New Aquarium

[Bernard]

Hi all,
I am a new member looking for advise please. I have kept tropical freshwater fish for many years in small aquariums mostly species tanks. I am now getting my first big Aquarium a 250 litre I will be planting it out with natural plants mostly Java ferns and Java moss, I will also be using rocks caves and bog woods I am looking for advise on a colorful mix of compatible fish, I have made up a list see below any other ideas or suggestions will be appreciated

One Elephant Nose Fish - Gnathonemus petersii

Mixed Platies approx twenty- Xiphophorus maculates

Shoal of three-Clown loach, Chromobotia macracanthus

Shoal of approx' twenty - White Cloud Mountain minnow, (Tanichthys albonubes)

Shoal of ten- true Flying fox, Palzeorhynchos kalopterus

Shoal of 20 - Tiger barbs, Puntius tetrazona)

Shoal of- 20 Rosy barbs, Puntius conchonius

Shoal of- 20 Australian Rainbowfish, (Melanotaenia fluviatilis

Group of- 10 Coolie) Loach - Pangio (Acanthophthalmus) kuhlii

I am thinking of adding some larger fish to this collection any ideas?

 

[zuulan]

Hi all,
I am a new member looking for advise please. I have kept tropical freshwater fish for many years in small aquariums mostly species tanks. I am now getting my first big Aquarium a 250 litre I will be planting it out with natural plants mostly Java ferns and Java moss, I will also be using rocks caves and bog woods I am looking for advise on a colorful mix of compatible fish, I have made up a list see below any other ideas or suggestions will be appreciated

1. One Elephant Nose Fish - Gnathonemus petersii
21. Mixed Platies approx twenty- Xiphophorus maculates
24. Shoal of three-Clown loach, Chromobotia macracanthus
44. Shoal of approx' twenty - White Cloud Mountain minnow, (Tanichthys albonubes)
54. Shoal of ten- true Flying fox, Palzeorhynchos kalopterus
74. Shoal of 20 - Tiger barbs, Puntius tetrazona)
94. Shoal of- 20 Rosy barbs, Puntius conchonius
114. Shoal of- 20 Australian Rainbowfish, (Melanotaenia fluviatilis
124. Group of- 10 Coolie) Loach - Pangio (Acanthophthalmus) kuhlii

I am thinking of adding some larger fish to this collection any ideas? 124+++

Do you want ALL of those fish in your tank and those larger fish?? I'm no expert but that seems like an awful lot for a 250ltr tank.

Can anyone else advise?

 

[Curiosity101]

Everything on the list except clown loaches will be ok in your tank, however I would basically halve the size of almost all of the shoals.
Here are some example stockings from your list (with shoals the same size as you have listed):

One Elephant Nose Fish - Gnathonemus petersii
Mixed Platies approx twenty- Xiphophorus maculates
Group of- 10 Coolie) Loach - Pangio (Acanthophthalmus) kuhlii
(not enough room to add a shoal of 20..but you could comfortably add 10 WCMM)

One Elephant Nose Fish - Gnathonemus petersii
Shoal of approx' twenty - White Cloud Mountain minnow, (Tanichthys albonubes)
Shoal of ten- true Flying fox, Palzeorhynchos kalopterus


One Elephant Nose Fish - Gnathonemus petersii
Shoal of 20 - Tiger barbs, Puntius tetrazona)
Group of- 10 Coolie) Loach - Pangio (Acanthophthalmus) kuhlii

One Elephant Nose Fish - Gnathonemus petersii
Shoal of- 20 Australian Rainbowfish, (Melanotaenia fluviatilis

One Elephant Nose Fish - Gnathonemus petersii
Shoal of- 20 Rosy barbs, Puntius conchonius


I hope the above is some help to you.
Side note: The elephant nose fish requires worms and similar as food. They can be tubifex, blood worm. And either live or frozen. But pellets and flakes don't seem to be very suitable.

 

[Bernard]

Everything on the list except clown loaches will be ok in your tank, however I would basically halve the size of almost all of the shoals.
Here are some example stockings from your list (with shoals the same size as you have listed):

One Elephant Nose Fish - Gnathonemus petersii
Mixed Platies approx twenty- Xiphophorus maculates
Group of- 10 Coolie) Loach - Pangio (Acanthophthalmus) kuhlii
(not enough room to add a shoal of 20..but you could comfortably add 10 WCMM)

One Elephant Nose Fish - Gnathonemus petersii
Shoal of approx' twenty - White Cloud Mountain minnow, (Tanichthys albonubes)
Shoal of ten- true Flying fox, Palzeorhynchos kalopterus


One Elephant Nose Fish - Gnathonemus petersii
Shoal of 20 - Tiger barbs, Puntius tetrazona)
Group of- 10 Coolie) Loach - Pangio (Acanthophthalmus) kuhlii

One Elephant Nose Fish - Gnathonemus petersii
Shoal of- 20 Australian Rainbowfish, (Melanotaenia fluviatilis

One Elephant Nose Fish - Gnathonemus petersii
Shoal of- 20 Rosy barbs, Puntius conchonius


I hope the above is some help to you.
Side note: The elephant nose fish requires worms and similar as food. They can be tubifex, blood worm. And either live or frozen. But pellets and flakes don't seem to be very suitable.

Yes Thanks for replying,
On advise from another member I leaving the Elephant nose out for about 6 months, yes I will cut the other shoals by half, I was forgetting the inch per gallon rule . Why do you say I should leave out the clown loach?

 

[Curiosity101]

They are large bodied fish that grow up to 16 inches and should be kept in shoals. Therefore they aren't suitable for anything below 400l+

 

[Bernard]

They are large bodied fish that grow up to 16 inches and should be kept in shoals. Therefore they aren't suitable for anything below 400l+

Hi curiosity,
My new Aquarium is the Vision 450 litre isn't that big enough? for 3 cloach, do they do much damage to the plants?

 

[Curiosity101]

In the original post it says 250l...

But if it's 450l then yeah of course that's big enough , And I don't know about plant damage, I could imagine they may do a bit of uprooting. As for actual damage...make a new post asking?
Also if it's 450l then the shoal sizes you listed are pretty reasonable too

 

[Xenon Junkie]

remember that elephant noses can be difficult to keep.
Electrical equipment close to the tank can stress the animal out.
In my experience they can also be difficult to ge feeding. 3 out ofthe 4 i've kept have have been difficult to get feeding. One of which died of starvation.

 

[Bernard]

In the original post it says 250l...

But if it's 450l then yeah of course that's big enough , And I don't know about plant damage, I could imagine they may do a bit of uprooting. As for actual damage...make a new post asking?
Also if it's 450l then the shoal sizes you listed are pretty reasonable too

Hi Curiosity,
Yes I made a mistake it is definitely 450L and I'm having it delivered next Wednesday no wonder a few people were scratching there heads, I think I will leave the Clowns and Elephant nose until the tank is very well established. thanks for your advice I will keep you updated.
Bernard.

 

[Curiosity101]

Hehe, in that case, lucky you. Wish I had room for a 450. Make sure you put it somewhere close to a water source. On something that size you might want to think about making yourself a DIY python.
If you haven't already considered this then:
DIY Python link 1
DIY Python Link 2

I'm guessing you probably already planned how you'd do your water changes. But that's just incase you were going to go with the old bucket method.

 

[Bernard]

remember that elephant noses can be difficult to keep.
Electrical equipment close to the tank can stress the animal out.
In my experience they can also be difficult to ge feeding. 3 out ofthe 4 i've kept have have been difficult to get feeding. One of which died of starvation.

MMmm thanks for that info' 'Xenon Junkie' the aquarium will be in the same room as my computer, I have decided to wait until the tank is well established before I introduce any big guys anyway so it will give me time to think it over. The dealer I use is excellent and knows her stuff she is a fish fanatic and will only sell fish that are in perfect condition so that's an advantage.
Bernard.

 

[Bernard]

Hehe, in that case, lucky you. Wish I had room for a 450. Make sure you put it somewhere close to a water source. On something that size you might want to think about making yourself a DIY python.
If you haven't already considered this then:
DIY Python link 1
DIY Python Link 2

I'm guessing you probably already planned how you'd do your water changes. But that's just incase you were going to go with the old bucket method.

Thanks Curiosity, I got a good laugh reading them, I am going to syphon it out the patio door into the garden using the garden hose, and refill from the garden tap with the same hose, at 10 pecent per week. It don't matter if I flood the garden.