Final Fish Choice Thoughts

[Rubyuk]

Well here it is guys.....still fishless cycling but I think i've nearly decided on what my final stocking list will look like....over time anyway

After lots of changes after months of research and helpful advice on here:

Emperor Tetras (shoal)
Black Harlequinns (shoal)
Gold Barbs (Barbus Sachsi) (small group)
Platys (males only) (maybe 4)
Rams (one pair)
Small group of Corys
2/3 ottos
Bristlenose Catfish (one or one pair)
Amano Shripms
Red Honeyset Gourami (one pair)

180 ltr tank (92cm long x 41cm wide x 55cm high) Softish water

I know the Otos,Shrimps,Rams and possibly Corys need to be added after a few months to give time for my tank/filter to mature as opposed to simply cycled.

Any obvious glorious mistakes spring to mind from that list?

The Red Honeyset Gouramis are the ones I'm still not 100% sure about as general advice seems to be that Gouramis are delicate in terms of suseptable to disease and quite timid,one person on here even referring to them as being the Mavis Riley of the fish world!!!!!

I was having a long chat yesterday with one of my LFS and he was bigging up the Kribs suggesting a pair would look stunning in my set up.

I've since done some research and wow they look stunning but i've read they are quite territoral at breeding which i think i'm right is true of the rams as well.

Would Kribs be a sensible choice for me as a beginner or because of the breeding etc would you suggest i stay clear completley?

I have a website with a compatability creator etc and it suggests that them in my set up is ok apart from that the Gourami would be too nervous with Kribs,so I was thinking a pair of Kribs could replace the Gourami depending on peoples views on them for me.

I was thinking the Kribs and Rams could be a problem in same tank at breeding time but the tank creator website doersn't suggest they'll be a problem and I've read from peoples experience on another website that they have kribs in tanks with rams.

One person has told me that male platys together not a good idea as they would squabble without females to 'play' with but others have suggested i go one sex as I know the livebearers and platys in particular breed like rabbits.

As always guys,thoughts/advice/experiences very much appreciated.

 

[Truck]

leave the tank mature if adding rams 6 months+

same with the ottos

 

[stang1]

Kribs are beautiful fish but don't always work in a community when they are breeding.
I would scratch the Kribs and stick with the Rams as they are less aggressive at breeding time.
I would also look at a shoal of Honey Gouramies (Colisa chuna/sota) rather than Dwarf Gourami (Colisa lalia), as they are a lot hardier.
The Platies should be ok as it is a good size tank which will help minimise squabbling.
If you choose Ottos, then go for a bigger group of 6+ as they are shy and prefer to be in a group.
Other than that, stocking looks good.

 

[minxfishy]

I agree dont put the kribs with the rams, if the kribs do pair up, being very territorial they would beat up on the rams, however, you could ditch the rams and have the kribs, they are much hardier and easy to care for.

My honey gourami is very outgoing and always the 1st to the front whenever anyone walks past so IME not shy fish once they have settled in.

Otherwise your stocking looks fine, try to get as said a larger group of ottos (maybe wait a while before adding them too as they can be picky eaters and pretty sensitive to water quality) and also cories prefer to be in 6+ groups.

 

[Rubyuk]

Thanks guys

 

[MHunt]

Don't want to put you off, but I think that's too many fish, certainly for starting up the tank. I consider tetra schoals to be 6 fish or more, and by the time you have suitable groups of cory's and otto's, i think you're going to be overstocked. I'd drop the platy's or gourami's, as i've had bullying issues in the past with these fish. And again I'd have either Oto's or the BN plecs, for the main reason they'll be competing for the same food source and oto's certainly need to be well fed to stay healthy. And as has already been said, if you're going to have rams, forget the kribs as they're much more aggresive and territorial when it comes to breeding.

Other than that a nice selection of fish. Hope you enjoy your new tank.

 

[Rubyuk]

Don't want to put you off, but I think that's too many fish, certainly for starting up the tank. I consider tetra schoals to be 6 fish or more, and by the time you have suitable groups of cory's and otto's, i think you're going to be overstocked. I'd drop the platy's or gourami's, as i've had bullying issues in the past with these fish. And again I'd have either Oto's or the BN plecs, for the main reason they'll be competing for the same food source and oto's certainly need to be well fed to stay healthy. And as has already been said, if you're going to have rams, forget the kribs as they're much more aggresive and territorial when it comes to breeding.

Other than that a nice selection of fish. Hope you enjoy your new tank.

Sorry...they are not all going in at once.Thats the list I'm considering as the total final stocking list.I know that some of my choices have to wait several weeks/months but others can go in straight away after fishless cycling..then plan to add the others gradually thereafter.

Was thinking of the Platys/Emperor Tetras/Gold Barbs and harlequinns as the first groups to be added in the early stages post cyclingh

 

[MHunt]

Don't want to put you off, but I think that's too many fish, certainly for starting up the tank. I consider tetra schoals to be 6 fish or more, and by the time you have suitable groups of cory's and otto's, i think you're going to be overstocked. I'd drop the platy's or gourami's, as i've had bullying issues in the past with these fish. And again I'd have either Oto's or the BN plecs, for the main reason they'll be competing for the same food source and oto's certainly need to be well fed to stay healthy. And as has already been said, if you're going to have rams, forget the kribs as they're much more aggresive and territorial when it comes to breeding.

Other than that a nice selection of fish. Hope you enjoy your new tank.

Sorry...they are not all going in at once.Thats the list I'm considering as the total final stocking list.I know that some of my choices have to wait several weeks/months but others can go in straight away after fishless cycling..then plan to add the others gradually thereafter.

Was thinking of the Platys/Emperor Tetras/Gold Barbs and harlequinns as the first groups to be added in the early stages post cyclingh

Have you got thoughts on numbers of fish that you want. I've done the pick and mix tank, (a few of everything) and now i'm of the opinion that a couple of larger schoals of a few types of fish looks better, but it's your tank, that's just my opinion. What filtration have you got with your tank?

 

[Rubyuk]

Don't want to put you off, but I think that's too many fish, certainly for starting up the tank. I consider tetra schoals to be 6 fish or more, and by the time you have suitable groups of cory's and otto's, i think you're going to be overstocked. I'd drop the platy's or gourami's, as i've had bullying issues in the past with these fish. And again I'd have either Oto's or the BN plecs, for the main reason they'll be competing for the same food source and oto's certainly need to be well fed to stay healthy. And as has already been said, if you're going to have rams, forget the kribs as they're much more aggresive and territorial when it comes to breeding.

Other than that a nice selection of fish. Hope you enjoy your new tank.

Sorry...they are not all going in at once.Thats the list I'm considering as the total final stocking list.I know that some of my choices have to wait several weeks/months but others can go in straight away after fishless cycling..then plan to add the others gradually thereafter.

Was thinking of the Platys/Emperor Tetras/Gold Barbs and harlequinns as the first groups to be added in the early stages post cyclingh

Have you got thoughts on numbers of fish that you want. I've done the pick and mix tank, (a few of everything) and now i'm of the opinion that a couple of larger schoals of a few types of fish looks better, but it's your tank, that's just my opinion. What filtration have you got with your tank?

Its the Juwel internal Bio flow system that comes with the tank.

I've also got additional aeriation with air stones etc

 

[thomasp9021]

which rams are you aiming to get as i think bolivian rams would be a better choice than blues or golds as they require warm soft acidic water which alot of your other choices wont do so well in

 

[Inchworm]

Hi Rubyuk

If you want kribs or rams, it would be best to forget about the corys. They don't do as well with cichlids than they do with less aggressive fish.

 

[Rubyuk]

Hi Rubyuk

If you want kribs or rams, it would be best to forget about the corys. They don't do as well with cichlids than they do with less aggressive fish.

What would you suggest as the bottom feeding crew then,just the BN's?