Tank Stocking

[timbruun]

I'm just curious what I should either add or get rid of from my 90 gallon tank. My current stocking is :

2 - Marble Angel Fish
2 - White Cloud Mountain Minnow
2 - Albino Bristlenose Pleco
3 - Blue Ram
2 - Glowlight Tetra
1 - Red Tail Black Shark
2 - Long Fin Albino Bristlenose
3 - Long Fin Albino Bristlenose Small
6 - Green Corydoras
1 - Male Albino Kribensis
3 - Female Kribensis
4 - Rineloricaria - Whiptail Catfish
8 - Electric Yellow Lab
6 - Johanni - 4 male and 2 female I think.
7 - Synodontis Petricola
1 - Male Convict - was rescued and this was the only place for him.

The white cloud and glowlight used to be more but I had some issues in a different tank so I had to put them in this one for now. I want to get rid of the shark because he harrasses everyone else more than I like. Otherwise anything I should change? I have plenty of hiding space/caves. Black sand substrate. Lots of filtration. I would like to be slightly overstocked depending on how it works out. And if I could would silver dollars fit in this tank?
Thanks in advance.

 

[timbruun]

Anyone?

 

[eschaton]

Honestly, that stocking is an absolute mess. Having fish from all different continents is okay, but there's no way your water parameters are right for the Synodontis and the African Cichlids if they are okay for everything else. And as you know, you have too few of schooling fish like the white clouds and the tetras. That also sounds like *way* too many bristlenoses for algae control in a tank of that size, but that's just my personal opinion.

If I were you, I'd take everything Asian and African out of the tank. since you have more South American fish than anything else. Add two more angels, and some Apistos. Put in at least six glowlight tetras, or swap them for something more interesting, like cardinals or rummynose.

 

[timbruun]

I know it's a mess. They seem to be ok together but this is just how it ended up under circumstances and now I'm wanting to fix it.

Actually my water is better for the africans. My pH stabilizes around 8-8.4 my water isn't hard enough but it's not bad. I've been told and read over and over again that i shouldn't mess with my water anyways. Fish will adapt.

Most of the bristlenose are small. I only have 2 adults, 2 that about an inch and 3 that are under an inch. The 3 were fry from the 2 adults.

And I'm leaning more towards the african since they seem to have a personality that i prefer. I'd like to try and trade around with others in my area since buying fish from an lfs is more expensive but we'll have to see.

 

[thefubar]

Seeing as its your tank, and you have said you'd prefer to go more African.

Take some time and understand the fish that you have at the moment. Then realise that some are less suited than others and try and remove them first.

Then look into which African species you'd prefer to replace them with.

Then get into the marketplace here on TFF and get some swaps and exchanges going.

...Or you coupld nip down the LFS and buy 1 of every other fish you're missing!!

 

[timbruun]

Well I have a tough time trading here on TFF since I'm from Canada and not a whole lot of members from my area on here. Haven't seen a single one actually. But wouldn't that be interesting. One of every freshwater fish. jk

Seriously though, tell me if I'm wrong. But I kinda got forced into africans when i bought this 90gallon tank. I was told either I take them or they or tossed out. So I took them. And so far they are more active, come to the top for food, play more then my previous stocking in my 29gallon which i just transfered into the 90gal. Maybe I've just had the wrong fish. I'm fairly new to fish keeping but I try to do my reading and askign questions. My girlfriend is now calling me a fish freak, but I just think it's because she is jealous that i watch my fish and read about them all the time.

I guess I don't the personalities of the different species enough yet. Every time I get to town I stop by the lfs and check out the fish seeing if I like others that are there. And I'm reading up all the time about what will work well. Hence my question of what is my best option here. Looking for a few opinions.

Thanks for the replies so far though. Keep them coming.

 

[Davo86]

Hi there, I'm guessing that most of these fish are still juvis, especially the cichlids (convict, Labs and Johanni especially which will all reach 6")
once these fish mature you can say goodbye to the glowlights and minnows, Also the Rams, Angels and possibly the Kribensis will be in trouble

What are the dimensions of the tank?

Personally I would rehome the following to another tank
2 - Marble Angel Fish 3 - Blue Ram
2 - White Cloud Mountain Minnow 2 - Glowlight Tetra

leaving you with;
1 - Red Tail Black Shark
7 - BNs
6 - Green Corydoras
4 - Rineloricaria - Whiptail Catfish
4 - Kribensis
8 - Electric Yellow Lab
6 - Johanni
7 - Synodontis Petricola
1 - Male Convict

However even with this your Corys and Whiptails may be in trouble if there aren't enough hiding places
Silver Dollars are far too skittish to be kept with African Cichlids and wouldn't do well with this mix of aggressive fish

 

[timbruun]

Actually davo, the more I think about it the more I don't really like the angels anyways. I think i picked them up more because the significant other likes them. I think the cory's will be ok. I like them since they do such a good clean up job. I have tons of places to get away and to hide.

The tank is 48x18x24 if i remember right.

And yes they are all juvis. The convict is the biggest at max 4 inches. The others are still quite small.

Is it not true that the johanni and the yellow labs are less agressive then most cichlids?

If i went with that stocking, would i be fully stocked then? or could I add more?

I've also been thinking about rehoming all 4 kribs since they seem to timid in this tank and they are a breeding pair/group so someone else might have more fun with them. And the shark I'll probably be rehoming also. He came with a 55 gal tank that I now have piranhas in. He was hard on the piranhas chasing them and now also in this 90 gallon tank.

 

[Davo86]

Is it not true that the johanni and the yellow labs are less agressive then most cichlids?

If i went with that stocking, would i be fully stocked then? or could I add more?

yes are lesser aggressive cichlids, but they are africans which in my eyes should be kept in mbuna setups only,
They are still incredibly more aggressive than any south american dwarf species.

I would really only add a few more african cichlids

 

[timbruun]

I'll look around my area and see if anyone wants to do a bit of trading so I can change my stocking a bit then. Thanks for the replies. If there is more input keep it coming.