New 120 Liter Aquarium

[Fishywishy333]

Hi everyone, I am going to save up for an 120 liter aquarium and I am just wondering about what I should do with it. I would definitely want some tropical fish and plants. What fish do you think I should get? I am leaning toward either community or cichlid aquarium. I really like cichlids because they are really colourful but I am worried one might bully all the others. With a community I don't have the danger of bullying but it might be more interesting with cichlids.
 
So I would like to hear anyone's opinions on what type of fish you think I should get. Hope you can help me and thanks in advance! 

 

[TallTree01]

Hi.
I would do a community instead of a cichlid tank. Your tank isn't really big enough to be a cichlid tank IMO. Most of the cichlids that's could fit in there are often kept in communities anyway lol.
As for stocking, how's this:
9 rummynose tetra
7 panda cories
And a trio of platies?

 

[Wills]

Do you have a specific space in mind as I think 125 liters are more common and a more common foot print that makes it easier to suggest a stocking plan.
 
Don't be put off by the overly common reputation that Cichlids have - haphazard and generalising labeling in a lot of books and shops make people switch off to this fantastic group of fish when in reality they are incredibly intelligent and make great interactive characters in a tank - there are plenty of cichlids that will cause very few problems in a tank - and lets not forget a lot of the common centre pieces in a tank can also cause issues red tailed sharks, gouramis, mollies etc.
 
If you like cichlids there are plenty of options for these kind of tanks but it depends on what direction you want to take the tank.
 
You could go with a pair of medium sized American Cichlid and then stock around them. Something like a pair of Blue Acaras or similar Acaras with some Dwarf Hoplos or Flagtail Catfish and some kind of Disk Tetra would work nice - things like Lemon Tetras, Flame Tetras, X-Ray Tetras, Pristella Tetras etc   Other options for this kind of american tank would be things like Rainbow Cichlids, Firemouths/ Ellioti and other dither fish that would work would be things like Swordtails, Brochis Catfish, Spotted Headstanders and if you dont mind mixing continents you could look at things like Black Ruby Barbs, Oddessa Barbs etc and some of the small/mid loaches would work like Zebras.
 
Or you could go for a Dwarf Cichlid tank with things like Checkerboard Cichlids, Laetacara, Nannacara, Bolivian Rams or Apistogrammas. These would work with smaller fish and would allow for more fish in the tank over all. In a 3 foot tank I would look at a set up like -
 
A mix of 6 x Laetacara Dorsiger, Laetacara Curviceps or Nannacara Anomala - so like a pair of each or three pairs of one or two pairs of one and a pair of the other etc
10x Dawn Tetras or Glass Blood Fins - or similar torpedo shaped Tetra
10x Panda Cories or 15x Cory Hasbros
2/3x LDA 010 Red Lizard Whiptails
 
An other option would be to do a tank of smaller Tanganyika Cichlids from Africa which would be a tank of just the cichlids but in here you would be limited with the type of fish you keep with - I would suggest opening a thread in the old world cichlid section for more info on this though
 
Hope that helps
Wills

 

[Fishywishy333]

Hi.
I would do a community instead of a cichlid tank. Your tank isn't really big enough to be a cichlid tank IMO. Most of the cichlids that's could fit in there are often kept in communities anyway lol.
As for stocking, how's this:
9 rummynose tetra
7 panda cories
And a trio of platies?

 
That stocking could be okay, but I have read that rummynoses can be a little sensitive.

Do you have a specific space in mind as I think 125 liters are more common and a more common foot print that makes it easier to suggest a stocking plan.
 
Don't be put off by the overly common reputation that Cichlids have - haphazard and generalising labeling in a lot of books and shops make people switch off to this fantastic group of fish when in reality they are incredibly intelligent and make great interactive characters in a tank - there are plenty of cichlids that will cause very few problems in a tank - and lets not forget a lot of the common centre pieces in a tank can also cause issues red tailed sharks, gouramis, mollies etc.
 
If you like cichlids there are plenty of options for these kind of tanks but it depends on what direction you want to take the tank.
 
You could go with a pair of medium sized American Cichlid and then stock around them. Something like a pair of Blue Acaras or similar Acaras with some Dwarf Hoplos or Flagtail Catfish and some kind of Disk Tetra would work nice - things like Lemon Tetras, Flame Tetras, X-Ray Tetras, Pristella Tetras etc

  Other options for this kind of american tank would be things like Rainbow Cichlids, Firemouths/ Ellioti and other dither fish that would work would be things like Swordtails, Brochis Catfish, Spotted Headstanders and if you dont mind mixing continents you could look at things like Black Ruby Barbs, Oddessa Barbs etc and some of the small/mid loaches would work like Zebras.
 
Or you could go for a Dwarf Cichlid tank with things like Checkerboard Cichlids, Laetacara, Nannacara, Bolivian Rams or Apistogrammas. These would work with smaller fish and would allow for more fish in the tank over all. In a 3 foot tank I would look at a set up like -
 
A mix of 6 x Laetacara Dorsiger, Laetacara Curviceps or Nannacara Anomala - so like a pair of each or three pairs of one or two pairs of one and a pair of the other etc
10x Dawn Tetras or Glass Blood Fins - or similar torpedo shaped Tetra
10x Panda Cories or 15x Cory Hasbros
2/3x LDA 010 Red Lizard Whiptails
 
An other option would be to do a tank of smaller Tanganyika Cichlids from Africa which would be a tank of just the cichlids but in here you would be limited with the type of fish you keep with - I would suggest opening a thread in the old world cichlid section for more info on this though

 
Hope that helps
Wills

 Do you think I could have this: 1 Dwarf german blue ram cichlid, 6 corydoras, (not sure of type, probably something like sterba's or panda) 8 glowlight tetras, 8 neon tetras (not sure about these, if anyone would recommend other tetras that would help) and 7 male guppies.
 
I found a 120 litre tank that I really like.
 
Thanks to both of you! 

 

[Wills]

Blue Rams are hard to keep and the best way to keep them is sometimes argued. Basically the closer to wild they are they are best kept in high temperatures and low ph where as the ones that are more tank bred are better kept at neutral ph and medium temps. And its really really really hard to work out where the rams you buy are in the chain.
 
An alternative to these are Bolivian Rams though which are still nice and colour up as they age.
 
Wills

 

[Fishywishy333]

Thanks Wills, that helped and I will look up Bolivian Rams. What kinds fish do you think they would do good with?

 

[TallTree01]

The ones you listed should be ok.

 

[Wills]

Sounds like a good plan to me I would get 2 or 3 Bolivians though as they are a gregarious species that appreciate company, though obviously if you get a pair you may need to rehome the third.
 
Wills

 

[Fishywishy333]

Ok, thanks guys!