about them some more on your other thread, but let me mention that the two you have talked about, C. sterbai and C. adolfoi, do well in warmer water. If you decide to go with a selection of fish that like a mid 70s or lower temperature, there are many other corys that are as beautifully colored or marked and will make you happy. The more of them you get, the better they will like it.

 

[bitteraspects]

Bn plecos will add a ton of waste, contrary to the above statement. And anyone who's ever owned plecos will tell you the same. If you insist on a pleco, go with something nicer, and just get one. Xingu are nice as well as some of the royal variety. It really all depends on what's available to you. Take a look at your lfs and see what they have and what they can possibly order for you.
Also, in regards to the clown loaches, while they can reach 16" in the wild, you will almost never see them past 12" in an aquarium. And it takes MANY YEARS for them to get even close to that.
Bala sharks on the other hand will grow much quicker.

 

[San O Fisher]

i had trouble acclimating neon's, but the last group i bought 5-6 more than i wanted and they are all very healthy! A lot depends on where you buy them and what condition they are in before you move them, same as any other fish. The larger the school the better off you are and the more active the fish are.

I would also suggest a syno catfish, you would have more than enough room in a tank that size!

 

[MyraAlam]

Hi MyraAlam

What a terrific tank that will be. I love peaceful communities.

You do have some very big fish in the mix. Both clown loaches and bala sharks will grow quite large compared to the others. Balas get to 14" and clown loaches can reach 16" so in time you could have a problem if all of them thrive. There so many good, yet smaller, fish that you can consider instead, unless you really have your heart set on them.

Bristlenose plecos are small (5") and won't add a significant amount of waste to a tank that size, They are an interesting fish to look at since they are so different in appearance to all the others you are considering. A pair or two would be a nice addition. They come in brown and albino, regular or long finned types. You can feed them zucchini and other vegetables. I never thought I would like plecos, but these little fellows changed my mind completely.

Gouramis are graceful fish that are lovely to look at. Any of the regular sized ones are nice, and the pearls are beautifully colored. Males can be territorial, but that shouldn't be a problem in a tank of your size.

Kuhli loaches are fantastic if you have a sand or fine gravel substrate. They love to burrow into it. They will share vegetables with the BN plecos, if you were to get them both.

Another fish that I like that's often overlooked when planning a community is the blind cave tetra, Astyanax mexicanus. They don't have eyes, but do remarkably well without them. Unlike many tetras, they don't need to be kept in a large school.

Glass catfish, Kryptopterus bicirrhis, are another possibility. These fish are delicate with almost entirely transparent bodies. A group of them will find their spot among the plants.

And of course there are corys. They are schooling fish that actually seem to enjoy each other's company. I'll talk to you about them some more on your other thread, but let me mention that the two you have talked about, C. sterbai and C. adolfoi, do well in warmer water. If you decide to go with a selection of fish that like a mid 70s or lower temperature, there are many other corys that are as beautifully colored or marked and will make you happy. The more of them you get, the better they will like it.

Hey there Inchworm!

Your advice is always appreciated My heart is really set on the clowns and although I know they can get quite large, I've heard that they're slow growers and I do plan to house them in a much larger tank when they reach that size. I've also decided to keep the number of clowns at 8, I think they'll be happy in that group. The balas on the other hand, I'm slightly concerned about. If they grow too quickly, I doubt I'd be able to afford a larger tank that soon. Hmm...I think I'll be crossing them off my list. I've always wanted to try keeping bala sharks because I've had several schools of tinfoils in various tanks before, and I think a bala + tinfoil mix is fantastic. However, another big tank for the balas isn't really an option. Many people have told me that they grow quite fast so that might become a problem. In that case, no balas.

It's a really good thing you mentioned the temperature fact about the corys. I just realized that myself while doing more reading about them. Although C. sterbai and C. adolfoi are my favorites, they wouldn't do too well in this particular setup. In that case, can you suggest what other cory species I might get? I want to get around 15, and so mixing and matching would be terrific, if possible.

I'm glad the pearls won't have any problems. I've heard that the males can become territorial and so was wondering if I was right in getting a group of 5. But since you say that a tank of this size should be alright, I'll take your advice.

I've never kept kuhli loaches before but completely fell in love with them at my LFS. For them (and for the corys) I think I'll be using a fine gravel substrate, as I prefer gravel over sand. Can't wait.

The Blind Cave Tetra is most certainly interesting, but I've heard that they can be slight fin nippers. Is this true? As for the glass catfish, I checked it out after you mentioned it and let me tell you, what an awesome fish! I'm seriously considering adding a shoal of them. So...


6 Boesemani's
20 Zebra danios
20 Harlequins
10 Swordtails
4 Keyhole Cichlids
4 Blue Rams
30 Cardinals
15 Diamond Tetra
5 Pearl Gourami
8 Clowns
15 Corys
10 Kuhli's
(6?) Glass catfish

How does that sound? I think it's better than the original idea of adding bala sharks. Oh, and can anyone tell me anything about the lemon tetra? My friend has a tank full of them and keeps going on and on about how awesome they are. Am I missing out on something awesome...or is it just her? LOL

 

[MyraAlam]

Bn plecos will add a ton of waste, contrary to the above statement. And anyone who's ever owned plecos will tell you the same. If you insist on a pleco, go with something nicer, and just get one. Xingu are nice as well as some of the royal variety. It really all depends on what's available to you. Take a look at your lfs and see what they have and what they can possibly order for you.
Also, in regards to the clown loaches, while they can reach 16" in the wild, you will almost never see them past 12" in an aquarium. And it takes MANY YEARS for them to get even close to that.
Bala sharks on the other hand will grow much quicker.

Hi bitteraspects!

I initially thought of getting BN plecos because of a potential algae problem in the tank, but then I figured since this tank will require a lot of maintenance (comparatively anyway) to begin with, that I might as well take care of it myself! Your comment about bala sharks growing quickly has duly been noted and I don't think adding them to this setup is such a great idea after all. I really couldn't afford another tank for them so soon if they were to grow at a fast pace. The clowns on the other hand, will take their time, and I love them way too much. So I'm prepared to house them in a larger tank down the road.

What do you think about glass catfish? The blind cave tetra was also an option but I've heard that they're fin nippers. Would you happen to know anything about the lemon tetra by the way? I'm also trying to figure out what cory species to get since sterbai and adolfo corys would probably do better at a higher temperature than the temp I'm planning to keep this tank at. (mid 70's)

 

[bitteraspects]

another option in regards to algae (along wilt TONS of other health benefits for the fish) would be the addition of a uv sterilizer. i use them on just about all of my tanks. and even the ones outside in direct sunlight, do not grow algae.

a couple of bala sharks will be fine in your 180. they average around 14", and at adult sizes, a 72" tank is suggested. and thats what you have with the 180 and theyre very peaceful fish.

blind cave tetras are usually peaceful as well. ive never heard of them being fin nippers. id actually be more concerned about the rams if they end up breeding. but with a 6' tank, they will be able to defend a small area for themselves, while leaving enough room for your other fish to retreat to.

as far as glass cats, im not sure. i dont really keep small fish, so im probably not the best person to ask about them. the only reason i know anything about blind cave tetras is because i was deciding between them and my exodons a while back. (but once i got the exodons, it was no contest). im sure there are other people here who are well versed in small fish that could help you out. i mostly keep large angry fish. lol

 

[MyraAlam]

i had trouble acclimating neon's, but the last group i bought 5-6 more than i wanted and they are all very healthy! A lot depends on where you buy them and what condition they are in before you move them, same as any other fish. The larger the school the better off you are and the more active the fish are.

I would also suggest a syno catfish, you would have more than enough room in a tank that size!

I've heard the same regarding cardinals as well. I'll be sure to take extra precautions while acclimating them. I've heard that after establishing them, they are quite hardy however! A syno catfish definitely looks impressive, but they get quite huge. Are they fast growers? If they can be kept alone, then I don't think it would be too much of a problem. But would they add an alarming amount to the bioload?