Stocking for a 65 gallon

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BlakeB

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Hi, so I have a 10 inch 12 year old rescue common pleco. He's been in a 10 gallon tank his entire life and I wanted to get him a 65 gallon tank and I also wanted to get him some friends and I was thinking about
1 or 2 angelfish
2 honey gouramis
12 black skirt tetras
12 harlequin rasboras
My pleco
Is that going to be okay?
 
Black skirt tetras are notorious fin nippers, so maybe something else to go with your angels? Emperor tetras maybe?
Really happy that your pleco is going to have a bit of freedom at last.
 
I agree about the Black Skirts, not a good fish if sedate fish are planned. And that brings me to the angelfish and gourami.

Generally, cichlids (angelfish) and gourami should not be combined, as they are much alike in their territorial behaviours.

On the angelfish, this is a shoaling species, living in smallish groups. A group of five minimum is recommended. Never acquire two, three or even four, as the probability of problems from the dominance of some males can result in harassment that can kill the others. A bonded/mated pair can work, but otherwise a larger grouping. However, this means at least a 4-foot long tank; I've no idea of the length of the 65g you are intending to set up. And, yet another issue arises: if a pair should form within the group, it may be necessary to move either the pair, or the others.

As you have the space, a group of the Honey Gourami would be better than a pair. A ratio of more females to male is advisable. Or you could look at the Pearl Gourami. This is a real beauty, and the males, though territorial, are generally much less troublesome than some other gourami species. And being a larger size, they will take the place of angelfish quite nicely. Again a small group, two females to one male ratio, with perhaps two or three males and four or five females. No honeys, again one species of gourami is preferable.

The rasbora work fine with gourami, and some other similarly quiet sedate shoaling fish could be added, depending upon the final intended numbers. Remember the pleco is a huge "waste factory" and this can impact on water quality even in larger spaces.

Byron.
 

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