44 Gallon Stocking Ideas.

[Blitz23]

Hi guys, so I've been out of the hobby for a few years now but am close to moving into my own place within the coming months.  I've decided to plan for my new tank well in advanced and would like your opnions on stocking options for a rectangular 44 gallon.  I have a list of fish I like but am aware I can't have them all, but I would like peoples opinions and ideas of what would work together.  I plan to have the tank planted with a sand substrate.  One thing I haven't look into yet is the water parameters the fish require and which work well together, so this will impact my choice too.
 
 
List of fish I'm considering:
 
Angelfish
Corys
Albino Bristlenose Pleco
Tetras (leaning towards cardinal or rummy nosed)
Red Tailed Black Shark
Gouramis (Opaline, Honey, Moonlight, Kissing)
Rams
Platys (White Mickey Mouse/Sunset)
Silver Dollars - Probably end up too big for the tank in reality
Ottos
Glass catfish
Killifish
 
The only fish I 100% on acquiring from that list are corys, not decided what species though.  Any thoughts and advice would be very much appreciated and any other fish you guys would think be suited please feel free to let me know, thanks
 
Lee

 

[cooledwhip]

panda cories, green corys, bronze corys, albino cories are all awesome species. Pretty sure they are compatible with almost all fish, but need sand substrate.

 

[Byron]

Without knowing the water parameters, all I can offer are a few comments on inappropriate fish in your list, since this will not change whatever the parameters.
 
Red tail Shark can be a real nasty fellow.  It frequently takes a dislike to upper fish, especially vertically-striped ones (not sure why), and with other substrate fish like corys I would not consider this fish.  Also, at six inches it is a larger fish.
 
Gouramis can be trouble, especially the species you mention.  The "Kissing" gets to a foot in length (30 cm), needs a group, and can get extremely aggressive.  The other three are the same species, just varieties developed from Trichopodus trichopterus, and these can be remarkable nasty.  I watched two Blue Gourami circle and eat a not-small neon tetra in a store tank.  You have the space for one male and two females of whichever variety, but this will limit options for tankmates so... .
 
Silver Dollars are shoaling fish, and as you say, will get too large for this tank.  Same goes for angelfish.  This is a shoaling fish, and five minimum is best but in much larger quarters.  A bonded pair could manage in a 44g, but here again they will spawn and this can be trouble if other species are wanted.  A single angelfish is not something I recommend because this fish has an inherent need to live in a group, and I do not advocate maintaining fish contrary to what nature intended, at least as much as we can.  After all, any aquarium is an artificial environment, but we can at least avoid some mistakes.
 
Glass catfish are fine tank-size; they need a group, but they are very skittish and retiring fish, so tankmates must be carefully selected.  And thick plants are best.
 
Hope this is of some benefit.
 
Byron.

 

[Blitz23]

panda cories, green corys, bronze corys, albino cories are all awesome species. Pretty sure they are compatible with almost all fish, but need sand substrate.

 
Yeah I'm thinking Pandas at the moment, maybe peppered.

Without knowing the water parameters, all I can offer are a few comments on inappropriate fish in your list, since this will not change whatever the parameters.
 
Red tail Shark can be a real nasty fellow.  It frequently takes a dislike to upper fish, especially vertically-striped ones (not sure why), and with other substrate fish like corys I would not consider this fish.  Also, at six inches it is a larger fish.
 
Gouramis can be trouble, especially the species you mention.  The "Kissing" gets to a foot in length (30 cm), needs a group, and can get extremely aggressive.  The other three are the same species, just varieties developed from Trichopodus trichopterus, and these can be remarkable nasty.  I watched two Blue Gourami circle and eat a not-small neon tetra in a store tank.  You have the space for one male and two females of whichever variety, but this will limit options for tankmates so... .
 
Silver Dollars are shoaling fish, and as you say, will get too large for this tank.  Same goes for angelfish.  This is a shoaling fish, and five minimum is best but in much larger quarters.  A bonded pair could manage in a 44g, but here again they will spawn and this can be trouble if other species are wanted.  A single angelfish is not something I recommend because this fish has an inherent need to live in a group, and I do not advocate maintaining fish contrary to what nature intended, at least as much as we can.  After all, any aquarium is an artificial environment, but we can at least avoid some mistakes.
 
Glass catfish are fine tank-size; they need a group, but they are very skittish and retiring fish, so tankmates must be carefully selected.  And thick plants are best.
 
Hope this is of some benefit.
 
Byron.

 
Thanks for your input Byron, I'll take into consideration all your points, looks like Angelfish are out then and silver dollars are out then.  Is there anything you'd recommend as a centre piece fish ?

 

[Byron]

Thanks for your input Byron, I'll take into consideration all your points, looks like Angelfish are out then and silver dollars are out then.  Is there anything you'd recommend as a centre piece fish ?
 

 
Anyone who has read several of my posts on this issue knows that I tend to shy away from so-called "centrepiece" fish because of the (limiting) tank size and the way it often (not always though) can limit options for other fish.  But it can work, if the "centrepiece" are not too large.
 
I don't know the tank dimensions of your 44g but I will assume from your "rectangular 44g" they are close to those of my 40g which is 90cm (3 feet) length by 45cm (18 inches) width, and whatever height.  It is the length and width that are most important here, since we are not going to be considering any especially "high" fish.  Correct me if I am wrong on the dimensions.
 
I also don't know the parameters yet, so that might change things.  But for centrepiece fish to build around, and since you seem to like gourami, there is the more peaceful Pearl that is a real beauty.  I'm still trying to find a tank among my 8 to convert for a group of this species as I have not had Pearls for many years.  A group of three or four would be nice, one or maybe two males, and two or three females.  Floating plants obligatory of course.  
 
In the cichlid camp, the Bolivian Ram is lovely.  A solitary male (this species is believed to live in isolation except when spawning) does very well in community tanks; I had one that kicked the bucket last December, in his eighth year, which is pretty good for a fish with a normal 4-5 year lifespan.  He ruled the tank, which was a 5-foot with over a hundred various tetras and corys, and the Ram decided things without question.  If a pair, make sure they are bonded before you acquire them.  The common blue ram, in any of its derived colour forms, can work, but this is a warmer water fish; you mentioned panda corys, and this will not work, as pandas are cooler water.  The Bolivian and the gourami would be OK with pandas, though not my first choice in corys because not only temperature but water current; this cory comes from small mountain streams and appreciates water current, often playing in the filter flow.  Gourami and rams are sedate fish that do not like water currents, being more "pond" or flooded forest fish.
 
Congo Tetra make a lovely centrepiece, and provided the dimensions are what I mentioned earlier (90cm length) at a minimum this could work.  They remain mid-tank so it leaves options for substrate fish and upper level fish like hatchets of some of the pencilfish perhaps.  Parameters are important as many of these will be wild caught.
 
Byron.

 

[Blitz23]

So the tank parameters are 100cm x 40cm x 50cm, tank I'm looking at is the Fluval Roma 200.  I know pandas are a more sensitive species of cory, I am also keen on albino which I believe are more hardy and against a dark background will look fantastic.  I like the idea of a Ram with tetras, just worried as I've never kept Rams before and I've read they can be difficult.  Those 3 with maybe a couple of pairs of some colourful platys or guppies but I don't know how they'd do with tetras, whether I could fit a bristlenose pleco in after I don't know guess I'll see how it goes.

 

[Fishmanic]

consider Julii cory...they only get about 2 1/2 inches or so...get a large group of them...very active cory and pretty pattern on body
 

 

[Blitz23]

consider Julii cory...they only get about 2 1/2 inches or so...get a large group of them...very active cory and pretty pattern on body
 

 
Yep they're a possibility I guess I'll have to see what stock my local fish store has when it comes to buying them.

 

[Byron]

So the tank parameters are 100cm x 40cm x 50cm, tank I'm looking at is the Fluval Roma 200.  I know pandas are a more sensitive species of cory, I am also keen on albino which I believe are more hardy and against a dark background will look fantastic.  I like the idea of a Ram with tetras, just worried as I've never kept Rams before and I've read they can be difficult.  Those 3 with maybe a couple of pairs of some colourful platys or guppies but I don't know how they'd do with tetras, whether I could fit a bristlenose pleco in after I don't know guess I'll see how it goes.

 
Both species of ram, Mikrogeophagus ramirezi (the blue or common ram, including all the colour varieites) and M. altispinosus (Bolivian), need stable water quality and parameters.  They will settle in best if the tank is somewhat established with the other fish in it and the biology stable.  Fluctuating water quality is why some have difficulty with these species.  Properly provided for, they are easy to maintain.  Same holds for any of the SA dwarf cichlids.  Cichlids may have a reputation as feisty little fish (which they can be), but they are nonetheless quite delicate when it comes to the water.
 
Livebearers need moderately hard water, something the tetras, Bristlenose, and cichlids or gourami would not appreciate, depending upon how hard and the species.  There is some adaptability, but it has limits.  Livebearers need the mineral or they will not do well long-term.  So the parameters will help you sort this out.  Generally speaking, hard water fish and soft water fish do not go well together, but again there are species of the latter than overlap this distinction somewhat; but it is still worth keeping in mind.

 

[Blitz23]

 

So the tank parameters are 100cm x 40cm x 50cm, tank I'm looking at is the Fluval Roma 200.  I know pandas are a more sensitive species of cory, I am also keen on albino which I believe are more hardy and against a dark background will look fantastic.  I like the idea of a Ram with tetras, just worried as I've never kept Rams before and I've read they can be difficult.  Those 3 with maybe a couple of pairs of some colourful platys or guppies but I don't know how they'd do with tetras, whether I could fit a bristlenose pleco in after I don't know guess I'll see how it goes.

 
Both species of ram, Mikrogeophagus ramirezi (the blue or common ram, including all the colour varieites) and M. altispinosus (Bolivian), need stable water quality and parameters.  They will settle in best if the tank is somewhat established with the other fish in it and the biology stable.  Fluctuating water quality is why some have difficulty with these species.  Properly provided for, they are easy to maintain.  Same holds for any of the SA dwarf cichlids.  Cichlids may have a reputation as feisty little fish (which they can be), but they are nonetheless quite delicate when it comes to the water.
 
Livebearers need moderately hard water, something the tetras, Bristlenose, and cichlids or gourami would not appreciate, depending upon how hard and the species.  There is some adaptability, but it has limits.  Livebearers need the mineral or they will not do well long-term.  So the parameters will help you sort this out.  Generally speaking, hard water fish and soft water fish do not go well together, but again there are species of the latter than overlap this distinction somewhat; but it is still worth keeping in mind.
 

 
I'll take the liverbearer advice into consideration although I have seen quite a few tanks which inhabit both and they thrived.  Maybe I will just stick to a south American theme, we shall see.  I have plenty of time to do some research, but who knows I may see something in the fish shop that will completely change my mind and make me go another way.  I think corys and a ram(s) will be included though as I've always loved corys and I have never kept rams so it will be something new to me.
 
Lee

 

[Byron]

I'll take the liverbearer advice into consideration although I have seen quite a few tanks which inhabit both and they thrived.
 

 
I did say "generally" and that some species can adapt, and it depends upon the parameters and species.  If your parameters turn out to be very soft or soft (my source water is very soft), livebearers will not last long without raising the mineral (GH and KH, and resulting pH).  On the opposite end, if you have "liquid rock" as some term very hard water, livebearers, rainbowfishes (some species) and rift lake cichlids would thrive but almost all soft water species will not last long.  If the params should be moderately hard (say somewhere between 10 and 12 dGH) the livebearers should be fine and some species of "soft" water species can manage.  Until we know the numbers, it is a guessing game.  On that, you might find it helpful to look up the website of the water authority for the area you are moving to, and see what they give for the GH, KH and pH.

 

[Blitz23]

I'll take the liverbearer advice into consideration although I have seen quite a few tanks which inhabit both and they thrived.

 
I did say "generally" and that some species can adapt, and it depends upon the parameters and species.  If your parameters turn out to be very soft or soft (my source water is very soft), livebearers will not last long without raising the mineral (GH and KH, and resulting pH).  On the opposite end, if you have "liquid rock" as some term very hard water, livebearers, rainbowfishes (some species) and rift lake cichlids would thrive but almost all soft water species will not last long.  If the params should be moderately hard (say somewhere between 10 and 12 dGH) the livebearers should be fine and some species of "soft" water species can manage.  Until we know the numbers, it is a guessing game.  On that, you might find it helpful to look up the website of the water authority for the area you are moving to, and see what they give for the GH, KH and pH.

Thanks a lot Byron, I appreciate your input immensely. I join the forums to try and learn and further my knowledge and so far it hasn't disappointed. Still have a few months before I'll even purchase the tank but I think the more prep I put in the better the outcome of the tank, thanks guys!