Stocking Ideas For 50 Gal Tank

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I'm in Mount Vernon.  I just found a store in Conway that I really like, I wish I was closer to Portland!  There really aren't many good stores up here that aren't chains.
 
Atsy said:
Just wondering, why do you not have your tank filled to the top, and keep it there? I've seen many other people do that, so I was just wondering, I like keeping mine filled past the black line.
 
So if you want to do shoaling fish (i.e. tetras) as you said, then you don't want swordtails as those are livebearers (higher pH) and your tetras are lower pH, so while many people do mix them, it is not the best, and if some babies can hide under that tree to the left or in the plants as they go you could get many unwanted babies. Here's what I recommend:
 
*2 bristlenose pleco 
*16 cardinal tetras
*4 german blue rams
*inverts are great (mts are good but may overpopulate, however a few assassin snails will solve that problem if you ever have it). also cherry shrimp are good but you may want to add them first to give them a chance to grow and populate the tank, so if other fish eat them (which is a change), your fish will still be safe.
*1 dwarf gourami 
 
That is what I would do. The amount of fish you can keep vary's based on how quickly you introduce them, your filter, live plants, and your speed of water changes.
 
Great looking tank, and I'm glad your cycling, your off to a great start!
 
It is not filled up because we are still cycling and will do a big water change when it finally cycles. I figured a few inches down wasn't a big deal. I plan on keeping it filled when there are some occupants.
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Thanks for the list! I hadn't thought of cardinal tetras, nice. Nice that bristlenose stay small. I don't want a 3' pleco!! The more ideas the better!
 
Is it ok to add cherry shrimp when the substrate isn't mature yet or there isn't a lot of detritus and algae to munch on???
 
Ok. You welcome for the list. Based on my experience adding cherry shrimp will be fine, but if your worried you can give them some supplemental shrimp food for feeding.
 
All of the stocking suggestions sound good, plenty for you to pick from however I would not advise getting Otos until your tank is more mature, as otos can be very fragile especially in new set ups.
As for cories, it depends what other fish you decide to have as some like cooler temps & some do best in higher temps, but there are lts of varieties to choose from
 
I'd advise holding off on the shrimp as well, who will fare much better with a more established tank. 
 
I have a variety of tetras in my 55 gallon, and they're all fun to watch. There are so many varieties!
 
Anxious to see what you finally decide ... be sure to post photos when you get it all set up with fish!
 
pirategrl said:
I'm in Mount Vernon.  I just found a store in Conway that I really like, I wish I was closer to Portland!  There really aren't many good stores up here that aren't chains.
Geeze!  You are way up there!  I met a guy on the forums that said the Greater Seattle Aquarium Society is starting a Fish Store Co-Op in Edmunds, supposed to open in 2 weeks I think.  Also several people have told me that the Wet Spot does really good mail order fish, $14 UPS ground for WA.  I think I'll try them out for my stocking since I don't want to have to drive to Portland every time.
 
 
This Old Spouse said:
I'd advise holding off on the shrimp as well, who will fare much better with a more established tank. 
 
I have a variety of tetras in my 55 gallon, and they're all fun to watch. There are so many varieties!
 
Anxious to see what you finally decide ... be sure to post photos when you get it all set up with fish!
I really like the tetras, I can't choose what to get though!  I keep discovering a new fav!
 
I'm sold on this so far:
  • Blue Emperor tetras - 6 to 8
  • Sunset honey gourami - 3 or so
  • Peppered or Panda cory catfish - whatever the min is, 5? OR bristole nose pleco - 1
  • Blue Velvet shrimp/Blue Rili - found a guy nearby that breeds them
  • I had a couple of stowaway snails from the plants I just bought, they are really entertaining!
Then probably another variety of tetra, can't decide which one though!  Cardinal tetra/ Lemon tetra/ flame tetra/ penguin tetra oh my!  So many too choose!  OR possibly a hatchetfish?  I want to have balance in the tank since it seems I will have plenty in the bottom area!
 
 
Lilfishy said:
All of the stocking suggestions sound good, plenty for you to pick from however I would not advise getting Otos until your tank is more mature, as otos can be very fragile especially in new set ups.
As for cories, it depends what other fish you decide to have as some like cooler temps & some do best in higher temps, but there are lts of varieties to choose from
I've been using Aqadvisor to help with that, I found that Peppered and Panda Cories work with my tank plan so far.  It will a pretty warm tank, probably 75 - 80 degrees F.  Ph has been steady at 7.4-7.6 (hard to tell on the test kit).
 
Most cory are better off at the lower temps. And each species in groups of 6 or more.
 
Occupants:  4 honey gourami!  All seem to be doing pretty good and are happy.  1 honey has been really stressed since it left the LFS....hopefully it calms down soon!  Poor little guy! 
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Oh look!  There is something in this big tank!  What could it be? 
 
I think the giant cat might be freaking out your gouramis.
What breed is it? Russian blue?
 
TallTree01 said:
I think the giant cat might be freaking out your gouramis.
What breed is it? Russian blue?
Ha ha, probably!  She was only up there for about a minute then I took the chair away for obvious reasons!  She might have some Russian but she is probably just "mutt".  There was another one under the chair too, she got pushed off the chair by the one looking in the tank.
 
The wonky gourami seems to be doing a little better each day.  Each morning I think I'm going to see it floating but am pleasantly surprised!  Poor little thing has a few red marks on its "nose (?)" because it ran into a rock....two times when it was spinning.
 
What is a good detritus cleaner fish?  I plan on shrimp but is there a good fish too?  I'm a little leary of plecos, even the bristlenose because they get big.  Also, how many shirmp would be good for this size of tank (50 gal)?
 
You could get a few snails. From what I understand, they leave a tank spotless. I've got about thirty ghost shrimp to help with the cleaning. They're so much fun to watch, though, sometimes I just buy them just to liven up a tank. If you put your fingers in the water, they fly up and clean your fingers. It tickles. Anyway, ghost shrimp are cheap and fun, maybe some cherry shrimp. If you want a fish for cleaning, a corydoras species would be exciting. Or maybe a loach species? I don't know much about loaches though.

Also: your tank setup is looking lovely! What sort of plants are those?
 
I just got some Malaysian Trumpet Snails from aquabid in the mail today.  And this weekend I'm getting some blue velvet/rili shrimp.  They are hopefuly going to take care of the issue!  I have 3 Anubias, 2 water sprite, 1 wisteria, 2 cryptocoryne parva, microsword grass and purple cabomba (the really tall spiral ones in the back on the left and right).  I love the cabomba!
 
Are danios able to survive in 4 dh water?  It seems that the like harder water around 10 dh.  Is that a hard rule?
 
Danios can survive cycling. I don't think they even notice hardness lol.
 
Funny!  I will keep that in mind.  No one mentions hardness very often so I wasn't sure if fish could adapt.  Been looking at celestial pearl danios....pretty.  Added the blue shrimp late last night, the guy gave me close to 20, they are so darn small I can't see them at all!  We have found 2!  Hopefully they survived the night...
 

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