Stocking Advice For My Planted 65 Gallon Please

[magpie]

Hi there,

I am setting up a 65 gallon, 3-ft long by 24 high tank. Substrate is Flourite mixed with what my LFS calls "mesh" which is a slightly larger grain sand as far as I can tell. I have an Eheim 2217 external canister filter.

My water is soft, and right now is 7.2 pH but with some wood added it might drop a tad, previously when I had a tank in this city it usually ran 6.8-7.0.

For fish, my list keeps evolving... still not solid at all.

4 Bolivian Rams
6 Forktail rainbows
12 Cardinal Tetras
8 Clown killies? Or maybe instead do Marbled hatchetfish? I looove killies but I'm not sure.
5-6 Kuhli loaches
2 Stiphodon elegans (algae-eating gobies)


Input?

I definitely want Rams of some sort - Bolivians are hardier and seem even more interactive which is why I have them on my list.
I was initially considering a pair of Rams and then a pair or trio of Apistos, but then thought that one dwarf cichlid would be better than two. (?)

I love Kuhli loaches.
I love gobies (obviously am drawn to eel-looking fish with character - I would love a rope fish but I know it's not suited for this tank with smaller fish). I am fascinated by them and think they're adorable. Plus, the fact that they eat algae - rather well, I hear - is a bonus.
I am really drawn to the forktails as a unique schooler with some color and activity - however I was told they like harder water and with a higher pH...?

Cardinals are just fish that worked well for me previously (even in that same pH range) and I like how a large school of them look. I don't have my heart set on them, the killies, or the hatchets but do need some more middle-upper fish. I do really like killifish in general, though. I am wary of other species of them, though, as I had a female A. Australe eat my Cardinals (I know that's not typical, and I wouldn't have believed it myself had I not seen a tail sticking out of her mouth.)

I also like Silver tip Tetras quite a bit but read that they can be nippy.
I don't like Neons as much as Cardinals but if they're better suited I'd consider them - the blue is nice to have compared with the normal coloration of most other fish I want - which is why I like the Cardinals.
I also could go for Rummynose Tetras.
My husband likes Zebra Danios, I would like a little more color but am open to them.
(Haven't read up on water conditions for the above)

I also like oddballs.

Other suggestions for me? Again, I am very open to suggestions.

 

[eaglesaquarium]

Danios are generally recommended for longer tanks.

I would go with the trio of Apistos than merely a pair of Bolivian Rams, but just because I think the Apistos colors are more spectacular than the Bolivian rams... (Tastes very though, I don't have a lot of love for eel looking fish. )


I think your choices of fish should work well. Nothing jumped out at me, but I'm not very familiar with gobies, killies, or the rainbows you mentioned. As such, I'm certainly not the best judge. (And I lean towards neons over cardinals too! )

 

[magpie]

Thanks for your input, although based on our tastes, I should choose the opposite of what you recommend.

I think the Apistos are beautiful and my LFS has a ton of them to choose from, however I love the Rams and their personalities... they are so interactive and they were my first dwarf cichlid love.

 

[minnnt]

Bolivians are far easier going than apisto's imo!

 

[magpie]

Yes, agreed.

 

[mark2109111]

+1 for Stiphodon elegans and instead of bolivians or even with add a pair of agasizzis (pardon my spelling )

 

[magpie]

I have written off the forktails due to their optimal conditions requiring a higher pH than I have, and harder water. I'm going to go with the spotted blue eyes instead - I prefer the look of the furcata but it just makes sense to go with the gertrudae due to water parameters. Don't want unhappy fish.

I was also told that the Cardinals really optimally prefer more acidic water than I have.

So, I'm thinking this for stocking now....

4 Bolivian Rams (or 2 Bolivians with a pair/trio of apistos?)
5-6 Kuhli loaches
10-12? Spotted blue eye rainbows (pseudo. gertrudae)
11-13? Rummynose tetra (read they like odd numbers)
2 stiphodon elegans gobies (Do they need a buddy?)

- Marbled hatchets or clown killies... still up for debate and may even go with something different but need a top fish. Worried about the shy nature of the clowns.