My Wish List..

[joeybear]

Hi again,
I haven't even cycled my tank yet, in fact other half is just making the cabinet now. We were just discussing the fish we wanted, obviously you can only have a certain amount, so we don't want to get one type, then find out we won't be able to have one we'd prefer more, so any opinions on our wish list would be most welcome.

4 - 6 x Platty's (preferably sunset)
5 x Danio's (probably leopard)
4 - 5 x Corys (panda or peppered)
6 x rummie nose tetra
6 - 8 x Neon tetra
6 x Guppies
A small plec
6 x cherry shrimp

Now i'm thinking that will be over stocked, but it's hard to tell thinking about it as we don't even have water in the tank yet.
If so, what one's would be best to leave out and why?

EDIT: Tank it 4ft, 300 litre

 

[Joinerlavin]

How big is the tank?
And If you get Guppies get all males because you will end up with hundreds because they breed like mad and the females are often pregnant when you buy them.

 

[loachman]

Those are generally compatible, but what size is your tank?

I would get all male platties and guppies though

 

[Truck]

dont buy neons or rummy nose tetras, they will die in a new tank, thy need a mature setup, wait 6 months before adding them

 

[joeybear]

D'oh forgot to say it's 4ft long and 300 litres.
I realised just as we were lifting it onto the stand. Oh my, never knew fish keeping would keep me so fit!!!!

 

[Paavn]

you should wait till your tank is mature before you add the shrimp
i want some too but i have to wait as well...

 

[joeybear]

Thanks for your input so far.
I prefer the male guppies but planned on getting same sex livebearers as I don't think we are ready for fry being beginners and all.
I have heard the shrimp may breed too?

So it's best to leave the tetra and shrimp until tank has been successfully running for a while. And the danios will go in first, followed by the platties a couple of weeks later?

 

[Schmill]

As a slight aside, there seems to be an awful lot of talk about a tank needing to be 'mature' before introducing certain fish / living things.
I raised this point the other day as I have a tank that has just completed cycling, and the stock I want in there is heavily Tetra based, so do I buy a load of fish I don't want, keep them for 6 months, then try to get rid of them and get the ones I do want?
My answer to that I have to say was no. I have my Tetras arriving the end of this week. I know it's not the most advisable course, but it seems the only logical one to me. I do also have the fallback option of moving them into my 60L 'mature' tank if it all goes pearshaped, but I'm keeping my fingers crossed and will be keeping a close eye.

Not for a moment suggesting that you do this to, just wanted to give another perspective.

Other than that I would echo the comments of the others, only get male livebearers if you don't want to end up with fry, as both the platies and the guppies are likely to breed if you get a 'mix'.

As for the pleco, personally I've got the spotted Bulldog Pleco (187a) which I like very much, but a lot of people on here seem to go for the bristlenose pleco as a small pleco too. If you do go with the bristlenose I think you will need to make sure you have some bogwood / driftwood in your tank too as they like to graze / gnaw or something similar on it

I know in a different thread you weren't sure whether to do fishless or fish-in cycling, and I just want to make sure you are aware that if you go for fish-in you won't be able to put all those in at once, (just a couple at a time), and the shrimp will definitly have to wait in that case as they are particularly sensitive to the ammonia.

 

[joeybear]

Yes I do plan to stagger these a lot, it's just the overall wish for the tank, I know it can takes months and we are going to be patient.
My other half loves the bristlenose's but I wasn't sure if they would get too big?

Am I right in thinking the cory's are quite hardy then and can go in a few weeks after the platties?

Oh and we have some bog wood in soak, although i'm not 100% it's real bog wood! The bog wood I see in pictures is all dark and layered looking, whilst mine is that on one side, on the other is is lighter and smooth, but it does still stain the water, any suggestions to if it's real?

 

[Schmill]

I think Bristlenose's will be fine in a 4' 300L tank, just don't get too many, perhaps 2. I don't entirely know about their 'requirements' but for now I am only getting 2 Bulldogs Plecos in my equivalent tank, and I think they are a tad smaller, (although I perhaps could have more, who knows - lol)

I don't know if cory's are hardy or not, but it's not so much about the fish being hardy if you choose to do a fish-in cycle, as much as you being diligent with your testing and water changes. As long as you are prepared to be testing at least once a day, and performing water changes as soon as you see any level of ammonia or nitrIte, then you should do ok.
As I understand it this is the only limiting factor on the amount of fish you can put into the tank to start with. To few and it will take an age for you to stock your tank, to many and you will end up having to do multiple waterchanges each day, and still risk harming the fish, get it right though, and get that balance so that you are only having to do waterchanges as often as you are comfortable and you are sorted.
I'm just far too lazy for all those waterchanges, so went with the fishless method instead, and have just spent time working with a few plants, decor, electrics, waterchange equipment... ... ... ... .. .. .. -lol

 

[Darkstar]

Oh and we have some bog wood in soak, although i'm not 100% it's real bog wood! The bog wood I see in pictures is all dark and layered looking, whilst mine is that on one side, on the other is is lighter and smooth, but it does still stain the water, any suggestions to if it's real?

That sounds like mopani wood. Does it look anything like the wood shown in the link?

http/www.fishandfins.co.uk/images/mopani-wood.jpg

 

[joeybear]

That sounds like mopani wood. Does it look anything like the wood shown in the link?

[URL="http/www.fishandfins.co.uk/images/mopani-wood.jpg"]http/www.fishandfins.co.uk/images/mopani-wood.jpg[/URL]

Yes that's exactly it. Thanks. Would it be ok for the above species, as we live in a very hard water area, I read it would help.

 

[Paavn]

to answer your question about shrimp breeding, they do breed but in a community tank the little ones will usually get eaten unless you have a tank that has a lot of vegetation and hiding places for them.

 

[MHunt]

Well stocking wise you're fine for a 300l/75gal tank. I would suggest a couple of BN plecs would be ok too. I have 2 in my 4ft 200l/55gal tank and they're great.

Out of interest, what's the other tank dimensions? It must be nearly a cube to have a capacity of 300L

 

[joeybear]

Out of interest, what's the other tank dimensions? It must be nearly a cube to have a capacity of 300L

It's a bow front, so that add some extra space. Not actually sure precisely on the other dimentions, but it's almost 2 foot tall.