can I get some more colourful fish suggestions? Or should I leave my tank as is?

[Rosie21]

Hi, so I currently just got an 85gallon tank for my fish, my current stocking is this:

2 female Acaras (6” each)
2 female angelfish (4” and 5”)
7 glo tetras (2.5-3”)
Rainbow shark (4” he came to me with a spinal defect so he can’t grow any bigger he is also very mellow personality wise)

Because I now have a bigger tank I was tossing around the idea of getting a few more fish, maybe some Boesemani rainbows or German blue rams or some paradise/royal gouramis etc. If I do have enough room to get a few more fish looking for more warmer colours of reds, oranges, yellows, mixes of those colours.

However if you think it’s already at its capacity with my current stocking I won’t get anymore fish.

I’ve had no issues with any of my fish, my acaras are the queens of the tank but they have never nipped anyone outside of each other in play, my angels are very docile and my glo fish don’t seem to have had any issues sometime they will shoal sometimes they will just explore the tank separately, so I’m not really concerned about any aggressive behaviour (also it is a fully planted tank)

 

[bgarthe33 51]

First…..welcome to TFF.

Love to see pics and how big was the last tank these fish were in?

I know you don’t probably want to hear this, but with the fish you have listed, the 85g is perfect for them. Adding more could very well make your tank begin to be overcrowded or create aggression issues. Those larger fish can’t just be measured by length alone as the body thickens vertically and horizontally causing more in the way of bioload. Since your combination is working for you (and I’m glad it is), figure your larger tank will make them all happier, give them more room, will provide increased water stability, and possible areas for territory should the need arise.
Lastly……if you ‘have’ to add some red to your tank, maybe sneaking in two more Red Glo Tetras might do the trick wo disrupting your harmonious community.

 

[anewbie]

acara depending on the specific ones can turn aggressive on angelfishes - there was a recent post by someone (another forum) where their acara slaughter their angelfishes in a 120.

So we need more detail on the exact species of acara and tank dimensions. Also if the acra are m/f or two of the same sex would help.

 

[Rosie21]

acara depending on the specific ones can turn aggressive on angelfishes - there was a recent post by someone (another forum) where their acara slaughter their angelfishes in a 120.

So we need more detail on the exact species of acara and tank dimensions. Also if the acra are m/f or two of the same sex would help.

That’s awful
One is a true blue the other is an electric blue they are both females and came from the same brood, I got them from a local breeder. Angels are also local but they were rehomed to me, one adult one younger Angel both female as well, i got the acaras when they were young only 2” big at the time I already had my fish Angel, the second Angel is more recent cause a friend of mine was leaving the hobby and I had some room. I have had my two acaras and my first Angel for over a year already with no issues, the younger Angel came 1 month ago and I’ve been watching closely for any aggression but I haven’t seen any, no nipped fins either and she’s gotten bolder in exploring the tank, sometimes on her own sometimes following my older angelfish.

Tank is 48” length 19” width and 23” height

 

[Rosie21]

First…..welcome to TFF.

Love to see pics and how big was the last tank these fish were in?

I know you don’t probably want to hear this, but with the fish you have listed, the 85g is perfect for them. Adding more could very well make your tank begin to be overcrowded or create aggression issues. Those larger fish can’t just be measured by length alone as the body thickens vertically and horizontally causing more in the way of bioload. Since your combination is working for you (and I’m glad it is), figure your larger tank will make them all happier, give them more room, will provide increased water stability, and possible areas for territory should the need arise.
Lastly……if you ‘have’ to add some red to your tank, maybe sneaking in two more Red Glo Tetras might do the trick wo disrupting your harmonious community.

That’s great! That was my original intention with getting the 85, I felt they needed more room (I hadn’t intended to have all of these fish, the 2 acaras were intentional and form a local breeder but the rest we’re all rehomed to me with my bleeding heart. As a result I realized I would probably need to size up for them to really thrive, my original tank was a 55gal, fortunately I found someone who sold me an 85gal with a stand for $220 so I was able to upscale faster then I thought.

It was only once I got the tank that I started to consider whether their was any possibility to add a few more fish, but the original intention was to just give all my fish an ideal amount of space for them by sizing up.

Im currently away at the moment but when I get back I’ll add a picture.

Thanks for the insight

 

[anewbie]

Well the 4 females are less likely to be a problem then if one of the acara was a male though one never knows for sure until they die of old age. Your aquarium is tall but not very long so i would be careful to not add too much. Most tetra are fine as long as the larger acara can't eat it and there are some nice cat fishes like Dianema urostriatum or Megalechis thoracata as well as red nose head standards Annostomus Ternetzi or if you don't care about continent one of the medium size loaches like zebra or yoyo.

I would only pick one or something else totally as you just don't have very much length. For the above fishes you would wnat a group of 6 to 10. The d. urostriatum and zebra loaches will mostly stay on or near the bottom. The head standard stay in the lower 1/2 of the aquarium.

If yuo want something for the top instead - someone else will have to make a suggestion as most of the fishes that pop into my head would be easily eaten by the acara. Those acra have large mouths - hum - i do have this red line tetra that is a bit larger then cardinals (but not much longer); what was the name h. rubrostriatus; they seem to stay in the upper third of the aquarium not exactly the top but not down low like cardinals.

 

[bgarthe33 51]

So your new 85g tank has a tad more height, the same length, and has more depth than the 55g. Now I really encourage you to settle for merely making their home bigger. A larger tank with more length to it, like a 110 or 125, would allow for additions….provided your current grouping remains harmonious and peaceful. For some reason I thought the 85g had a 5ft length….I was wrong.