Stocking Help

[PDSimon]

Just wondering what space I have left to stock my tank... If any! and if you have any ideas. The tank is approx 30G.

I have:

2 bolivian rams
2 cockatoo cichlids
8 kuhli loach
8 rummy nose tetra

Temp is 27 degrees, that could go up or down 1 I suppose.

I quite like the idea of black phantom tetra not sure if 6 would be too much? Tank has x10 filtration and moderately planted.

Any help will be much appreciated!

 

[Biulu]

I think it is doable. But wouldn't you rather up your rummynoses and add a centre piece fish for the top, like an angel or a gourami? Or maybe some hatchetfish?

 

[PDSimon]

My rummynose seem pretty happy at 8 so I wasn't worried about them. If cockatoo cichlids aren't centrepeice fish I don't know what is

I do quite like hatchetfish but I think they'll jump out when I am doing waterchanges

You definately think there is space left over then?

 

[Wills]

The list looks good to me but up the apistos to a trio with 2 females to 1 male - also I think you still have room for something else how about a disk tetra like flame tetras in a school of about 6 or 7 or you could go for emperor tetras in a similar school size.

Wills

 

[PDSimon]

The list looks good to me but up the apistos to a trio with 2 females to 1 male - also I think you still have room for something else how about a disk tetra like flame tetras in a school of about 6 or 7 or you could go for emperor tetras in a similar school size.

Wills

Thanks Wills

Why the two females? A lot of people say it but is it necessary if you're not fussed on breeding them?

The flame tetra are nice but I've never seen any available near me. They're basically the same as black phantoms right? so would they be ok?

 

[Wills]

Yeah any of the disk tetras would be okay but be careful of the nippy ones like serpae and one of the black ones is known to nip but I forget which I think the phantoms are the safe ones but yeah like I say most disk tetras would work.

With the apistos its not if you want to breed them its when they will breed. And its at that point that the male becomes a threat to the female because he will pester her for more breeding and it could/will stress her out to death so if you get two he spreads the love around and all are happy. I would either do a trio or just get a male.

Wills

 

[PDSimon]

Cheers wills, I completely understand now i think you mean black skirt.

 

[PDSimon]

Hmmmmmmm I'm a bit unsure of the supplier of black phantoms...

There are some diamond tetra in my favourite LFS, they grow even bigger though I believe at approx. 6cm compared to the 4-5cm of the black phantoms. Actually found some fire reds but they didn't look in the best condition. Would the diamond tetra be suitable? assuming that 6 is the minimum number I could put in

 

[N0body Of The Goat]

My better half thinks Diamond Tetra are adourable (the purple fins on adults you see), but even if I had space for a school, I'm wary about what I've read about them needing soft-medium hardness water (which Southampton water certainly ain't).

Have you considered Hengel Rasbora? They are said to often school tighter than Rummys, but with both in the tank, you could see this for yourself!

Plus being from Asia, they would give the Kuhlis some more Asian backup if a continental war broke out in the tank...

 

[PDSimon]

My pH is 6.3 and my water is soft-moderately soft which would suit them pH comes out of the tap at 7.5 but all the bogwood in the tank and my low buffering capacity has created some nice conditions for the SA cichlids/rummys and the kuhlis probably appreciate it too!

Hengel rasbora are quite nice but i'm not a huge fan, they never really shouted out to me if you know what I mean...

and lol my kuhlis are too peaceful for any war!!

Do you think the tank would be over stocked if I added 6 diamond tetra? Thanks for the input

 

[Twinklecaz]

SIMON! I won't tell you again...........get Gouramis!


In seriousness I hope you have room for the DTs, I LOVE them. There's a few fish with the "sparkly"tag but these ones actually are

 

[PDSimon]

No room for them now...! The only ones I really really like are chocolates and I got those 2 cockatoo cichlids instead I saw some for 5.95 each today though (choc gourami) good offer imo! for such rare fish anyway.

I was a bit unsure about diamond tetras as they don't have much colour but Its more about there sparkly/mirror effect as well as their shape that you start to like. So if anyone could tell me whether 6 would fit in my stocking I may have some in my tank tomorrow Pretty big fish though..

 

[Twinklecaz]

Someone tell him coz I wanna see the pics!

 

[Wills]

I reckon they will be fine in a group of 6 to be fair though they have a bigger max size IME the only tetras that grow vastly bigger than the others is the Columbian so I would avoid them at the moment but I think Diamonds would be awesome

Wills

 

[PDSimon]

Thanks!