Need Suggestions On Stocking 35 Gal Hex

[ShortAndSweet]

I was super excited to get this tank. As a bit of a newbie fish keeper, I had all sorts of ideas on what to get. The more i research, the more doubt I have.

So I turn to you lovely folks. I would love to have African Cichlids but was told there wasn't enough width to the tank. Angels were my next thought, as the tank is decently deep, but was told by someone else the tank was still too small.

Thoughts? The tank has 6 guppies right now until we can cycle one of our smaller tanks and move them. It's set up with gravel and fake plants. I intended to purchase and and live plants a little at a time. I just need to have an idea of what fish I'm adding.

Please also tell me you folks has issues like this at one point.

 

[gmc1]

Can you tell us the size of tank please.?

 

[ShortAndSweet]

35 gal
55.5" circumference
18" deep
18" across (at angle)

 

[Byron]

Before getting excited about specific fish, we should know your water parameters.  For example, without involving other factors like tank size, you mention Africh rift lake cichlids which require moderately hard or harder water, whereas angelfish are somewhat the opposite though with some adaptation but they would certainly not thrive in fairly hard water as the cichlids would.  So knowing the GH, KH and pH of your source water will help us (and you).  These you can ascertain from your water authority, check their website.
 
Angelfish will be severely crowded in this tank; being a shoaling fish they should be in a small group, five minimum.  A bonded breeding pair, or a single fish perhaps, but I am not fond of keeping shoaling fish in isolation.  But there will undoubtedly be many options once we know the water params.
 
Byron.

 

[ShortAndSweet]

GH 150
KH 80
PH 7.5

Doing a water change later today.

 

[ShortAndSweet]

The city softens the water to between 120-150.

 

[Byron]

Any idea on how they soften the water?  It may just be relative to seasonal environmental changes or the source of the water may change.  Only ask because it is helpful to know what if any substances might be added before you get the water.
 
But aside from that, you have soft water, at the high end of the "soft" range.  Solely from the perspective of the water, soft water fish will be easiest.  That means most of the South American and SE Asian species.  I would not consider rift lake cichlids without increasing the GH (and the pH with it, they are linked).  I would recommend increasing the GH for livebearers as well.  But unlike so many in NA who must contend with harder water, you have water ideally suited to the many characins, catfish, dwarf cichlids, rasbora, barbs, danios and loaches from the afore-mentioned regions.
 
With so many to choose from, it will help if you might suggest what interests you.  Angelfish would suit your water no issue, but as I previously mentioned the tank size is limiting.  A couple of factors to keep in mind when considering a community of species: the activity of the species, some are active swimmers (these need more length in an aquarium) while others tend to cruise (the height works better here).  Aside from this, combining the two usually causes stress for the sedate, so it is best to go one way or the other.
 
Just one option off the top of my head: lots of wood branches with a sand substrate, floating plants, and from the characins there are pencilfish and many tetras, cory catfish, a pair of dwarf cichlids.  This would be a South American habitat.  With SE Asia, similar sand and branches but some rasbora, one of the dwarf loach species, some of the gourami.  Very general, but starting points.
 
Byron.

 

[ShortAndSweet]

Thank you for your detailed reply. I think we're looking for colorful, engaging fish. Something with personality, if you will.

What are your opinions on sand? I've seen several people mention okay sand as opposed to aquarium sand.

Are there any special filtration considerations for the aforementioned fish?

 

[Byron]

Thank you for your detailed reply. I think we're looking for colorful, engaging fish. Something with personality, if you will.

What are your opinions on sand? I've seen several people mention okay sand as opposed to aquarium sand.

Are there any special filtration considerations for the aforementioned fish?

 
Last question first...provided the filter is intended for the tank volume (all filters have a range of tank sizes they will handle) there will be no problems.  You are going to have sedate fish for the most part, so rapid water movement is not advisable as this can wear out the fish.  An external canister, or a small internal sponge-type filter, would both work.
 
I have sand in six of my seven tanks now; I use play sand as it is smooth (very important for substrate fish like corys, pleco, loaches, and fish that sift the substrate to feed like cichlids), very inexpensive, and it resemble the sand in many Amazonian streams so it looks natural.
 
Engaging fish with a personality...when I see this I assume you are familiar with many of the medium cichlids and similar.  Gourami (the medium-large species like the Pearl) might suit you, or either of the ram (cichlid) species.  Not together though.  With some smaller shoaling fish.
 
Byron.