# My Stocking list for my New 125 Gallon Tropical Community



## 4rdguy (Nov 27, 2010)

Hey guys and gals, i finally got my 125 and got it setup. I'm looking to do a active community tank with a decent amount of color. Ive been toying around with and doing a lot of reading about community fish and such and think i have an OK list for my 125 but want some opinions.

im gonna aqua scape the tank with lots of driftwood on one end that is moderately-densely planted (fake plants for now) have the center of the tank lightly-moderately planted with some driftwood and rock and the other end kind of open from plants (only a few) but with a bunch of rock caves and such built up. The background i was thinking of just going black vinyl on the outside of the tank rather then paint as if i wanted to change it vinyl is easier to remove, but as I've been writing this its making me think of doing one of those scenic planted backgrounds, just because it is a community tank.

ill be running a standard size 125 gallon with 2 aqua clear 500s, so there will be lots of filtration.

I have been playing around with Aqua adviser (http://www.aqadvisor.com/AqAdvisor.php)

Selected species:

10 x Neon Tetra (Paracheirodon innesi)
10 x Guppy (Poecilia reticulata) (mixed for color i love the Tequila sunrises)
1 x Pictus Catfish (Pimelodus pictus)
5 x Redline Shark (Puntius denisonii) (are roseline sharks are the same?)
5 x Glass Catfish (Kryptopterus minor) (just cause there cool to look at)
1 x Albino Bristlenose Pleco (Ancistrus cf. cirrhosus)
1 x Bristlenose Pleco (Ancistrus sp.)
10 x Zebra Danio (Danio rerio)
5 x Leopard Cory (Corydoras leopardus)
10 x Harlequin Rasbora (Trigonostigma heteromorpha)
4 x Dwarf Gourami (Colisa lalia)
1 x Angelfish (Pterophyllum scalare) (koi colored)

and these are the Recommendations/Warnings/Suggestions/Notes that aqua adviser told me. are these good to follow as well?

# Suggestion: If you want to keep more than 1 Guppy, minimum recommend male to female ratio is 1:2 (M:F). You will be less likely to experience problem if you get even more females.
# Note: Albino Bristlenose Pleco needs driftwood.
# Note: Bristlenose Pleco needs driftwood.
# Warning: Neon Tetra may become food for Angelfish.

it also said i would be at 98% capacity for the tank and at 109% filtration needing 31% water changes weekly.

Just wondering what you all thought of my ideas for aquascaping/tank layout and what you think i should potentially change or anything like that.

here is the basic tank with some driftwood a few plants and rocks.









i kind of want the 125 to be a bigger version of my 38 pictured here.









thanks a lot,
looking forward to your opinions.


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## Cory (May 2, 2008)

Hi there, glad to see someone else out there who likes the big tank, small fish idea the way I do . 

I have a few suggestions for your stocking that I think will improve your enjoyment overall.

First thing I would do is replace the neons with Cardinal Tetras. They get larger and have more colour. Id also change the number from 10 to between 15 and 20. They look outstanding in LARGE groups and I think you will enjoy the spectacle especially if you ever go with real plants. Also, it is normal to have some die off when you buy neons or cardinals small so you have more to work with. 

I'd get rid of the glass catfish. I don't think they will appreciate the current generated by two AC 500s since they tend to prefer oncoming current. The angelfish might also pester them. 

On the topic of Angelfish, one is good but a few would look even better. Assuming your 125 is a 6 footer there's enough length for at least 3 angelfish to have their own territories. You could easily have more too but there may be occaisional spats that do no real damage but which can disrupt the harmony of a community aquarium. 

The pictus would almost certainly eat neons and probably guppies too. They can be really hyperactive and might dislodge your plants. Don't think it'd be ideal for your tank. 

I'd add more cories maybe 8 or 10. 

Denisoni barbs grow to be quite large and might not do so well with the smaller fish you have selected but I wouldnt rule them out. I'd definitely add them last when you stock the tank. 

That of course brings up the question of stocking order and once you've got your filter cycled a bit I'd start with the Angelfish(es) and bristlenose plecos and either the school of harlequins or zebra danios. Second round, add whichever of the danios or rasboras you didn't add in round one, the guppies and the gouramis. Round three, Cories, Cardinals and if you decide to risk them the denisonis round four. 

I wouldn't rely on mathematical formulas to determine stocking levels either. 

If you dont go with the denisonis and I'd say don't you can get some fish which are more appropriate and some even look similar. For example, Siamese Algae Eaters (the true ones and you have to be sure that they are true siamensis) look similar to denisoni barbs without the red colour, grow smaller, eat red algae when present and are active interesting swimmers that like to school. They are actually pretty much barbs themselves. 

Unless you want the tank to eventually be full of guppies, I wouldn't get any females at all. 10 males will do you just fine and they wont fight to the death or anything, they'll just try to mate with everything in the tank . Even if most fry get eaten, females in the tank will lead to more females in the tank and the number grows exponentially after that. If you dont mind having to get rid of some every now and again to maintain balance it isn't as big a problem though. 

Hope that helps you out. Cheers!


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## 4rdguy (Nov 27, 2010)

Hey Cory, Thanks for the reply, that helps a lot. I really do like the busy aquariums with lots of smaller fish, rather then a small amount of large fish.

i had the pictus and tetras in there just because i have them in my current tank. i can just leave them there for now i guess, although once i get the 125 going i want to kind of try to set my 38 into a breeding tank for my Rams.

but i like your ideas about going to the bigger cardinal tetras and upping the angels. so i Think this is basically what im going to go with. give or take a little bit. And if the guppy's breed that's ok, i can always take the babies back to my bigals, give them away free on here or to my friend who has piranhas. lol

10 x Guppy (Poecilia reticulata)
1 x Albino Bristlenose Pleco (Ancistrus cf. cirrhosus)
1 x Bristlenose Pleco (Ancistrus sp.)
10 x Zebra Danio (Danio rerio)
8 x Leopard Cory (Corydoras leopardus)
10 x Harlequin Rasbora (Trigonostigma heteromorpha)
4 x Dwarf Gourami (Colisa lalia)
3 x Angelfish (Pterophyllum scalare)
20 x Cardinal Tetra (Paracheirodon axelrodi)

3 x Siamese Algae Eater (Crossocheilus siamensis)
or 
3 x Redline Shark (Puntius denisonii)

any ideas on my ideas for tank setup/aquascaping or does it sound ok to you?

thanks alot,
Brad


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## Cory (May 2, 2008)

The aquascaping is entirely up to you  That fish list will appreciate just about anything you put in there. Make sure the plecos have somewhere to retreat to during the day by providing them with a few caves etc. Other than that, express yourself; aquascaping is an art form.


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## theeyrietrainer (Dec 9, 2010)

Correct me if I'm wrong, but aren't Angelfish notorious for eating neons and cardinals? If you're going to go through with it, make sure you use small Angelfish with the neon/cardinal school rather than putting in a school with adult Angelfish that will just end up having a fun feast fest.


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