Newbie

[Ribbs]

Hi Everyone,

This is my first post so be gentle

I just bought my first tank, which hopefully i will be setting up at some point this week. Its a Juwel Rio 125, I'm sure some of you will know what this is.

So anyway... I see I need to do a "fishless" cycle, ok I'm cool with that! Got the test kit ect..

What I'm not sure about is do I fully stock the tank once it has cycled in a month or two? Which leads me on to my next question on stocking, will the following fish be ok in this settup?

1x Bristlenose Catfish (upto 5")

1x Angelfish (upto 6")

4x Western Rainbowfish (upto 4")

5x Black Widow tetra (upto 2")

I have tried to do my research as best I can but have no idea if this is ideal or not?

I would have asked the guy at the shop but as he told me to put some fish in the tank after 2 days I don't think I'll bother asking his opinion. Thank God for the internet eh.

Thanks

Joel

 

[OldMan47]

Welcome to the forum Ribbs.
I mmust assume, because the Rio is not available here, that you are looking at a 125 litre tank. That should be fine with the stocking that you have proposed in terms of tank capacity. I would avoid putting all in at once but you can stock at 60% or more once you have a successfully cycled filter. The compatibility question I will leave to people who have experience with the rainbow fish and the black widows. Both are outside of my personal experience and I don't trust everything that I read. The plecos should be fine with the angel and the angel should be OK with a tank that size. People often advise at least 45cm tall before trying to house an angel but I suspect your tank is close to that height.

 

[arobinson1984]

Hi Everyone,

This is my first post so be gentle

I just bought my first tank, which hopefully i will be setting up at some point this week. Its a Juwel Rio 125, I'm sure some of you will know what this is.

So anyway... I see I need to do a "fishless" cycle, ok I'm cool with that! Got the test kit ect..

What I'm not sure about is do I fully stock the tank once it has cycled in a month or two? Which leads me on to my next question on stocking, will the following fish be ok in this settup?

1x Bristlenose Catfish (upto 5") Absolutely fine

1x Angelfish (upto 6") Depends on tank depth?

4x Western Rainbowfish (upto 4") Fine

5x Black Widow tetra (upto 2") I'd increase this group to about 8

I have tried to do my research as best I can but have no idea if this is ideal or not?

I would have asked the guy at the shop but as he told me to put some fish in the tank after 2 days I don't think I'll bother asking his opinion. Thank God for the internet eh.

Thanks

Joel

Check the notes I made above in red.

The one thing I will say is that ideally your tank needs to be 18" high for angelfish. I have a rio 125 which is about 15" high but my tank is 3 years old and I believe juwel have slightly changed the dimensions of some of their newer tanks so measure it yourself to check. The reason for this is that angelfish can reach 8-9" in height. If your tank is 18" then you are going to lose about 3" worth of water after adding substrate and leaving an inch at the top of the tank so it only leaves 15" of water and limits how much room the angelfish has to move up and down in the tank once it has fully grown.

If you tank is like mine, 15" high then angelfish wont be an option because after substrate etc, 12" just isnt enough. My centrepiece fish are a pair of bolivian rams and a trio of apistogramma cacatuoides triple reds.


Andy

 

[Ribbs]

Thanks for your input guys.

The measurment from the inside of my tank to the max fill line is 16 and a quarter inches. So you are right, add the substrate = no Angel Fish it would seem

What would you sugest an alternative? There are so many lovely fish to choose from, its just a case of what is compatible I guess.

Joel

 

[Jenste]

try looking at gouramis, i find pearl and opaline truly beautiful and peaceful!!! they are a stunning, slender fish, very graceful and can really make a lovely centerpiece fish

 

[arobinson1984]

As jenste mentioned, there are several gouramis that would work well and have similar type of body shapes to angel fish if that is what you like.

Or have a look at some peaceful cichlids as your centrepiece fish, below are the ones I have in my rio 125

Mikrogeophagus altispinosus (Bolivian rams) - Click this link

Apistogramma cacatuoides triple red - Click this link

There are many other variants of apistogramma cacatuoides as well, most of which would be fine in the tank


Andy

 

[waterdrop]

I agree with the pearl Gs and honey Gs might also be looked at. I find the Opees (green version of the Tricos) can be rough, like the blues and 3-spots. Problem is, it depends on personality of individual fish, which is fairly unique to Gs. WD