Stocking 66gallon tank.

[shaziasadiqah]

So the other day my father-in-law visit my house and asked me to set up a 66gal (100x50x50 cm) tank for him.

his only request is that he wanted freshwater colorful fish.

if anyone can help me with the stocking idea i would love to know!

it have 1000liter per hour hang on back filter and lots of plants such as amazon sword, black amazon, anubias and some floating plants.

 

[Colin_T]

How long has the tank been set up for?
Has the filter been cycled yet?

---------------
What is the GH (general hardness), KH (carbonate hardness) and pH of your water supply?
This information can usually be obtained from your water supply company's website or by telephoning them. If they can't help you, take a glass full of tap water to the local pet shop and get them to test it for you. Write the results down (in numbers) when they do the tests. And ask them what the results are in (eg: ppm, dGH, or something else).

Depending on what the GH of your water is, will determine what fish you should keep.
Tetras, barbs, gouramis, rasbora, Corydoras and small species of suckermouth catfish all occur in soft water (GH below 150ppm).

Livebearers (guppies, platies, swordtails, mollies), rainbowfish and goldfish occur in medium hard water with a GH around 200-250ppm.

If you have very hard water (GH above 300ppm) then look at African Rift Lake cichlids or use distilled or reverse osmosis water to reduce the GH and keep fishes from softer water.

 

[shaziasadiqah]

How long has the tank been set up for?
Has the filter been cycled yet?

---------------
What is the GH (general hardness), KH (carbonate hardness) and pH of your water supply?
This information can usually be obtained from your water supply company's website or by telephoning them. If they can't help you, take a glass full of tap water to the local pet shop and get them to test it for you. Write the results down (in numbers) when they do the tests. And ask them what the results are in (eg: ppm, dGH, or something else).

Depending on what the GH of your water is, will determine what fish you should keep.
Tetras, barbs, gouramis, rasbora, Corydoras and small species of suckermouth catfish all occur in soft water (GH below 150ppm).

Livebearers (guppies, platies, swordtails, mollies), rainbowfish and goldfish occur in medium hard water with a GH around 200-250ppm.

If you have very hard water (GH above 300ppm) then look at African Rift Lake cichlids or use distilled or reverse osmosis water to reduce the GH and keep fishes from softer water.

The tank have been set up for a week now with filter on. It’s a hang on back filter. We feed the tank with fish food to grow beneficial bacteria.

the ph is around 6.8 to 7.2 and the hardness is 125ppm. In my tank though i use that ginger like stone to raise up my hardness a little bit because i have platy and it does the job, my water is slightly harden and the PH also raise up a bit because my PH stays aroung 6.8 to 7 mostly.

can angels thrive in 125ppm hardness? I plan to add neon tetra and some angels for the 66gal, but think it would be wiser to ask the forum first before making any decision.

 

[Lajos_Detari]

The tank have been set up for a week now with filter on. It’s a hang on back filter. We feed the tank with fish food to grow beneficial bacteria.

the ph is around 6.8 to 7.2 and the hardness is 125ppm. In my tank though i use that ginger like stone to raise up my hardness a little bit because i have platy and it does the job, my water is slightly harden and the PH also raise up a bit because my PH stays aroung 6.8 to 7 mostly.

can angels thrive in 125ppm hardness? I plan to add neon tetra and some angels for the 66gal, but think it would be wiser to ask the forum first before making any decision.

Yes, you can keep Angels fish though your tank size is at the minimum.
If you have bigger tank will be better.
Most South American and Asian fish are suitable since you have soft water.

You can search this Seriouslyfish website to find out the fish requirements.(GH, pH, minimum tank size).

Pterophyllum “scalare” – Angelfish — Seriously Fish

www.seriouslyfish.com

Also, don't keep Angel fish with Neon Tetras.
The Angel fish will "makan" the Neon Tetras when they grow larger. LOL
Angels fish will grow to quite large and tall(6″ (15cm) body length and as much as 8″ (20cm) or more in height.
If you keep Angel fish, you have to get bigger Tetras or wider body Tetras and not the slimmer body Tetras(risky).

You can also consider some Dwarf South American Cichlids such as:
1)Apistogramma (Apistogramma Cacatuiodes, Borelli, etc)
2)Bolivian Rams.
3)Blue Rams, Golden Rams, Electric Blue Rams (for warmer water : 27-30C), suitable for Indonesia weather.

Take note that Apistogrammas are not cheap unless you can get them from your country breeders.
Also, the Cichlids will fight with each other. So, you can only have a few of them.

You can keep 1-2 species of Tetras or Rasboras(Harlequin Rasboras, Espei Rasboras, etc). Keep a bigger group of about 10 each(minimum).
Some Barbs like the Five Banded Barbs are slower moving and are also ok.

You also keep a group of Corydoras(minimum 6).

Usually my ideas are:
1)A few bigger fish
2)1-2 or 2-3 schooling fish depending on how many bigger fish you have.
3)For schooling fish, try to have top and mid level fish and if you still have space, keep 1 bottom level schooling fish. This will make your tank look more full since you will have fish at all levels.

How to Stock an Aquarium With Different Levels of Fish

Learn which fish groups typically swim at the top, middle, near the bottom or at the bottom of the aquarium.

www.thesprucepets.com

Some videos:

Some pictures of fish species:
Tetras species(under Characin family)

Characins

www.qianhufish.com

Rasboras, Barbs, Danios species (under Cyprinids family)

Cyprinids

www.qianhufish.com

Fish Focus - Barbs

#FishKeeping #Barbs #FishFocus #DisplayAquarium #MaidenheadAquatics #Aquatics #Fish #PlantedAquarium #DisplayTanksNamed for the sensory barbels shared with m...

www.youtube.com

 

[PheonixKingZ]

A large shoal of Harliquen Rasboras would be awesome. I love big tanks with big schools of different Tetras.

 

[shaziasadiqah]

Yes, you can keep Angels fish though your tank size is at the minimum.
If you have bigger tank will be better.
Most South American and Asian fish are suitable since you have soft water.

You can search this Seriouslyfish website to find out the fish requirements.(GH, pH, minimum tank size).

Pterophyllum “scalare” – Angelfish — Seriously Fish

www.seriouslyfish.com

Also, don't keep Angel fish with Neon Tetras.
The Angel fish will "makan" the Neon Tetras when they grow larger. LOL
Angels fish will grow to quite large and tall(6″ (15cm) body length and as much as 8″ (20cm) or more in height.
If you keep Angel fish, you have to get bigger Tetras or wider body Tetras and not the slimmer body Tetras(risky).

You can also consider some Dwarf South American Cichlids such as:
1)Apistogramma (Apistogramma Cacatuiodes, Borelli, etc)
2)Bolivian Rams.
3)Blue Rams, Golden Rams, Electric Blue Rams (for warmer water : 27-30C), suitable for Indonesia weather.

Take note that Apistogrammas are not cheap unless you can get them from your country breeders.
Also, the Cichlids will fight with each other. So, you can only have a few of them.

You can keep 1-2 species of Tetras or Rasboras(Harlequin Rasboras, Espei Rasboras, etc). Keep a bigger group of about 10 each(minimum).
Some Barbs like the Five Banded Barbs are slower moving and are also ok.

You also keep a group of Corydoras(minimum 6).

Usually my ideas are:
1)A few bigger fish
2)1-2 or 2-3 schooling fish depending on how many bigger fish you have.
3)For schooling fish, try to have top and mid level fish and if you still have space, keep 1 bottom level schooling fish. This will make your tank look more full since you will have fish at all levels.

How to Stock an Aquarium With Different Levels of Fish

Learn which fish groups typically swim at the top, middle, near the bottom or at the bottom of the aquarium.

www.thesprucepets.com

Some videos:

Some pictures of fish species:
Tetras species(under Characin family)

Characins

www.qianhufish.com

Rasboras, Barbs, Danios species (under Cyprinids family)

Cyprinids

www.qianhufish.com

Fish Focus - Barbs

#FishKeeping #Barbs #FishFocus #DisplayAquarium #MaidenheadAquatics #Aquatics #Fish #PlantedAquarium #DisplayTanksNamed for the sensory barbels shared with m...

www.youtube.com

My father-in-law really in love with the Angels i have at home, he insist on getting even a pair of them.
So, i think i'll get a pair of angels and maybe give them tank mates of Platy? Sunset Platy is so pretty and they are kind of big and swimming around a lot.

 

[Lajos_Detari]

My father-in-law really in love with the Angels i have at home, he insist on getting even a pair of them.
So, i think i'll get a pair of angels and maybe give them tank mates of Platy? Sunset Platy is so pretty and they are kind of big and swimming around a lot.

I think if you keep Angel fish, most advice given is to keep a group of them.
Perhaps, a group of 6 of them.

Pterophyllum “scalare” – Angelfish — Seriously Fish

www.seriouslyfish.com

As for Platy, they are not so suitable for your soft water.
According to the website below, you need a minimum of 166ppm(dH=10) of water hardness.

Xiphophorus maculatus – Platy — Seriously Fish

www.seriouslyfish.com

 

[shaziasadiqah]

I think if you keep Angel fish, most advice given is to keep a group of them.
Perhaps, a group of 6 of them.

Pterophyllum “scalare” – Angelfish — Seriously Fish

www.seriouslyfish.com

As for Platy, they are not so suitable for your soft water.
According to the website below, you need a minimum of 166ppm(dH=10) of water hardness.

Xiphophorus maculatus – Platy — Seriously Fish

www.seriouslyfish.com

can a 66gal fit 6 angels then? I think just 6 angels would be very nice to watch without any other tank mates.

but, i know that he won’t upgrade his tank, that’s what concerns me, so i think it would be best to stock the tank with fishes that will thrive living in a 66gal long term.

i keep my angels in a 57gal and many people will blame me for that but i have a plan to upgrade my tank to a 140gal at least in near future and now my angels are not really big yet.

 

[PheonixKingZ]

can a 66gal fit 6 angels then? I think just 6 angels would be very nice to watch without any other tank mates.

but, i know that he won’t upgrade his tank, that’s what concerns me, so i think it would be best to stock the tank with fishes that will thrive living in a 66gal long term.

i keep my angels in a 57gal and many people will blame me for that but i have a plan to upgrade my tank to a 140gal at least in near future and now my angels are not really big yet.

It depends on what species of Angle. The species that @Lajos_Detari posted above, would work in a group of 6 in a 66g.

A 140g would be much better in the future. Bigger = better in my book.

 

[shaziasadiqah]

It depends on what species of Angle. The species that @Lajos_Detari posted above, would work in a group of 6 in a 66g.

A 140g would be much better in the future. Bigger = better in my book.

​

Pterophyllum Scalare Angels, i have them and planning to stock my father-in-law's tank with those angels, too.

If 6 pterophyllum scalare will thrive in a 66gal i would love to stock his tank with only angels and lots of plants

Thank you.

 

[Lajos_Detari]

If you want to give them a more comfortable space, probably keep only 4 Angel fish.
Nevertheless, take note that in smaller group, there will be more aggressions among them.
Angel fish are schooling fish, and the bigger the group, the better they are.

Bigger tank will be better though I can't comment much as I am not an expert in Angel fish.
Also, take note that when they paired up and starting to breed, there will be more aggression.

I have a friend who kept 5-6 of them in a 30 gallons tank but this is not acceptable/advisable.. LOL
And his angels fish even bred in his tank.
He told me that all other Angel fish were pushed to a corner by the pair that were breeding.

Altum Angel will be bigger than the normal Angel fish.

10 Variations in Freshwater Angelfish

There are many varieties of freshwater angelfish, all sporting attractive colors and markings. Ten of them are described here.

www.thesprucepets.com

Angelfish | Animal World

Timid, temperamental, and delicate, the Angelfish is familiarto every freshwater aquarist and the most commonly kept cichlid. The Angelfish Pterophyllum scalare is a graceful, disk-shaped cichlid. Thoughnamed for the marine angelfish, it bears little resemblance to these fish orto any other fish...

animal-world.com

Altum Angelfish: Care Guide, Tank Mates, & More (With Pictures) | Animal World

The Altum Angelfish is a very pretty and peaceful cichlid despite its large size! The Altum Angelfish Pterophyllum altum is the largest of the three described angelfish species. They measure about 7 inches (18 cm) in length but are very tall, with extensive fins that make it up to around 9″ (20...

animal-world.com

 

[shaziasadiqah]

I think i’ll go with 4 angels. I mean they could be very aggressive based on what i notice with the angels in my tank, but the just kind of chasing each other and did not go anything beyond that like hurting each other. I’ve kept them for 4 months. First they are in a 25gal and now in a 57gal with the blackghost as their tank mate.

maybe i’ll add some smaller fish like bigger tetra, not much just 6 of them to make the tank look a bit more active.

thank you so much, you’ve been much of a help and also everybody else, too

 

[Lajos_Detari]

Yes, you can keep bigger Tetras but once they started to breed, it may be a different story again.

 

[PheonixKingZ]

Yes, you can keep bigger Tetras but once they started to breed, it may be a different story again.

As going to say that as well. Once/if the Tetras start breeding, the fry will be a tasty snack for angle fish.