# Stocking Options!



## Fishfinder (Feb 17, 2008)

Ok well. My tank (130g) has been running for about 3 months now, and everything is fairly stable. Algea growth has been decreasing and nothing has died in weeks (lost a few glow-light tetras). So iv been thinking of what i would like to have as the final stock of fish to work towards slowly so i dont shock the system. I plan on having the tank be heavily planted with dense thickets of Val/rotala and crypt.
As i start adding up fish, il be removing guppies hopefully can trade more away to get additional plants or set up a 20g that iv been thinking about... oh god the MTS is setting in again. ^_^
I intend so keep a lowish bioload.
So, i had a few ideas:
Constant(s) in all options:
10-20 corycats
15-30 cherry shrimp

Option 1)
4-8 AngelFish *1
30-40 Cardinals
10-20 of something perhaps

Option 2)
4-8 Angelfish
10-20 GlassCat fish*2
20 Cardinals or rummy

Option 3)
20-30 Cardinals
10-20 Khuli loachs*3
20-30 schooling fish 
or
1 large peaceful fish

Any suggestions for other idea would be good.



*1 , gotten as juvies/small (apparently less aggressive to smaller fish when raised with the smaller ones)
*2 I think would look very nice and not be to shy if kept in a large group.
*3 i think a large group would be cool and brave/all over the place


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## Fishfinder (Feb 17, 2008)

Well.. since no replies sadly 
I went by Big Als today and picked up some locally bred rummy-nose tetras that looked nice in the tank with no pale colour and the noses were very red +they were like a dollar cheaper each then the other ones! So i got 12 of them to see how they would fair/to start up the school. Also got the last 5 juli corycats they had to get my school of them up to 8 now(was hoping they would have more. )
Also got 6 little Otto Cats. And 2 bunchs of ludwigia.

So...based on these recent additions that i hope/think should do well, any suggestions on addition fish additions?


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## Chris S (Dec 19, 2007)

I'd give them a week minimum before adding more fish, or you might end up having to cycle your tank again  

I've always liked Rummynose and cardinals - I wonder if they would school together? =)


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## dekstr (Oct 23, 2007)

Chris Stewart said:


> I'd give them a week minimum before adding more fish, or you might end up having to cycle your tank again
> 
> I've always liked Rummynose and cardinals - I wonder if they would school together? =)


I keep nice schools of both in my 55g.

They don't really school together, but tend to stay in their own groups.

The RMT like to swim back and forth, wheras the cardinals like to stay in one position and dart around. The cardinals stay within eyesight of each other, but don't huddle together like the RMT do.

I find that once in a while my schooling fish are aware that there are no predators, then they start swimming off on their own looking for food.


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## Fishfinder (Feb 17, 2008)

Yea, i wont be able to/ wont be getting more fish for another few weeks. It was actually on my mind while getting them, i would have gotten more RNT b/c the price was great and captive breed! Might get a few more ottos in the future, is it just me or do they look a lot like chain loachs? same thing? The RNT are funny, about 7 stay together in a pack, and the other 5 are scattered about. im surprised actually about them also. the red in their noses has returned already, not brilliant red, but maybe about 1/2 as bright as they were in the stores tank.

So, any suggestions for other additions? would angelfish do alright, glasscats? cherry shrimp? iv ruled out the kuhlis b/c of the ottos


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## Tabatha (Dec 29, 2007)

In my limited experience, I've found that no one schools like harlequin rasboras!!!


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## Fishfinder (Feb 17, 2008)

Hmmm, il have to consider them Tab  
Update: 
All the new cories(5) are swimming nicely with each other and the original ones and are looking good! Along with the otto's which like to dart around or laze about, and the glowlight tetras have stopped chasing the ottos/rummies which is a relief, was going to have to move them if they didnt.
As for the rummies, 11 of them are all schooling together now and the colours in them have deepened more since last night! Which i take as a good sign and they are eating!(damn maybe should have picked up more!) However, one of them is having great difficulty swimming and is flopping/twisting around about, not to sure what to do about it.
Overall though, the tank is looking alot more active, and the cories all look 'happier'(dont burn me on this pablo ) swimming around alot more and resting together in groups. The otto's are my favorite though i think, the 5 smaller ones swim all over together, while the larger one does its own thing on a leaf.


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## kweenshaker (Mar 11, 2006)

i've always liked the look of a few larger fish with a bunch of schools swimming around them. Maybe add another species of tetra....or some rasboras as someone else said.

a pair of angels would be nice. or get a bunch of juvies and see how they pair up!!


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## Fishfinder (Feb 17, 2008)

kweenshaker said:


> a pair of angels would be nice. or get a bunch of juvies and see how they pair up!!


Yea, i was thinking of adding 6-8 angels and get a nice group of them, so im looking around for some, but i still got to wait for these new arrives to settle down and have the tank adjust to the larger bioload( aprox. 2x larger!)


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## Pablo (Mar 27, 2006)

7 Bolivian Rams
http://estrip.org/elmwood/users/libertad/images/0906/BolivianRams_pair5113.jpg

9 Silver Angel
http://pages.prodigy.net/rahill0/images/sm_angel1.jpg

1 Heros rotkeil, or other severum type fish
http://www.biddulph.ndo.co.uk/web_pics/heros_rotkeil_007.jpg
(that's ur big fish)

approximately 25-30 medium schooling tetra such as bleedingheart/colombian redtail/etc
http://www.fischhaus-zepkow.de/Illustrationen/h_columbianus.JPG
OR
approximately 40 Cardinal Tetras

pair of bushynose plecos

about 10 corydoras aeneus

about 3 clown plecos (panaque maccus)

about 10 assorted nerite snails

Now clearly- this is a "to start" list. As the various groups of fish show aggression and pair up you may find the need to remove certain angelfish or rams etc etc and rehome them.


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## Fishfinder (Feb 17, 2008)

Thanks for the suggestions, since i already have the rummys and really like them, il just build on them some more as my main school fish and add 20 or so cardinals later as a contrast. Will probably still get about 6 nice angels, either all black or striped. Oh, and thanks for reminding me about severums! I like the green ones XD


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## Fishfinder (Feb 17, 2008)

Well, i thought i would bring this back since my tank has drastically changed this weekend, its now a JUNGLE (will be getting pics ASAP, it looks amazing)

So, the current stock list in the tank is now:
8 ottos
2 plecos(soon to be gone)
12 cory cats

3 cardinals
5 rummynose
5 glowlight tetras
5 harlequin Rasboras
7-12 guppies
4 nerite snails
4 amano shrimp(hopefully lived the rescaping)
X large amount of pond/malyasian snails

So, i am thinking that i will just add to the rummy/cardinal/harlequin schools, get cherry shrimp, and 4-6 Angel's and 4-6 khuli loachs to help control the snails. And possibly Rams/apisto's for some character. There are a few things i am concerned with: one being that would the angels feel to crowded in with all the fast moving schooling fish, two, would they be to agressive to the other fish? There is tonnes of hiding places which the angels when bigger would not be able to go to. Although, im having the same feelings with the rams/apisto's, cept they would be able to go anywhere in the tank.
The other thing is would adding khuli loachs make the tank have to many bottom feeders/dwellers? it would be about 12 cories, 6 khulis, 20 odd shrimp and the 8 otto's which i might get more of also.
So what do u think?


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## kweenshaker (Mar 11, 2006)

I think an important thing with adding a potentially agressive fish is adding it last. A fish might not be as agressive in an established tank, whereas it might bully any newcomers you add afterwards.

I have a soft spot for angels....get them!!!!


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## Fishfinder (Feb 17, 2008)

yea, i would definetly add the angels later on and as like 1-2inch juvies.


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