Stocking For New Tank

[DANGI3L]

Hi everyone, first post here so hope everythings ok

I have just bought a Juwel Rekford 800 tank (110l) after having a biorb 60l (a huge mistake!!!!!). Currently I have a single white cloud minnow who is the last of a shoal, I haven't wanted to buy any more just yet as I was migrating to the new tank.
I was just wondering what fish you would recommend for this size tank I will start with a small shoal of Minnows five or so, and although they will be in the tank from the start I will use some filter from my mature tank and am ready to test the water daily and carry out daily water changes. I would love some larger fish but am realistic that the tank isn't large enough for anything like an angel fish or larger Cichlids.
Also, the filter in the tank is rated at 400l/h would anyone familiar with the tank recommend buying a secondary internal as I have no room for an external filter.
 
Thanks for everyone's help
Dan
 
EDIT: Sorry didn't put imperial measurements in the tank is 24 gallons

 

[stanleo]

A dwarf gourami is good for that size. That's what I have and he does great. I have heard that the filter should turn over 5x the amount of water in the tank an hour. My filter is an external and does 10x per hour. How big do those minnows get? Just remember the 1 inch per gallon rule. Though there are other ways.

 

[DANGI3L]

My current minnow is about 1 1/2 inch and will be fully grown as he is 3 years old, I think I will get another internal, I can upgrade my current filter pump to 1000l/h but think the current will be too powerful and end up splashing water everywhere. I have always run on 1cm per litre which would be about 2 inch per gallon, but being sensible about the bioload of any species. Do like the idea of a gourami and love your tank!

 

[JenJ]

The problem you may have is that minnows prefer cooler water, so your choice of tank mates is very limited. 

 

[DANGI3L]

I thought that would be my main problem, my minnow has always been in an unheated tank at 18 degrees with a small fancy goldfish, hence my dismay with the biorb, even when mature I was doing bi-weekly water changes, unfortunately my gf had a series of tumours across his body and was evidently in pain so I had to put him down to stop any further suffering, I was looking at having the tank at 24 degrees, obviously will increase the temperature of a number of weeks slowly to acclimatise my current minnow. At 24 degrees I am at the top of the range for minnows and the bottom for tetras, guppies and Gouramis, which I think are a realistic size for my tank when matured. Has anyone else used the think fish compatibility checker at www.thinkfish.co.uk ,  if so do you rate it.
 
EDIT: Oxygen in the tank shouldn't be too much of a problem which seems to be the main issue with WCMM as I have a pretty good surface area at 439 square inches or 2835 square centimeters, I have really good surface agitation and two airstone.

 

[JenJ]

I believe most danios (except CPDs) prefer cooler waters

 

[the_lock_man]

unfortunately my gf had a series of tumours across his body and was evidently in pain so I had to put him down

 
Sorry, I read the "gf" as Girlfriend, not goldfish.......
 
Anyway, if you've got WCMMs then yes, you want cooler waters. I'd suggest Platies, and either Bulldog Plecs or one of the Hillstream Loach species as tankmates. If you leave the tank fairly planted, the chances are that the Platies and the WCMMs will eat any fry that happen to come along.

 

[TekFish]

unfortunately my gf had a series of tumours across his body and was evidently in pain so I had to put him down

 
Sorry, I read the "gf" as Girlfriend, not goldfish.......

Lol TLM! What are you like!!!

Tek oot.

 

[tomtomtom1230]

My current minnow is about 1 1/2 inch and will be fully grown as he is 3 years old, I think I will get another internal, I can upgrade my current filter pump to 1000l/h but think the current will be too powerful and end up splashing water everywhere. I have always run on 1cm per litre which would be about 2 inch per gallon, but being sensible about the bioload of any species. Do like the idea of a gourami and love your tank!

 
I think you'll be surprised. 1000l/hr is great for a tank of that size. Especially if you're going for a river/stream set up (which could be a compete work of art, I've seen some really nice mountain stream setups). A strong current is essential for most (not all, there are quite a few exceptions) torpedo shaped fish. Danios and White Cloud Minnows come from fast flowing waters and would love a flow like that. Depending on what you upgrade to, you could also reduce the flow rate quite easily. Most filters nowadays (internal or external) have flow adjusters and even if you get an external that doesn't, you could always go to a home DIY store, buy a small clamp and attach it to one of the hoses to reduce the flow I guess. A spray bar would also have a similar effect. Over filtering a tank would allow you more leniency in maintenance and overall, the fishes' welfare, allowing for a higher rate of biological filtration. 5 times per hour isn't bad, but if it was me I'd consider moving to at least 8 times the volume of the tank per hour.

 

[DANGI3L]

Thanks for all the ideas guy, I've been to a couple of my LFS both of them had display tanks with WCMM with dwarf gouramis at about 24 degrees, the store that bred their own fish bred WCMM at 24 degrees and they were in excellent condition with the deepest red dorsals I've ever seen in white clouds, so I think I will see how my minnows do at 24 degrees then if need be I can slowly drop the temperature and re evaluate their tank mates.

With regards to filters I will upgrade my pump to 1000 l/h and point the pipe down to give current through the tank, I've installed a couple of air ornaments and an air stone to provide surface agitation at each end of the tank.

 

[DANGI3L]

Well it turns out I am liable to change my mind on an almost daily basis!!!
There is no point in keeping fish unhappy so I'm gonna go for cooler waters 21/22 degrees and a river (ish) setup 
Stocking wise I will keep a school of WCMM and Zebra Danios (the original rather than those ghastly GloFish concoctions) and a pleco of some sort, hopefully I'll get some cherry shrimp as well. 
Obviously won't be putting them all in for quite some time yet, and will stock lightly as I can't really afford another filter atm, although I have a spare powerhead so will pop that in to create rivery currents.
Any suggestions on the pleco?

 

[the_lock_man]

Bulldog plec is from the same sort of environment as the WCMMs and Danios. Ideal for your set up.
 
The other option would be a Gastromyzin sp. hillstream loach, which look very similar, but aren't quite so messy as plecs.

 

[tomtomtom1230]

Hillstream loach are a really nice fish to keep with some interesting routines and mannerisms once established in a tank

 
EDIT: I'm unsure, but are Hillstream loach and butterfly plecs related at all?

 

[DANGI3L]

I don't think they are related, the loach is from the family Balitordae and the pleco from Loricariidae, my tank is well aerated enough, are they OK with shrimp?

 

[the_lock_man]

I think that Butterfly Plec is another name for Hillstream Loaches but it is a misnomer, they are not related to plecs. However a Bulldog Plec is a plec.

Both are fine with shrimp.