Stocking suggestions

[Bousmilo]

Hey guys,
I have a 75g tank that is fully cycled (4 weeks) and is ready for fish.
I was planning for a coldwater tank around 20°C...
My stocking will be:
- 1 Black Moor
- 6 Rosy Barbs
- 2 Amano Shrimps

What do you think ?
Are these species compatible ?

 

[Byron]

Welcome to TFF.

It is never a good idea to combine goldfish and tropical fish. While temperature requirements for the species mentioned here are much the same, you have a barb species which is fairly active and rather feisty, and a black moor that is very sedate with flowing fins. I can almost guarantee the barbs would delight in fin nipping, and aside from bacterial infection resulting, this would severely stress the poor moor. There are also food/nutritional differences between the two groups.

Leave out the moor and increase the barbs, and consider other fish that would be suitable. Shrimp I cannot comment on from experience, but most all fish view crustaceans as food in their habitats.

Byron.

 

[Bousmilo]

Welcome to TFF.

It is never a good idea to combine goldfish and tropical fish. While temperature requirements for the species mentioned here are much the same, you have a barb species which is fairly active and rather feisty, and a black moor that is very sedate with flowing fins. I can almost guarantee the barbs would delight in fin nipping, and aside from bacterial infection resulting, this would severely stress the poor moor. There are also food/nutritional differences between the two groups.

Leave out the moor and increase the barbs, and consider other fish that would be suitable. Shrimp I cannot comment on from experience, but most all fish view crustaceans as food in their habitats.

Byron.

Oh ok thanks Byron I never thought of that
But do you think that another common goldfish would be good ?
I just love the idea of having a big fish with a school of small fish.
I know you would recommend minnows with the Black Moor but the goldfish is secondary and I don't want to adapt a tank mate for it but I want to find tankmates for my rosy barbs
Does anyone have any ideas of the compatibility of the shrimps in this setup

 

[Byron]

"A big fish with a school of small fish" is not always easy to achieve in an aquarium, depending upon what one considers "big" and "small" fish. We sometimes think that because large fish and much smaller fish live together in a specific stream or river, we can achieve something similar in the aquarium. But this generally is impossible. In the vast expanse of natural watercourses, fishes of differing sizes can live without ever coming into contact, unless the larger is specifically predatory. Most fish, certainly almost all of the tropical species we maintain, do not naturally eat other fish. But if placed within the very close confines of an aquarium, these fish may turn predatory to some degree. This is because we are now forcing the fish into a completely unnatural environment, and we know that aggressive behaviours are the normal result of such stress.

The Rosy barb, Pethia conchonius, is not a small fish in aquarium terms. It should attain three inches in length, with some sources suggesting even up to six inches possible. In a 4-foot 75g tank, finding much larger fish that will manage is next to impossible. Other barbs, and loaches for the substrate level, would be better choices.

The other issue which I mentioned in my first post here is the naturally active swimming nature of barbs. Most larger fish that would be suitable in terms of peacefulness and an aquarium will be fairly sedate fish by comparison. Large gourami for example. But combining sedate fish and active fish is a recipe for trouble; the sedate fish do not appreciate active fish, and will be stressed. And stress causes weakening of the fish, health problems and a shorter than normal lifespan. And here again we are back to the issue of trying something that might work in a vast expanse of water but will not work within the confines of even a largish aquarium.

Rosy Barb need copler water (in the low 70's as opposed to many tropicals that prefer it somewhat warmer) sokeep that in mind when considering tankmates. I would look at other barbs, loaches, maybe danios.

Byron.