# 75 gallon stocking



## colio (Dec 8, 2012)

My 75 gallon tank is just about ready for fishies. It has a 30 gallon sump, which has been fully cycled but not plumbed (I used the pump to cycle water through the sump without plumbing to the main tank). 

I had originally wanted a semi-aggressive tank with a red tailed black shark. but after much humming and hawing and changing of plans, I have decided to do large swarms of smaller fish. 

I want schooling fish which will look nice in a planted tank. I also plan to add shrimpies. 

My current plan is to do neon tetras, and maybe a mix of cardinals (or just cardinals?). Will the neons school much in a larger tank? I would be adding a lot, like 50. I would probably add another variety of fish as well, or two. 

I am interested in other possible schooling fish who will make nice, tight schools. I know rummy-nose tetras are probably the best schoolers, but I don't think I am a bit fan of them. 

Any other ideas? 

I have also considered adding fancy guppies (I know they are not at all schooling, but I like how they look). Is it possible just add 20 male guppies? How will they behave without females in the tank?


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## pyrrolin (Jan 11, 2012)

Just male guppies would work but not sure if they would give the look you seem to be looking for.

There are lots of different options with tetras for schooling fish


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## Rigio (Jul 23, 2013)

coldmantis io said:


> My 75 gallon tank is just about ready for fishies. It has a 30 gallon sump, which has been fully cycled but not plumbed (I used the pump to cycle water through the sump without plumbing to the main tank).
> 
> I had originally wanted a semi-aggressive tank with a red tailed black shark. but after much humming and hawing and changing of plans, I have decided to do large swarms of smaller fish.
> 
> ...


I think 50 celestial dario schooling would look cool.

http://www.seriouslyfish.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/Danio-margaritatus-2.jpg


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## Lee_D (Jun 11, 2010)

I'd go for the Cardinals rather than the Neon's. They have much more colour and if you get the locally bred ones, they tend to be much more robust. Don't get them all at once though, just add a few at a time.

I also like the Rummy noses. They tend to keep all the other fish in the tank moving.

Lee


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## Rigio (Jul 23, 2013)

Lee_D said:


> I'd go for the Cardinals rather than the Neon's. They have much more colour and you get the locally bred ones, they tend to be much more robust. Don't get them all at once though, just add a few at a time.
> 
> I also like the Rummy noses. They tend to keep all the other fish in the tank moving.
> 
> Lee


If it was between neons and cardinals, I would go with the cardinals. However I still think an army of danios would be nice


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## colio (Dec 8, 2012)

I really like the CPD, and was considering getting them for my 10 gallon (which presently has neons, which I would move to the 75 if I did neons in that tank). But I have heard that CPD do not school at all, and tend to be very shy. While I am sure a display of 70 CPD would be very cool, I want something active. The tank is kind of in a bad spot (bottom of basement stairs), so the display needs to have immediate impact. 

I was also considering ember tetras, which I have heard are nice schoolers and look really good in a planted tank.


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## dock (Sep 6, 2011)

I like the tiny ember tetra too, it has very nice color and will stand out in a community tank. Do you like rasboras? 

For a large community tank like yours, I think giant danio, zebra danio, red eyed tetra will fall into your list of active shoaling fish. Tetra, guppy, danio, and even molly are very active fish.

Why do you want to put shrimp in this tank?

Funny that you asked how male fancy guppies behave without the female, we just picked up 6 nice color large and extra large sun ray and blue neon fancy guppies, none will play with our existing guppies (both male and female) in the tank. The newly added guppies behave very oddly, they're very very active and playful among them, constantly chasing each others like other normal pairs. We joked about getting some gay fish. The guppies come from different tanks in the store and they're instantly attracted to each other so I think this will answer your question. If you have female guppy, don't buy large male guppy from the store.


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## colio (Dec 8, 2012)

dock said:


> Why do you want to put shrimp in this tank?


I am sorry, I don't understand the question.


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## sucker4plecos (May 30, 2008)

There are many species of rasboara available that will both school and look good in a planted tank.... there are harlequin and the prettier porkchop rasboaras.... the micros like brigittae..... brilliant rasboras are a bit larger and look a bit like black neons.... there are other tetras.... albino pristellas show up very nicely in a planted tank.... I have seen photos where they are the first fish you can see in a heavy green backdrop..... black or red phantom tetras are nice.... rummy nose are great schooling fish..... flame and roberti tetras are a little bigger but nice..... you have more options than what you will want after doing some research ......


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## Annie2 (Aug 21, 2013)

What about Buenos Aires Tetras? They school extremely well and are so beautiful too. 
I happened to buy 6 of them about 2 years ago, and I'm only sorry I didn't buy 12 of them. They are a very active sort of fish and would show beautifully in a large tank like yours.


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## darkangel66n (May 15, 2013)

Coryadoras pygmaeus is a great schooling catfish as long as the other fish are to small to eat them. A nice school of dwarf rainbows would look nice as well. Bleeding hearts and diamond tetras are great fish that look better and better as they get bigger. Glass cats are schooling fish that stay in very tight schools but I find them a little delicate. The celestials are very nice looking but they are real small and do hide all the time. Any of the other danios would also make good choices.


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## colio (Dec 8, 2012)

Thanks all for the many ideas. So far I have put 20 little tiny cardinal tetras. I think cardinals will be the main fish in the tank. I will add something else as well, I think, a smaller school of something, but we'll see. 

I actually got a school of neon rainbows to go in my 65 gallon tank, which has boesmani's. I debated a lot what to put i there (I had originally planned cardinals for that tank, not the 75). I hesitated a lot before buying them, but now I have no regrets at all! They shimmer nicely when they swim, school pretty well, and look great with the boesemani's! They even sort of school together a bit. 

The 75 gallon will still be a work in progress for now. : )


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