Stocking Suggestion

[DanielLB]

Hi guys,

Currently have a 190l tank and wanted some advice/suggestions on stocking. At the moment I have:

5 Black Phantom Tetra
2 Harlequin
2 Amano Shrimp
5 Guppy (1 that's 4/5 months old)
3 Platy
3 Neon Rainbow Fish

How many more fish and what type do people suggest? I find guppys and platys boring so any interesting fish would be a nice idea (only have them due to the gf hahaha). In my previous post someone suggested I could get a BN, is it still possible?

Thank you!

 

[Wills]

Tons of options in that tank First thing I would do is up your schooling fish to 6 or 8 of each species so thats your Harlequins and your Neon Rainbows - if you dont like Guppies and Platties how about moving them to a smaller second tank? If not no issues there are lots and lots of options in your tank.

The Bristlenose Plec is a good option for the tank as would any small species of plec. Personally I prefer whiptail catfish to plecs now as they are a more slender fish, in my experience they are more active and create so much less poo so the tank stays cleaner. Some Red Lizard Whiptails would work nice in that tank

What you could really use in there is some kind of feature fish like a single specimen with lots of personality and colour but low aggression and also a fish that is no threat to the small fish like guppies. So that could be something like a Blue Acara or a group of some Cupid Cichlids or a group of Bolivian Rams. A trio of one of the Apistogramma species would work well as well. I like Apistogramma Panduro You could also mix a few of these species in a 190 liter tank very nicely but I would perhaps be tempted to do a big hareem of Apistogramma Panduro with 1 male to 3 or 4 females - the females are gorgeous yellow and black with panda like markings.

Wills

 

[Twinklecaz]

I'm not sure what else you could have but I think you should up your number of Harlequins. They're shoaling fish so should really be in a group a minimum of 6. With shoalers, the more you get the better basically

 

[DanielLB]

Thanks Wills and Twiklecaz. Yeah, I've been meaning to up the number of harlequins for a long time now! Imeant to do it the other weak but ended up getting the 5 Phantoms lol!
@ Wills - Thank you for suggesting all of them. I did want some sort of centerpiece fish but didn't have any ideas. off to a local lfs this afternoon so will keep an eye out! How many cupid cichlids/bolivion rams would you suggest?

Thanks, Dan

 

[Wills]

For the cupids and rams a group of 4 would work nicely Be careful if your going shopping haha and just remember if in doubt come home and research it first haha

Wills

 

[DanielLB]

another quick question - can blue acara be kept in community tanks? if so is it just 1 male?

 

[Wills]

It might work but could be a bit of a threat to your guppies. They do well in pairs just make sure the female would have lots of hiding places to rest if they spawned.

Wills

 

[DanielLB]

would a pair of pearl gouramis work well in the tank? i've read they can be fin nippers but there never seems to be consistent info on the net lol!

 

[Wills]

Yeah pearl gourami would work great in there you could maybe even do a group of them like 1 male with 3 females Nice underestimated fish IMO - one of the most peaceful gourami around so no worries with fin nipping. None of your fish have particularly long finnage either.

Wills