New Tank Stocking List

[Zoepop]

Been planning out my stocking list for my new tankon the aqurium advisor but I'd appreciate some real live human input too!

Here is what I have so far....


Equipments:

Tank (LxDxH): 120 x 50 x 40 cm (240.0L)
Filters: Hagen Fluval 405

tank has been running a week with nurafin cycle and some used media in the filter i've got quite a few plants in there, bogwood and a few other resin ornaments. On the advise of my LFS i put in the 5 pristella tetra last night and they seem to be doing ok enjoying looking around the tank in a tight group.


So my long term plan is...

Selected species:

6 x Panda Cory (Corydoras panda)
2 x Dwarf Flag Cichlid (Laetacara curviceps)
5 x Boesemans Rainbowfish (Melanotaenia boesemani)
2 x Albino Bristlenose Pleco (Ancistrus cf. cirrhosus)
4 x Blue Ram (Mikrogeophagus ramirezi)
2 x Bamboo Shrimp (Atyopsis moluccensis)
5 x Pristella Tetra (Pristella maxillaris)



Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

 

[Wills]

Looks good to me, few things I would change though. Firstly the blue rams, change them for bolivians as the blues need higher temperatures than most community fish and a lower Ph. I would also up your cories to 8 and same for the tetras.

With adding fish after a week, you say you got some mature media? Where did it come from? Keep an eye on your water stats particularly your ammonia and your nitrite and if you see a reading of anything but 0 do a water change.

Wills

 

[Zoepop]

Thanks Wills,

I washed out the filters from my 20l tank in some of the used tank water and added it to the new tank.

done my water tests today coming out as
ph 7.6
Nitrate 5.0
Nitrite 0
Ammonia 0

will that pH be ok for the fish I was looking at? aquadvisor is suggesting a lower pH would be better should I be looking at getting some pH changer??

Thanks

 

[Wills]

As long as you stick to bolivian rams you should be okay, if you want to alter your ph use peat in the filter rather than the chemicals as they are sometimes hard to monitor properly.

 

[Assaye]

Thanks Wills,

I washed out the filters from my 20l tank in some of the used tank water and added it to the new tank.

done my water tests today coming out as
ph 7.6
Nitrate 5.0
Nitrite 0
Ammonia 0

will that pH be ok for the fish I was looking at? aquadvisor is suggesting a lower pH would be better should I be looking at getting some pH changer??

Thanks

Stats look good. Keep testing daily for at least a couple of weeks to be sure there has been no "spike" of ammonia or nitrite.

7.6 is fine for most fish but the blue rams would really appreciate a lower pH. The problem with pH adjusting chemicals is that it is really easy to adjust too much and hurt the fish with a sudden change and you'll be tied to using them forever if you want to maintain the pH on the tank. They are expensive, fiddly and can go very wrong. I'd stick with species that suit your water.

Great that you got mature media but I warn you - if you added it more than 12-24 hours before adding some fish all or most of the bacteria will have died off. Mature media is great but needs an ammonia source constantly to keep it "alive".

Keep testing and see how it goes. Your stocking looks good as long as you bring it up slowly. I would do at least 6 corys and tetras and I think 8 should be fine.

 

[drobbyb]

On those Melanotania boesemani (boseman's rainbow,) those fish do not do well in numbers less than 6. They also are going to need a bit of special care: They need at least 50% of their water changed every week without fail. Rainbows are a sensitive fish that need really clean water and a special diet. While it is true that they can live off of tropical flakes alone, they won't thrive to their fullest potential. They need a diet high in vegetable content, usually supplemented by a high quality spirulina flake, and frozen or live food a few times a week which can be obtained in the summer months rather easily.

Glassworms (mosquito larvae) can be easily cultured at home by leaving a container of water outside and harvesting the rafts (clusters of eggs.) You then put the rafts into a container of water and wait for them to hatch. After a few days you will see the larvae swimming around in the water. To harvest, simply pour the water through a coffee filter or similar filtering material. This will collect the larvae and they can be easily fed to your fish. You other fish will appreciate the live food too.

Now, I'm not trying to scare you off of rainbows, they are such lovely and interesting fish. I just want you to be prepared so that you and your rainbows will be happy.

 

[Zoepop]

Hi,

just done my tests again and same results
ph 7.6
Nitrate 5.0
Nitrite 0
Ammonia 0

How long would you suggest leaving it before I add any more fish, not sure if my five little tetra in a 240 will be enough to keep things moving!

as to my stocking been to look round LFS and saw some really cure corys so think i'll be adding a few more of them! some really stunning dwarf cichlids too so the rainbows had to go to make room!

What do you think?

8 x Panda Cory (Corydoras panda)
6 x Black Cory (Corydoras schultzei)
2 x Dwarf Flag Cichlid (Laetacara curviceps)
2 x Albino Bristlenose Pleco (Ancistrus cf. cirrhosus)
2 x Bamboo Shrimp (Atyopsis moluccensis)
8 x Pristella Tetra (Pristella maxillaris)
2 x Apistogramma agassizii (Apistogramma agassizii)
2 x Bolivian Ram (Mikrogeophagus altispinosus)


Don't know if I'm going to be a little bottom heavy with my stocking with all the action going on in the bottom of the tank?
comments or suggestions appreciated also in what order would you add them too

Thanks
Zoe

Now, I'm not trying to scare you off of rainbows, they are such lovely and interesting fish. I just want you to be prepared so that you and your rainbows will be happy.

Funny how you wrote that just as I was writing that the rainbows were off my list!

Must have been fait lol

 

[Zoepop]

Just been reading up on Almond leaves would they be useful to lower my pH 7.6 looks like it may be a little high for my fish selection??

 

[Zoepop]

bump...Should I be trying to lower the pH and does anyone have a sure fire wat to lower the pH without using the chemicals?

Thanks

 

[Wills]

The most important thing with Ph is that it is consistent. Almond leaves are a good was as is peat filtration, peat filtration is quite easy to do you can buy packs in most LFS for Juwel tanks now.

With the stocking, I would stick with 2 pair/trios (depending on species) of the cichlids, that the dwarf flag cichlids, apistos and/or rams. The dwarf flag and rams are best in pairs but the apistos are best in trios 1 male 2 female - personally I would go for the dwarf flag and the apistos...... well personally I would go for red breasted acara and apistogramma panduro but its down to personal choice really.

Wills

 

[drobbyb]

Funny how you wrote that just as I was writing that the rainbows were off my list!

Must have been fait lol

Yeah, they are just a tad more work. Well worth it in my opinion, but certainly not for everyone.