Advice with shop stocking suggestions.

[R84achey]

So attached is my local store’s reccomendations for my tank. Opinions?

 

[Essjay]

Remind us again - how big is the tank, volume and dimensions.

I would prefer to see larger groups even if it means fewer species of the shoaling species.

Rams in all the colour variants (German blue, electric blue, gold etc) can be tricky fish. They need soft water and higher temperatures that most other fish. And balloon fish of all types are not healthy. Their bodies have been squashed up to get that shape which impacts on their internal organs. Rams also have to choose their own mates and I wouldn't trust a shop to make sure they sold you a bonded pair. Instead I would look at a pair of apistogrammas or Bolivian rams (which are not the same species as rams, though they too need to be a bonded pair)

Red honey gouramis are almost impossible to sex, you could end up with all males. And if they sell them a 1m 2f trios, having 3 red and 3 yellow still means 2 males. I know it's down to personal preference, but I would go with just a trio of yellow honeys.

 

[R84achey]

Remind us again - how big is the tank, volume and dimensions.

I would prefer to see larger groups even if it means fewer species of the shoaling species.

Rams in all the colour variants (German blue, electric blue, gold etc) can be tricky fish. They need soft water and higher temperatures that most other fish. And balloon fish of all types are not healthy. Their bodies have been squashed up to get that shape which impacts on their internal organs. Rams also have to choose their own mates and I wouldn't trust a shop to make sure they sold you a bonded pair. Instead I would look at a pair of apistogrammas or Bolivian rams (which are not the same species as rams, though they too need to be a bonded pair)

Red honey gouramis are almost impossible to sex, you could end up with all males. And if they sell them a 1m 2f trios, having 3 red and 3 yellow still means 2 males. I know it's down to personal preference, but I would go with just a trio of yellow honeys.

Hey it’s the Juwel 180 vision Led which is 92x41x73cm. I believe you advised that my water was on the soft side according to the Yorkshire water website. I’ve used a dipstick and the hardness is between 125-250 (I know these aren’t reliable but ordered them before I received the correct advice. Ph is 7.5, ammonia zero (I’ve been giving it snacks to keep it ticking over) nitrites 0 and nitrate 12.5. X

 

[mbsqw1d]

Id say the blue rams require warmer water than what the lemon tetra and barbs should be kept at

 

[PlasticGalaxy]

Yikes! Seeing the cost written down like that is scary! Fishkeeping is so expensive... I'd personally go without cherry barbs, since I've had some experience (really my dad's experience) with barbs being nippy and even aggressive.

 

[R84achey]

Yikes! Seeing the cost written down like that is scary! Fishkeeping is so expensive... I'd personally go without cherry barbs, since I've had some experience (really my dad's experience) with barbs being nippy and even aggressive.

Nooooo I love the red ones ? if you’ve noticed I have red, yellow, green, blue then the orange/yellow red variety I wanted purple and pink in there too but I think that’s pushing it ?

 

[Essjay]

If you want reddish, ember tetras are small and deep orange (washed out pale in the shops though as they are stressed in there).

 

[Essjay]

Apistogramma borelli have metalic blue males

 

[PlasticGalaxy]

Nooooo I love the red ones ? if you’ve noticed I have red, yellow, green, blue then the orange/yellow red variety I wanted purple and pink in there too but I think that’s pushing it ?

Rummynose tetra are my favourite red fish! They're very bright and bold.

 

[Slaphppy7]

Rummynose tetra are my favourite red fish! They're very bright and bold.

I'm a huge tetra fan, and my favorite of all of them are the rummys

 

[Slaphppy7]

Lemons are high energy, almost aggressive fish, especially at feeding time...I'd pass on those, with the other fish listed.
Never buy "balloon" fish of any type, they are purposely-bred deformed fish, with very short life spans...I find it inhumane to breed them

 

[PlasticGalaxy]

I'm a huge tetra fan, and my favorite of all of them are the rummys

They're probably my favourite tetra to be honest. I like the classic look of neons, but their red faces make them look like bashful, drunk old men. Or like they've got a cold!

 

[Byron]

Never buy "balloon" fish of any type, they are purposely-bred deformed fish, with very short life spans...I find it inhumane to breed them

Well said. By buying these poor fish we encourage breeders to continue the cruel and inhumane processes to achieve them just to make money. Not buying them is the only effective way to get the message across and eventually it may get through, we can hope.

 

[Byron]

Keeping in mind the tank dimensions/volume (post #3) and @Essjay comments in post #2...I would not advise more than either one cichlid species or one gourami species. These two fish families do not always work together due to similarities in territorial male inherent behaviours. I know it may work for some, but it is often more luck than "normal."

Other comments over temperature, activity, etc from other members are also well worth heeding here.

Putting together a community tank (meaning more than one species) takes careful consideration to ensure all have similar requirements respecting the environment, which includes the water parameters, the aquascape, the numbers best for a shoaling species, and general behaviour compatibility of each species. The store's list in post #1 is really fraught with problems.