While my new tank cycles

[D.Smith123]

I have a Fluval 125l tank that is currently 1 week into cycling, while that's going on I wanted to get peoples thoughts on stocking.

The tank is: 80 x 35 x 50 cm - 33 US Gallons 125L
My water is on the harder side around 14dH

I keep going back and forward over what I am going to put in it, I like the idea of 2 larger groups plus a "show" fish.

Current thoughts are 6-8 Platys 6 rainbows and 1-2 Pearl Gourami's (would they be better alone or as a pair?)

Would it be pushing the tank too much to get 6 Corys in there as well or would 1 single BN Pleco work instead of the Corys?

 

[Byron]

Your GH is the primary factor here with respect to options, but the fish mentioned should be OK.

Pearl Gourami I would suggest in a trio, one male and two females; this will allow the females some respite from a obdurate male. Floating plants are needed with gourami. Now to tankmates.

Rainbowfish covers a number of species, some are sui9ted to your GH but may get a bit large and boistrous for gourami in this small a tank (to the fish it is small). Forget the gourami and go with a group of rainbows is another option. The smaller rainbows would work better, provided they do not need softer water.

I would probably look at the rasboras rather than platies; the common Harlequin Rasbora in a group of 8-9 would be one option that comes to mind, keeping the GH in focus. Not the best solution but I think doable.

Cories are fine so far as compatibility, provided you have a soft sand substrate; a few more though, say 9-12, species can be mixed but try to get a few of each if you do multiple species. A Bristlenose as well, fine, make sure it has some real wood to graze, this is needed for its digestive health.

 

[Byron]

Thanks, so if I ditch the Gouramis and go with:

8 rainbows (neon or yellow both are on the smaller side and seem to be ok with the water.
8 harlequin rasboras (thank you hadn’t thought of them)
10 Corys
1 BN Pleco

would that be a good set up?

Yes, I think so. With the dwarf neon rainbows, sexual dimorphism is easy. Males have red edges on their fins whereas females have yellow or orange fins although in the wild, most females appear to have red fins. Buy more females than males when attempting to keep a group, a ration of 2 females per male seems good. Like the livebearers, males are often too overzealous in their attempts to impress the females. Maybe 9 then if neons.

@Colin_T may have more, he knows the atherinids better than I do. But I think this sounds good.

 

[Colin_T]

There seems to be a post missing, where did this one go?

@Elliott.T123 said:
Thanks, so if I ditch the Gouramis and go with:

8 rainbows (neon or yellow both are on the smaller side and seem to be ok with the water.
8 harlequin rasboras (thank you hadn’t thought of them)
10 Corys
1 BN Pleco

would that be a good set up?

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Any idea what the pH, GH and KH of the water is?

Most rainbowfish do better in water with a pH above 7.0 and a GH above 150ppm.

Harlequin rasboras, Cories and plecos generally come from water with a pH below 7.0 and a GH below 100ppm.

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I'm not sure what species of rainbowfish you are referring to when you say yellow rainbow. If you are referring to Melanotaenia herbertaxelrodi, they get to 4 inches and need a tank that is at least 3 (preferably 4) feet long.

If you have soft water, you could look at some of the Pseudomugil species (P. gertrudae, paskai, etc) and Iriatherina werneri. These are small fish that will get along with Harlequin rasboras and Cories.

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The following link has all the known species of Australian and New Guinea rainbowfishes. You can click the names on the right to view the different species and see if there are any you like. But find out the GH and pH of the water first.

Melanotaeniidae and Pseudomugilidae

A website dedicated to Rainbowfishes of Australia and New Guinea

rainbowfish.angfaqld.org.au