My First 4 Ft Tank - What Fish Should I Buy?

[Doozie]

Hello everyone.

I am upgrading from my beginners 2 foot tank and have just bought a 4 foot tank. I only have 2 platies to transfer across and then I'll be packing the small tank away. But what new fish should I get for the bigger tank?

Ideally I would like to get a silver shark, angel fish, loaches and some cichlids/rams.

But I also like tetras, platies and guppies too.

I am aware that not all these fish will go well together, and have heard opinions that some fish (like the silver shark) may be too big for a 4 footer. Is this true?

Please give me suitable stocklist suggestions for my 45 gals. Thanks.

 

[Doozie]

Anyone got some suggestions?

 

[Doozie]

???

 

[bordercollie05]

Hello everyone.

I am upgrading from my beginners 2 foot tank and have just bought a 4 foot tank. I only have 2 platies to transfer across and then I'll be packing the small tank away. But what new fish should I get for the bigger tank?

Ideally I would like to get a silver shark, angel fish, loaches and some cichlids/rams.

But I also like tetras, platies and guppies too.

I am aware that not all these fish will go well together, and have heard opinions that some fish (like the silver shark) may be too big for a 4 footer. Is this true?

Please give me suitable stocklist suggestions for my 45 gals. Thanks.

Hi, congrats on your new tank! I'm not sure what your dimensions are but the general rule I think is that the tank should be at least 18" high for angels. If it is, I'd say you could easily have a pair of them. The best way to get a pair is to talk to your LFS and ask them to let you take 6 baby angels home and when the first pair comes about, return the rest.

I do think the shark might be too big for your tank, but I'm not real familiar with them, so someone else will have to answer that one.

I'm assuming you know about cycling since you have had a smaller tank, but please make sure you cycle your tank before adding fishies! They'll be happier and healthier that way. I've got an angel that suffered fin rot due to the stress of a fish-in cycle (i didn't really know what I was doing yet), and her fin has been crooked ever since.

As far as stocking numbers go, I'm not sure maybe something like:
2 angels
2-4 rams
5-6 small loaches? (possibly chain or yo-yo loaches...don't know scientific names, sorry)
And you'd probably still have room for your two current platies and maybe a couple more

I really like the rams, I haven't had any yet, but let me know about your experiences with them if you choose to get them!

Good luck with everything!

Laura

 

[Guinness]

Congrats on your upgrade

Firstly- I would stick to what you like within reason. You wouldn't be able to have cichlids with anything else, apart from the Rams which I have had for several years in a 70G community tank with no problems at all.

I am a tetra lover, so would go for say half a dozen of say, Cardinals, Golds (beautiful fish & very underated) & perhaps black Neons- they are so active & colourful.

Dwarf Gouramis are very pleasing on the eye & fit in well in a larger tank. Don't go for the blue ones however as they can be delicate.

Wouldn't have any loaches as they can eat plants, & my main interest is the plants.

The shark would be a no- no as can grow too big, then you have the problem of rehoming after you have become attached to it.

Not fond of guppies so I can't speak for them. Angels would be too much of a fin munch for the tetras.

I have a few small killifish in mine. They are lovely, & not nearly as hard to look after as some people think.

Good luck.

 

[murphyk32]

just as a note, the shark will get big, but could last in a 4 footer,, BUT silver or bala sharks should be kept in groups (3-4 min) and the tank isnt big enough for that many im most peoples oppinions.

Murph

 

[Davo86]

Best to leave the bala sharks unless your planning another upgrade of a 6foot plus in the near future.

I'd go for a stocking that included Platy's, Swordtails, Angels, Rams, keyholes, larger tetra species, corydoras, and something like a bristlenose or even one of the more rarer small plecos.

 

[Doozie]

Best to leave the bala sharks unless your planning another upgrade of a 6foot plus in the near future.

I'd go for a stocking that included Platy's, Swordtails, Angels, Rams, keyholes, larger tetra species, corydoras, and something like a bristlenose or even one of the more rarer small plecos.

Thanks guys, some good suggestions here. I'd really like to get some rams - heard they are notoriously hard to settle in though.