Good Community Tank

[fionah]

Hello,

I have been cycling my tank and hope to get a couple of fish this weekend. I have a 65 litre tank (w50 x h49 x d34 cm) with an underground filter. There are a few plants and ornaments suitable for hiding.

Eventually I would like to build up my tank to include some of the following:

6-10 neon tetras
4 clown loaches
2 catfish (not sure which type)
2 rainbow fish
6 gourami (possibly a mixture of kissing, pearl and dwarf)
1 male fighting fish

I would be grateful for some advice on:
The best fish to get to start off with so that I can continue with the 'cycling'
Whether the above combination is ok for a community tank in the long term
Any other types of fish that would be suitable. I am generally looking for some more bright coloured fish.

Thank you.

 

[hollyp0p]

Hello,

I have been cycling my tank and hope to get a couple of fish this weekend. I have a 65 litre tank (w50 x h49 x d34 cm) with an underground filter. There are a few plants and ornaments suitable for hiding.

Eventually I would like to build up my tank to include some of the following:

6-10 neon tetras
4 clown loaches
2 catfish (not sure which type)
2 rainbow fish
6 gourami (possibly a mixture of kissing, pearl and dwarf)
1 male fighting fish

I would be grateful for some advice on:
The best fish to get to start off with so that I can continue with the 'cycling'
Whether the above combination is ok for a community tank in the long term
Any other types of fish that would be suitable. I am generally looking for some more bright coloured fish.

Thank you.

gouramis and fighters are generally a no-go!!!
they are both antabanoids and therefore highly territorial, and it will most likely end in you losing one or other party of fish......so I'd have a rethink and just choose one or the other.....though fighters are a lot harder to match usually for community tanks, unless you get lucky and have a very placid fighter.....i had neons with my fighter and they fin nipped him, so they've been returned to LFS to change for harlequin rasboras who won't nip.
So that's another thing to think of with fighters, is fish that won't nip them or be too fast and stress them out!

 

[guppy fan]

I'm not sure whitch of your fish would be the best to put in first, but I've heard that neon tetras are rather sensative so they shouldn't be added untill your tank is mature. If you decide to get corydoras catfish they shouldn't be added untill the tank is finished cycling eather. They also like to be in groups of 3 or 4+.
I also woudn't recoment putting a male fighting fish in a comunity tank, but for some it has worked. I would sut up a separate tank for him incase he decides that your other fish are his enamies.

 

[LolaLouie]

That tank sounds VERY overstocked to me. I'm not experienced enough to give any real advice but i'm pretty sure clown loaches like to be in group and are too big for a 65 litre. Also in general that's far too many fish for that tank and i think you'll have a real problem fitting 6 terrotorial dwarf gouramis into a tank that small.

Anyone else wanna pick up from here...?

 

[fionah]

I've had some responses on another website too. It was suggested that I get several female bettas instead, with no gouramis. However, I have been to the LFS
a number of times and have never seen any female bettas. So would I be better getting even just a few gouramis, and no bettas?

Cherry barbs and dwarf rainbow fish were also recommended.

 

[charlie4486]

keep in mind that rainbows are generally a schooling fish whch meand 6 or more.

 

[hollyp0p]

keep in mind that rainbows are generally a schooling fish whch meand 6 or more.

yeah maybe get gourami and more rainbows rather than bettas

 

[rabbut]

I have been cycling my tank and hope to get a couple of fish this weekend. I have a 65 litre tank (w50 x h49 x d34 cm) with an underground filter. There are a few plants and ornaments suitable for hiding.

How have you cycled? Many LFS advise you to leae the tank standing for a week or two and then add fish. This is not acctualy doing anything useful, and ususaly ends badly for the fish concerned. I would adise you to read [topic="113861"]this thread[/topic] if you haven't already, to give you more information on what to do to properly cycle your tank and make it safe for fish
A 65l tank is approximately 12gal. This equates to 12inches of adverage sized adult fish, or mebe 24inches of very small species, once you get the hang of things. This will mean you can have less fish fish than you planned and I'll probibly get a flaming for stating the later value for smaller fish, as it is generaly considered far too high for such a small tank

6-10 neon tetras

depending upon dimentions, these should be OK. they need a 60cm long tank for swimming space realy. about 1-1.5 inches adult size

4 clown loaches

these are a no-go I'm afraid, as they need to be in groups of greater numbers, and can grow to 12inches when adult
though 8 inches is more common

2 catfish (not sure which type)

smaller corry species would be ok, but need to be in groups of 4 or more most other cats get too big

2 rainbow fish

as with neons, they need to be in groups, and require plenty of swimmng space. Small species can read 2 inches, larger can be upto 8.

6 gourami (possibly a mixture of kissing, pearl and dwarf)

Kissing and pearl gourami are going to get too large for your tank I'm afraid, so they are off. 6 Dwarf gourami will rip eachother in a tank of that size Mebe try 1 male and 2/3 females. Can reach 4 inches adult length.

1 male fighting fish

As above, not realy a community fish. I'd stear clear unless you can get a seporate tank for one

Cherry barbs and dwarf rainbow fish were also recommended.

Dwarf rainbows would suit, but as above, require a good sized group. Cherry barbs are like dwarf rainbows, non-aggressive, but need a group. They can read 3.5inches at adult.

HTH
Rabbut

 

[fionah]

I followed the fishless cyclng process of adding food detailed here: http/www.fishlore.com/NitrogenCycle.htm
It has been going for a week so far. I was told if I add a couple of hardy fish in this weekend (possibly corys), it will speed up the process even faster.

I would prefer all male gouramis as I do not have the experience or tank space for fry. Is this inadvisable?

OK here is my revised list!

6 neon tetras
4 cory catfish
the remainder a mixture of dwarf gouramis, rainbow fish or cherry barbs
(not sure how many is best, but my favourite out of these is definitely the gouramis)