75 Gallon Tank Proposed Stocking for a 75 gallon

[drat]

Tank is newly cycled and I am going to start adding fish soon. It is sand bottom with artificial plants and logs. I have added Java moss. Filter is Tidal 110 and a corner sponge. I want to have schools of fish so, I am thinking of the following stocking. Let me know what you think!

Fish list
Rummy nose tetra 12
Neon Tetra 30
Zebra danio 6
Leopard danio 6
Glowlight danio 12
Bristle nose pleco 1
Kuhli loach 6
Dwarf gourami 3

 

[BigManAquatics]

Might be some aggression issues with thatmany dwarf gouramis, but not sure on that. Everything else seems pretty ok.

 

[Lucifer]

When I first setup my planted community tank I think I made the mistake of adding too many varieties. The only recommendations I have is to have larger schools of rummy nose and neons along with the bottom dwellers/clean up crew. Would be a great looking tank

 

[KingOscar]

I agree, less species of fish mixed in a tank looks more natural. Personally I'd drop the zebras because when I had them they out competed my other fish at meal time and got really fat. Also the dwarf gourami because of DG disease.

 

[FishDin]

Too many types of fish. 5 different schooling fish all competing for the same space. That may be what you like, so it's kinda a preference thing as long as the fish get along. The way you have it set up makes me think of a fish store tank where they jamb a bunch of fish together.

I would get rid of the danios. They will drive everyone else crazy.

I had to rehouse my glowlight danios because they constantly chased and nipped. Definately not a fish for a peaceful tank. If you are looking for constant action and movement, danios may be good, but then get rid of the peaceful / mellow fish like the neons and Rummy nose.

Most of the fish you have listed occupy the same part of the tank.

 

[drat]

When I first setup my planted community tank I think I made the mistake of adding too many varieties. The only recommendations I have is to have larger schools of rummy nose and neons along with the bottom dwellers/clean up crew. Would be a great looking tank

I had that thought myself. A school of 60 neons would look awesome. Maybe I could satisfy my desire for diversity with the different tetras, maybe mix in a few different green and black neons?

I would get rid of the danios. They will drive everyone else crazy.

I thought about that. Maybe just focus on tetras.

Also the dwarf gourami because of DG disease.

Thanks, I will look it up. Everything will be quarantined before getting to the main tank. The stocking process will occur over time.

 

[ProudPapa]

I had that thought myself. A school of 60 neons would look awesome. Maybe I could satisfy my desire for diversity with the different tetras, maybe mix in a few different green and black neons?

I wouldn't recommend it. Though they have similar names, they are still different species. I'd stick with the large group of a single species of tetra, a group of bottom dwelling fish, like corydoras, and a centerpiece.

The centerpiece doesn't have to be a single fish. I have ten turquoise rainbowfish in my 65 gallon tank. It's borderline too small for them, but they'd be great in a 75 gallon tank. A group of pearl gouramis would be another good option, since they spend most of their time near the top of the tank.

 

[drat]

A group of pearl gouramis would be another good option, since they spend most of their time near the top of the tank. Would pearl gouramis attack neon or cardinal tetras?

 

[SamMe]

I agree that you might not be happy with that combo. My danios were very fast and nippy. On the other hand, I loved my rummynose.

 

[drat]

Okay, so I have kind of evolved in my planning, still have a week or so for qt tank to be ready so will probably evolve some more, but current thinking is ...

6 x Kuhli Loach
10 x Brilliant Rasbora
20 x Cardinal Tetra
6 x Cory Catfish
1 x King Tiger Pleco
1 Pearl Gourami

A little worried about the Gourami and cardinals, but I have seen them coexist before, also not sure if the gourami is okay without a couple of others of its kind? What do you think?

 

[CMT]

Pearl Gourami are pretty peaceful, especially for gourami. It is very smart to replace your plan of dwarf gourami with pearl, but I would get a group of 4, and if possible try to get 1 male and 3 females. Pearl gourami are not schoolers but they are social fish that will be more comfortable and active in a group.

I have Pearl gourami and cardinal tetras together in a 75 gallon and they couldn't care less about each other.

 

[drat]

but I would get a group of 4, and if possible try to get 1 male and 3 females. Pearl gourami are not schoolers but they are social fish that will be more comfortable and active in a group.

I want to be careful about overstocking, but would 3 be better than 1, if 4 might be too much?

 

[ProudPapa]

Would pearl gouramis attack neon or cardinal tetras?

I would be very surprised if they did.

I want to be careful about overstocking, but would 3 be better than 1, if 4 might be too much?

Three would probably be okay, if you get one male and two females.

 

[CMT]

Three would probably be okay, if you get one male and two females.

I agree with this. I think the more the better, but 3 may work. The smaller the group the more important to have the M:F ratio correct.

 

[Grimmalkinn]

I have many Gourami in my 75 gallon tank, and while they occasionally antagonize one another - for the most part they just mind their own business.

I have 3 male honey gourami that are all in their mating jackets and peacefully nibbling at the plants all day, 3 male powder blue dwarfs that all have their own little "territory" at the top with their bubble nests, and a pair of Pearl Gourami that flit about like gentle giants and mostly ignore everything except the occasional side-eyeing of my skrimps.

I wouldn't have CHOSEN to have so many males (don't trust petstore people but so far I have no regrets on species choice (crossing fingers on DG Disease, probably regret that one day). I do have a LOT of plants and caves and driftwood-laced-with-guppygrass-that-I-cannot-Remove, and I think that is one of the most important factors to consider with gourami.

I do also keep glowlight tetras in the tank, and there has never been even a moment of concern.

My only real struggle was when I had only half the top of the tank covered in duckweed.... the powders would squabble over who gets to hang out under it. But my duckweed has since taken over completely and there is no more squabbling... just constant disposal of duckweed xD

I think the most interesting part of the gourami's behavior is that when there *is* antagonization, it is never between two different species. The male pearl will sometimes poke the female if she's collecting his scraps at mealtime, the powders will occasionally run into eachother while patrolling and *politely* ask eachother to move along. Otherwise, the powders just nibble at the duckweed and the pearls are diving in and out of tunnel caves all day while side-eyeing skrimps.

The honey gourami literally never interact with anything except the plants. They love the plants...

Edit: I thought of another EXTREMELY important note.

Pearl Gourami can be super skiddish. Mine are not, anymore; but when they were first placed in the tank, they were like deer. One of the pair (I believe the female) bonked the glass one morning when I turned on the light and that was... oof. I felt quite bad. So just be wary.

 

[ProudPapa]

. . . I wouldn't have CHOSEN to have so many males (don't trust petstore people but so far I have no regrets on species choice (crossing fingers on DG Disease, probably regret that one day). I do have a LOT of plants and caves and driftwood-laced-with-guppygrass-that-I-cannot-Remove, and I think that is one of the most important factors to consider with gourami.

I do also keep glowlight tetras in the tank, and there has never been even a moment of concern.

My only real struggle was when I had only half the top of the tank covered in duckweed.... the powders would squabble over who gets to hang out under it. But my duckweed has since taken over completely and there is no more squabbling... just constant disposal of duckweed xD

I think the most interesting part of the gourami's behavior is that when there *is* antagonization, it is never between two different species. The male pearl will sometimes poke the female if she's collecting his scraps at mealtime, the powders will occasionally run into eachother while patrolling and *politely* ask eachother to move along. Otherwise, the powders just nibble at the duckweed and the pearls are diving in and out of tunnel caves all day while side-eyeing skrimps.

The honey gourami literally never interact with anything except the plants. They love the plants...

Edit: I thought of another EXTREMELY important note.

Pearl Gourami can be super skiddish. Mine are not, anymore; but when they were first placed in the tank, they were like deer. One of the pair (I believe the female) bonked the glass one morning when I turned on the light and that was... oof. I felt quite bad. So just be wary.

To be fair, with some (maybe all) gourami species it's difficult to tell sex when they're the age most commonly offered for sale in stores.

 

[Grimmalkinn]

To be fair, with some (maybe all) gourami species it's difficult to tell sex when they're the age most commonly offered for sale in stores.

This is true! But with the hunnies he ASSURED ME they were all female because I asked if I was //Right// to think they were males.

The powders were more my fault than anyone else's because I chose to take that gamble and lost... maybe I need to make 3 more tanks so they can all have fully peaceful lives .... hm.....

Ideas

 

[drat]

Why does it always wind up with needing another tank?

 

[SamMe]

THREE more, in this case!!! LOL

 

[drat]

Good news! My QT is ready! Going to the fish store to see what is in stock!
I just put 15 brilliant rasbora in the QT. LFS says he has had them for a few months and they look good, but I bought the extra in case there are losses. They will stay in QT at least a couple of weeks.