Please Help With My Tank Stocking!

[Ruskull]

Okay, my tanks are listed in my signature so you can see what I already have in each tank. I've been bitten by the bug again & I want to add a few more fish to each tank.

36 Gallon Sand & Gravel Mix Rena XP3:
I was considering adding another female Pearl Gourami to the mix. I also want to up the number of Lemon Tetras from 5 to 8. On a side note I may have to re home the Honey Gourami male in my 20 gallon sand because he's messing with the Bolivian Ram in that tank. I realize the tank is fairly heavily stocked but the fish all get along great & I do have great filtration that turns the tank water over 10 times per hour. This tank has good lighting and it's medium planted.

20 Gallon Sand Penguin 200:
As I said above I may need to move the Honey G in this tank to my 36 gallon due to him being a a bully. That being said, I wanted to up the number of Threelined Corys from 5 to 8. I was also considering getting a female Bolivian Ram for the male Ram already in the tank. Again, this tank is over filtered & it also turns the water over 10 per hour. Weak lighting and medium planted if that helps.

20 gallon River Rock Penguin 150:
Great overall harmony in this tank but I wanted to up the number of Glass Catfish from 2 to 4 or 6. The 2 in the tank are very large, one is 3.5 inches long & the other is about 3 inches long. They're supposed to be kept in longer tanks of about 40 gallons and in groups of 8 or more but these guys are doing great in this 20 gallon so maybe 4 would be good? Also a very well filtered tank with very good lighting and a good amount of plants.

 

[SamLovesCorys]

What about upping the number of khulis in the last tank?

 

[Ruskull]

What about upping the number of khulis in the last tank?

Well I would but the tank is not ideal for Kuhlis since it isn't sand and only reason we have him is that the current Kuhli came with the tank. There were 2 of them but one died, maybe of old age since I didn't see anything wrong with it. I was going to move him to the 20 gallon sand tank but that tank has 5 Corys that may soon be 8 & a Bolivian Ram that may soon have a female friend. There's also a Bristle Nose female Pleco so there's no shortage of bottom dwellers in that tank.

To be honest I'm not really a fan of Kuhlis because they hide all the time. I'd much rather have Corys.

 

[Ruskull]

Hey TenaciousG, which tanks do you consider overstocked? All of them or did you have one of two in mind? I think the 36 is fine, maybe even understocked since most of the fish are very small at 2 inches or less. The 20 gallon tanks are a bit heavily stocked in my opinion.

I was thinking of moving the Honey G in my 20 gal sand to the 36 gal with a female Pearl to add to the larger fish. Then maybe adding a couple of Lemon Tetras to finish that tank off.

That would leave more space in the 20 gal sand tank to up the Corys from 5 to 8 and maybe leave enough room for a female Bolivian Ram to go with the male who's already in there. If it helps I could re home the 5 Glowlights to my father's tank which is very understocked.

I would consider the 20 gal river rock tank to be the most overstocked of these tanks but I really want the Glass Cats to have a bigger group for their well being. Again, it appears very overstocked but most of the fish are very small with light bioloads, like the Neons, Ghost Shrimp & even the Hifin Platy. Glass Cats don't have as high of a bioload as their size would suggest either.

 

[Dieses Madchen]

How are your ghost shrimp alive? I would have thought your rams would have eaten them by now. I voted yes to adding new fish, even though you are pushing the limits, but I feel that I know enough bout your tanks, filtration and tank management to think your can make your own judgement call What are you thinking bout adding?

and if you dont like your loach he can come live with my 5

BUT here is what could hppen if you add more loaches
http/www.youtube.com/watch?v=0FLEm5veYBk&feature=plcp

 

[Ruskull]

How are your ghost shrimp alive? I would have thought your rams would have eaten them by now. I voted yes to adding new fish, even though you are pushing the limits, but I feel that I know enough bout your tanks, filtration and tank management to think your can make your own judgement call What are you thinking bout adding?

and if you dont like your loach he can come live with my 5

BUT here is what could hppen if you add more loaches
http/www.youtube.com/watch?v=0FLEm5veYBk&feature=plcp

Thanks DM but I'm afraid shipping a Kuhli might not be the best thing for him/her. I don't mind Kuhlis but they should be kept with sand & not too many other bottom dwellers in my opinion.

I thanked you for your craigslist filter advice in the "Hey Lovelies" thread...........you saved me a fortune. I found a Rena XP3 which is rated for up to a 175 gallon tank, for $100 and I offered him $50 & he came back with $60. After a good cleaning it looks & runs like new. It turns 350 gph on my 36 gallon tank! My fish especially appreciate your advice.

Oh, and I've only seen one Ghost Shrimp around lately, they hide very well and the Rams don't bother him - yet anyway. There's plenty of plants and he's a pretty big guy at this point.

Should I move the aggressive Honey Gourami from the 20 gallon sand tank to my 36 gallon? He'd probably get along fine with the Pearls, Barbs & Tetras but I'm not too sure about the Opaline. She's a beast.

For the 36 I'd like to add:

1 Honey Gourami male
1 Pearl Gourami female
2 or 3 Lemon Tetras

If you think that's too much then which would be best? The Lemons are supposed to be kept in groups of 8 or more, the Pearl male chases the female Pearl a bit too much & I'd like to spread that aggression out, and the Honey G is beating on my Bolivian Ram & I suspect he's nipping at the guppie's tails..............

If I did move the Honey G it would free up a bit of space in that 20 gal to allow for more Threelined Corys and maybe a female Ram. I could also re home the 5 Glowlights to my dad's tank, which is an understocked 29 gal with 5 Corys, 1 Lamp Eye, 3 Serpae, 3 Phantom & 3 Black Skirts. Would the Glowlights get bullied?

Sorry for all the questions but I'm just trying to do the right thing.

 

[Ruskull]

BUMP!

 

[Dieses Madchen]

Sorry Im not good with gouramis so I do not really know what you can do there.

 

[FishFanatic04]

I would go with your instincts. I don't say that to everyone, but you have common sense and a good understanding of your tanks. As for the Gourami, again, you know your tanks the best.

I plan to stock fish in all my tanks that can be interchanged in case of issues like a bully. Then I can play musical fish until the right balance is reached.

 

[Ruskull]

Thanks for the advice but I have an ammonia spike in the 36 gallon tank that has to be remedied before I worry about adding any fish.

I had a feeling this changover wouldn't go smoothly. I pulled the filter out & I added a huge chunk of media felt that was in my 20 gallon sand tank. I also added a Rena Super Micro filter pad, which is supposed to be an upgrade from the standard micro filter pad.

I reset the trays as follows:

TOP
______________________________
Super Micro Filter Pad
Plastic Separator
Nasty Media Felt from 2 Different Tanks
______________________________

MIDDLE
______________________________
Plastic Separator
Small Bag of Ceramic with Some Nasty Media from old Filter
Plastic Separator
Large Loose Ceramic Rings
______________________________

BOTTOM
______________________________
Fine Filter Pad
Fine Filter Pad
Coarse Filter Pad
Coarse Filter Pad
______________________________

 

[Ruskull]

Well I just did a 75% water change & the fish all seem happy about it but I can't find the Double Bar Platy. I hope he's hiding in the center decoration...........If he were dead I would've found him right? It's not like he's a small fish.

 

[FishFanatic04]

Yikes, hope all is well.

 

[Ruskull]

Thanks FF, I think I may have it under control. I did a huge water change last night & the fish all seemed happier. I did find my missing Double Bar Platy though, unfortunely he jumped ship & I found him behind the canister filter all dried up on the floor. Zach was devastated but these things happen. When the cycle works itself out I'll replace him with another female Pearl Gourami.

 

[Ruskull]

Pic didn't work

Anyway I'm happy to report that my tank tested perfectly zero for ammonia & nitrite this evening and I found a local place with some largish female Gouramis available. It just so happens that they also have Seachem Purigen, thank you FishFanatic! I'll be picking up one of the Pearls & some Purigen tomorrow! I believe they have Lemon Tetras too but I don't want to push it since the cycle just recovered

 

[Ruskull]

Well I tested the tank again before I went to work this morning & the ammonia was a perfect yellow & the nitrite a operfect shade of light blue............

Mini cycle officially over!

That Honey Gourami in my 20 gal sand tank is really harrassing the Bolivian Ram though, I think I'll move him to my 36 gallon tonight. That should free up some bioload in the 20 gallon so I can add three more Threelined Corys.