Shoaling Species

[hensonc4098]

I'm planning stocking for a 180l vision at the moment. Think it may be heading down the higher tech side of things as I'd like to try using pressurised CO[sub]2[/sub].
I'm just struggling to decide on stocking, so thought you guys can help me pick
Currently the only definite stocking will some otos to keep the place spic and span. The rest I'm trying to decide...
I quite like the idea of a bit of a jumble sale, where you really need to look at the tank to see all the species, but I understand that's difficult in a tank of this size.
Vote for as many or as few as you like, bearing in mind the size of tank. If you pick shoal species, please add a comment with which you picked and how many you would stock.
It will be filtered by a tetratec ex1200.
Thanks!

 

[Bugdozer]

I voted cherry barbs because they're just so pretty!

 

[FishFanatic04]

Espei Rasbora are not on .there

 

[hensonc4098]

I know. Shame on me. But I have true harlequins in one of the other tanks, so want something different Coz I'm cheeky like that.

 

[MBOU]

I voted for everything but Licorice Gouramis. Possibly the most awesom fish on earth and one i intend to set up a biotope for in the future... however.... from personal experience of getting them in and trying to stock them...

They just cant be kept in tap water, even heavily planted tanks, they wont last. That and they are painfully shy, in that big a tank, you'd lose them and they would hide and go hungry if the stats didnt kill them.

Other than that... you can put in nice numbers of all of those fish!

I would go with really heavily planted and decent sized water changes when needed.

Scarlet Badis - Not sure on numbers, i only kept them once and the male killed all the others and then died....

Cherry Barbs - 6-10

Emperor Tetra - 15

Sparkling Gouramis - 6

Galaxy Rasbora - 15

Threadfin Rainbows - 10 - 15


I dont do the whole 'so many inches of fish per gallon' rubbish. It will all vary depending on where the fish live in the tank, their personalities and how they interact, the decor, the water parameters and so on....

That is a particularly good list of species to live together!

Scarlet Badis and Sparkling Gouramis hardly move, they hand about in the plants, juddering about in short jerky movements. They avoid contact with the other fish.

Cherry Barbs dont really shoal, they stay low in the tank darting in and out of the plants and coming back as a shoal and then splitting up again.

Emperor Tetras are a statement fish, they are bold and shoaling and will be mid to top level swimming up and down the tank.

Galaxy Rasbora (Celestial Pearl Danios!!) might be small but can certainly hold their own! They shoal mid to top level and are very active all the time, will probably spent more time with the emperors.

Threadfin Rainbows are a lot more gentle and shoal together quietly near the top of the tank, though can easily hold their own against the tetras and danios.

----

The only think I am unsure on is the Scarlet Badis, personally I might be tempted to miss them out (potential risk to th sparkles?) and get a few cory cats and 2 or 3 otocinclus to eat algae.

Sounds like a really intensely full stocking but it wont look it, CPDs, Scarlets, Sparklings and Threadfins really dont get very big and nor do cherry barbs.

They would all be slowly introduced anyway. I would start off with Cherrys and then the Threadfins as they are shy... but hardy... then maybe the sparkling gouramis and corys(?). Leaving the bolshy emperors until last.

 

[hensonc4098]

Cheers MBOU I was secretly hoping someone would say it was ok to have them all, but was kinda too scared to ask in case someone got all inch-per-gallon on me...
I tried to plan on different levels, although the scarlet badis were a bit impulsish coz they're pretty
I'll have more of a hunt around about them and see. They would be added last anyways as the boldest fish so everything else has their territory established, so no great rush.
Same about the liquorice gouramis - they're gorgeous fish, but I guess just not practical in a community setup.

 

[stu40]

lose the Badis & Sparklers=Rummys ? Mid to low that will schoal/school

 

[wirralbull]

cpd's prefer cooler temps. i think sparklers like it a few deg warmer. scarlet badis are tiny and a threat to nothing on youre stocking list they also also prefer cooler temps

 

[N0body Of The Goat]

I'm planning stocking for a 180l vision at the moment. Think it may be heading down the higher tech side of things as I'd like to try using pressurised CO[sub]2[/sub].
I'm just struggling to decide on stocking, so thought you guys can help me pick
Currently the only definite stocking will be 6 congo tetras (I have 4 at the moment) and some otos to keep the place spic and span. The rest I'm trying to decide...
I quite like the idea of a bit of a jumble sale, where you really need to look at the tank to see all the species, but I understand that's difficult in a tank of this size.
Vote for as many or as few as you like, bearing in mind the size of tank. If you pick shoal species, please add a comment with which you picked and how many you would stock.
It will be filtered by a tetratec ex1200.
Thanks!

Sorry, I'm going to burst your bubble, a typical dimension 180l is not going to do Congo Tetras any justice at all long term... They will easily reach 10cm, some people claim to have owned or seen 12cm specimens, I would not want them in anything less than a 4-footer.
Even my Rainbow/Pastel Congo tetras (Phenachogrammus nigropterus), smaller "cousins" of Congo Tetras (Phenacogrammus interrupterus) make good use of the 4-foot length of my 48x12x15.

Schooling species for a typical 180l? A big group of Hengeli Rasbora.

 

[asheyna]

I have two shoaling species in my tank right now. And I'm with you, I like the idea of keeping a variety.

I voted for Cherry Barbs. Loving them, they're so active and fun to watch!

My other species is not on your list. Dwarf Chain Loaches. A fun bottom (but they have kinda been all over the tank) species that doesn't get too big.

 

[hensonc4098]

I'm rethinking the congos anyways. I think pretty much the stocking me and MBOU were saying about is gonna go in there and the congos can hang out with the harlequins a bit longer in another tank until I figure out what I'm gonna do with them.

As far as temperatures go, I've never really bothered looking at temperature ranges for my fish. I'm not planning on anything that needs definite higher temperatures or will suffer like rams or discus or something. I just keep temperatures at a medium temperature and let the fish acclimatise.

I've also taken liquorice gouramis out of the poll since we've established they aren't suitable for a community setup.

Hengelis again are too harlequinish

 

[N0body Of The Goat]

Penguin Tetras or X-Ray Tetras?

 

[hensonc4098]

I think I'm leaning towards (so far)...
10 Cherry Barbs
10 Threadfins
4 Sparkling Gouramis
4/5 Otos
10 Emperors

CPDs are just so expensive to get a shoal - to get 10 it would cost about £50 Maybe one day when I'm rich and famous...
I've left the badis out for now and I'll see once the tank's together what I wanna do.

Rummynose tetras seem appealing, but would they conflict with the cherries and gouramis at the height they shoal?

I've been drawing schematics and everything to try and work out the best fish for the different heights...

Or cardinals/neons. I've never kept either and find them strangely appealing even though people say they're boring. I'll have enough going on with the other fish to allow for something boring. They would be added later though once everything's nice and settled.

Basically the theme is colourful and/or flashy. With the exception of the otos like.

 

[Ruskull]

I love my Cherry Barbs so I voted for them. Cool to watch & the males are bright red in contrast to the rest of the tank

Penguin Tetras or X-Ray Tetras?

I always wanted some X-Ray Tetras.............Same as Pristella right?

 

[N0body Of The Goat]

I love my Cherry Barbs so I voted for them. Cool to watch & the males are bright red in contrast to the rest of the tank

Penguin Tetras or X-Ray Tetras?

I always wanted some X-Ray Tetras.............Same as Pristella right?

Yep.