Aqua One Ar620T Stocking Ideas?

[Gary D]

Hello again,
I am just going through a fishless cycle in my tank, but would like to start thinking ahead as to what we can put in it when it is cycled

I originally set up the tank for my 2 daughters - so I have to consider their wishes. We have progressed on from a 17 litre "beginners" tank in which we have:
1 - Dwarf Gourami
1 - Silver Molly
1 - Dalmation Molly
1 - Mickey Mouse Platy

Obviously, they will be the first inhabitants!

I have tried using Aqua Advisor, but because our tank is quite a small base surface area, but is quite tall, I think it skews the data. I know the tank we already have is, with hindsight, overstocked - so I don't want to go there again. However, I want as many fish in it as I can get eventually.

My girls originally liked the idea of Angelfish, and we are still considering just the one as a centrepiece. But will this use up too large a portion of the tanks capacity?
We were also thinking of adding another Dwarf Gourami and maybe a pair of Pearl Gouramis. The girls also like some of the fancy guppies. They also want a couple of snails to clean the algae and maybe a BN Plec, or similar, to hoover the bottom.

The AR620T is 130 litres (35 US Gallons) and is 60cm x 39cm x 60cm tall. It is using the standard trickle filter. We only have artificial plants at the moment but have a nice large piece of Mopani bogwood, and a natural rock, all on a fine gravel bottom. there is an air pump powering an air curtain and a treasure chest with a bubble activated lid (which the kids think is fantastic )

I think I am just looking for some rough guidelines, ideas and suggestions as to how many, and what fish, my (our) tank will accomodate comfortably .

Thanks again,
Gary.

 

[waterdrop]

Its pretty straightforward but a lot of tedious work sometimes. 35 USgallons means 35 inches of fish body (fins don't count) where you start thinking about it with medium small torpedo shaped fish. Then you fudge it in various ways. Small tetras like neons for instance can be an inch long but don't count as a whole inch because their body is so small, so you gain back some length there. Larger fish that have big rounded bodies take up more than their fair share so you lose inches. The tedius work comes up front where you maybe take this site and a couple of others and compile onto paper what each place claims is the maximum adult size. The inches you add up are always the maximum adult size the fish could get to. This is kind of a starting point. As you refine your stocking list, don't be afraid to post up what you think (based on your research) the inch size will be that they take up. Experienced aquarists here may offer suggestions that you modify those numbers.

OK, so why am I suggesting the old "inch per gallon" rough guideline? Its because this type of limit is a good way to help your first year and a half of the tank to be successful and for you to get a feel for this particular tank. With that kind of baseline, you can then move your stocking a little up or down, depending on how its been and what you're willing to take on. Its usually the increase in gravel-clean-water-changes that would be needed for overstocking that people are not willing to do. Understocking is a good way to make a tank easier and less of a burden to run.

Your tank is tall enough and big enough for a pair of angels but one thing to keep in mind is that ideally they like a more calm space without too much current and sometimes our modern power filters are a bit much for them. Instead, a pair of lacy pearl gouramis would make a good substitute and would be proportioned for the tank better. Meanwhile if you could find female dwarf gouramis you could put in two with your male to make a correctly balanced trio. All gouramis have a bit of the individual personality thing, so be aware that they may be a bit unpredictable in this regard. All the other fish you've mentioned sound pretty good to me as things to get in on this first list and then some of our members who are more into stocking will work on finding the bugs as your list develops. They may find that pH preferences are too far off for some combinations or other things of that nature. Don't underestimate a shoal of tetras. Many tetras don't look like much in the store but become jewels in the home tank once they are at home. Rasbora Heteromorpha (harlequins) are also among my favorites for fish that become more and more beautiful as the adjust and grow and they are super hardy to boot.

~~waterdrop~~

 

[Gary D]

waterdrop,

Thank you very much for taking the time to compile such a detailed response - it is most helpful!

We have considered Pearl Gouramis, and personally, I quite like them.

Just out of interest, you mention a pair of Angelfish. Any particular reason for a pair? I ask, because one of my LFS's suggests either 1 on it's own, or 3 or more?

I also hadn't considered the water movement issue. I don't think the filter system is that intense - as the pick up is quite close to some artificial plants but doesn't seem to cause much movement to them. However, I have a 12" air stone in there plus the aforementioned treasure chest which releases a big bubble of air every couple of minutes. Would an Angel bo OK with this?

As I said, the tank was set up for the benefit of my 2 girls, so we are trying to let them choose, within reason, what goes in it. It also means the choices will probably change 3 times a week depending on how fickle they are at the time, and which were the last species they saw and liked at the LFS

Gary.

 

[mattlee]

i have a 620 and used to breed a pair of angels in it and the filter was fine as its not too strong. if you can source a male and female pair of angels they will be fine in this tank. a lone angel can be either lonely or a bit of a #28### towards other fish where as a pair will keep themselves to themselves and not bother anything (unless they spawn which may bring a bit of teritorial behaviour as they will protect their eggs, or they might just eat them....)

 

[waterdrop]

Yes, in my past hobbyist life I might have considered myself to know quite a lot about angels, having had quite a number of them in different combinations, but since being here on TFF in recent years, with a greater number of experts, I've come to view my experiences as just that, a limited set of experiences that don't necessarily qualify me for much!

I was basing the pair statement on your 35G size, first of all, as angels of course use up a good 4 to 6 inches EACH of your overall 35 inch allowance, substracting a lot of other possibilities from your stocking plan. Just as mattlee described, I'm remembering single angels as being lonely but pairs as seeming more settled and happy in my tanks. Three might be even more settled in certain situations (for instance, if they go into breeding behavior (which is not under -your- control after all) the male might be more occupied by two females and could/would do less chasing off of other community fish (of course, the females might be doing it too!)) But the 35 might be crowed for 3. Its easier than you think to run into people (even in an LFS) who are basing number recommendations on breeding when you might be just looking for correct numbers that would make both the subject fish and the community comfortable!

~~waterdrop~~