Thoughts/Criticisms on 36 Gallon Bowfront Aquarium

Hello,

So I recently bought a 36 Gallon Bowfront Aquarium, and I'm looking to have a community tank. I've had gold fish in the past, but not any tropical fish. I've done a load of research but I'm looking for some advice from people.

Substrate: Pool filter sand around 2" thick
Planted with real plants , java moss, java fern, amazon sword, jungle val, also has drift wood.
Using a Aquaclear 70 Filter

Was thinking about these fish:
1 x Dwarf Gourami (Colisa lalia)6 x Neon Tetra (Paracheirodon innesi)
2 x Oto Cat (Otocinclus vittatus)
6 x Cherry Barb (Puntius titteya)
6 x Black Neon Tetra (Hyphessobrycon herbertaxelrodi)
6 x Gold Tetra (Hemigrammus rodwayi)5 x KuhlI Loach (Pangio kuhlii)

Thanks in advance!

 

I think perhaps if you had a smaller range of species but increase the amount you have of those species then it would be best as they are schooling fish 6 is generally the minimum you want and they always do best with more, also otos do better in small groups rather than just a couple. I'm not experienced with gouramis but other than that it sounds good, good luck with the tank

 

Welcome to fishlore!
I'd take out two of the three mid-dwelling schooling fish (cherry barbs and tetras). That's too many imo. Also, otos need to be in groups of 6+.

 

Yeah if you are going to do Oto's you are going to want a few more. My suggestion would be to choose between 2 species of the neon, cherry barb, black neon, and gold tetra and up their numbers to 10 or so. I personally would choose Cherry barbs and black neons but that's just me.

As far as kuhlI loaches you have a nice sized floor of the tank and you can definitely do more kuhli's. I think you could easily do 12 kuhli's in that tank and would have plenty of room. If you stay with a small school (like 5 or 6) then you won't see them as much. I have the same tank as you and if I weren't going to upgrade to a 75 soon I would up the numbers of my kuhli's as well.

 

I agree with the above - I think you could choose two of the four mid/top dwelling schoolers and fill out their school. So your stocking would be:

1 x Dwarf Gourami (Colisa lalia)
10-12x of one of the tetra/barb species (neon, black neon, cherry, gold)
10-12x of another tetra/barb species
12 x KuhlI Loach (Pangio kuhlii)
6 x Oto Cat (Otocinclus vittatus)

Personally I'd go with cherry barbs and gold tetras. You'd get a nice contrast, especially if you got a blue DG and added live plants.

 

Thanks everyone!! I'll post a picture up when everything is put together!!

 

just added my plants!!

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Looks great!

 

Beautiful!

 

I like the layout and the placement of the plants. good open areas but as plants grow the hiding spots will increase as well. Good work. Would love to see this tank in 5-6 months , will look great!

 

thanks!!
OK next question, which fish should I add first? or does it matter which order I add them? I figure the oto's would be last as from what I understand they can be picky about water variations and are better added to a we established tank.

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What will be the full stocking list?

 

I just want to check, have you cycled the tank? If not, I'd do that first before buying fish.

 

one dwarf gourami
10 neon tetras ( I was wondering if there was a difference between them and cardinal tetras? )
10 cherry barbs
6 -8 oto cats
now I wanted to have kuhlI loaches but I'm not sure if my LFS ever has them in Stock, does anyone know if they are common? if not what would you suggest as an appropriate bottom dweller. I was interested in the loaches as I have a sand substrate and heard that it can develop gas pockets that can be deadly for fish so I figured that the loaches (as they like to burrow in the substrate would help prevent this)
would snail and shrimp be a good mix in this tank?

thanks!

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this tank is not cycled, I have seachem stability coming in next week and my tests for nitrite and nitrate as well. I already have an ammonia test.

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I recommend doing a fishless cycle so while the Stability is on its way, you can start dosing the ammonia now.

I would go for cardinals instead of neons. Although they're more expensive, they're more hardy.

If you can't find any kuhlI loaches, you can get corys instead. If you want something to stir up the sand, you can get Malaysian Trumpet Snails however, some people consider them a pest since they breed quite fast.
If the sand doesn't go over 3 inches, gas pockets (anaerobic conditions) are unlikely to form.

 

just added my plants!!

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Looks great, but do you have goldfish in there? It looks like there's 2 fancies.

 

I did yes, I had them in their for a couple days so they could introduce some ammonia for me. they are back in their original tank now as they where getting to nippy with my plants.

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Hello everyone! just an update for everyone! I'm one week in my fish less cycle and things are going good! got my last shipment of live plants yesterday and planted them last night. I'll probably be leaving the aquarium alone in terms of decorations. Hoping to add fish by the end of the month!

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I really like the way the tank looks. Good job. Alison

 

Ok so everything has cycled: This is what I was thinking for my stocking list:
8 x Glowlight Tetra (Hemigrammus erythrozonus)1 x Dwarf Gourami (Colisa lalia)
10 x Ghost Shrimp (Palaemonetes sp.)6 x Oto (Otocinclus vittatus)

Now would I be able to sneak in another schooling fish? barbs? or maybe tetras?
Could I also get a GBR?

 

No GBR, they aren't temp compatible with the otos. You could do a Bolivian ram instead? And you have room for another school of a small schooling species. Cherry barb, harlequin rasbora, etc.

 

If you are having a hard time finding kuhli's , Trins Fish just got a huge shipment in. They are half the price of kuhli's here locally. I also have a coupon I can share with you if you decide to use them. Their shipping rates are much more reasonably than most sites.

 

If you are having a hard time finding kuhli's , Trins Fish just got a huge shipment in. They are half the price of kuhli's here locally. I also have a coupon I can share with you if you decide to use them. Their shipping rates are much more reasonably than most sites.

thanks for sharing! However I don't think they ship to Canada.

Hmmmm are there any bottom dwellers youd suggest that would be able to handle the higher temperatures?

 

SterbaI or aeneus cories

 

added fish today

 

Congrats on your new tank and fish! Tank looks great!!! I am starting my fish less cycle this week. Hope it goes as well as your did! How many fish did you add? Tetras?

 

Congrats on your new tank and fish! Tank looks great!!! I am starting my fish less cycle this week. Hope it goes as well as your did! How many fish did you add? Tetras?

thanks! good luck with your cycling! I added 6 glow light tetras, 6 neon tetras and 5 ghost shrimp (one has little eggs ) I'll be adding more to the schools later.

 

You are almost my neighbor! I live in the NW corner of Minnesota!
I think your tank will be a nice one with lots of activity!
I have been thinking of first adding 8-12 rummy nose tetras after the tank cycles and still trying to decide if I should also get a small school of cherry barbs or lemon tetras at the same time. I am worried that would be too much of a bio load all at once on a new cycled tank. Do you think it would? I'm have to travel quite a distance for these fish so I'm trying to get the most out of each road trip without overdoing it! Don't want to mess up my bio system so if I have to make an extra trip or 2 I will.

 

Heya Neighbor!
I live in South eastern Manitoba about 2 hours away from the border!

Thanks! I think it will too!
I looked into Rummy noses too, but decided on glowlight instead. I guess it depends if you have the room for another school of fish. I really like the look of cherry barbs. Generally if you have the room and are fully cycled and your BB is converting 4ppm of ammonia in a 24 hour period I don't see why you couldn't add both at once. I'm lucky I'm able to buy fish from a family owned pet store, it has lots of fish tanks that is just 5 minutes away.

You are almost my neighbor! I live in the NW corner of Minnesota!
I think your tank will be a nice one with lots of activity!
I have been thinking of first adding 8-12 rummy nose tetras after the tank cycles and still trying to decide if I should also get a small school of cherry barbs or lemon tetras at the same time. I am worried that would be too much of a bio load all at once on a new cycled tank. Do you think it would? I'm have to travel quite a distance for these fish so I'm trying to get the most out of each road trip without overdoing it! Don't want to mess up my bio system so if I have to make an extra trip or 2 I will.

 

How fun to have a family owned fish store! You have gained lots of knowledge through it! I come from a family who owns an auto repair shop...my Dad, Brother, Son, ect...which is where I also work, but they are absolutely no help with aquariums!. I know almost nothing about fishkeeping, (other than I have kept my Beta alive and well for about 3 months), which led me to these forums! Pretty weird that I (a female) know way more about cars/trucks than fish! lol! How are your new fish doing? Hope all is well with them!

 

So excited! Getting some bronze Corydoras! Went online shopping for some amano shrimp and cherry shrimp, and ended up getting them as well! 1$ each!

 

Also is it possible to get this thread moved to maybe a different area of the forum?

 

I agree with the above - I think you could choose two of the four mid/top dwelling schoolers and fill out their school. So your stocking would be:

1 x Dwarf Gourami (Colisa lalia)
10-12x of one of the tetra/barb species (neon, black neon, cherry, gold)
10-12x of another tetra/barb species
12 x KuhlI Loach (Pangio kuhlii)
6 x Oto Cat (Otocinclus vittatus)

Personally I'd go with cherry barbs and gold tetras. You'd get a nice contrast, especially if you got a blue DG and added live plants.

That's 43 fish in a 36 gallon tank. You don't think that's a bit over stocked? The tank looks beautiful so far.

 

Thanks! I scrapped that whole thing awhile ago.
I'm no longer getting any loaches or ottos.

 

Oh lol the pic you posted looked fantastic. What did you end up stocking it with?

 

That's 43 fish in a 36 gallon tank. You don't think that's a bit over stocked? The tank looks beautiful so far.

Not if the schooling fish were small - if they were bigger, you'd want to do a few less. You have to take into account at what level of the tank each fish occupies and what their bioload is too.

 

Yea I didn't think about that. I'm still on the old school thought of 1 inch of fish per gallon

 

Oh lol the pic you posted looked fantastic. What did you end up stocking it with?

Right now, I have 6 glow light tetras, and 5 neon tetras (I had 6, one died got caught in the filter intake) I have 6 ghost shrimp in there as well. I'm debating bringing back the neons still, I didn't notice when I got them, but they're back fins where missing.

 

Yea I didn't think about that. I'm still on the old school thought of 1 inch of fish per gallon

Get that out of your head! haha Terrible rule!

 

Wow your tank is beautiful! And believe it or not" this old dog is learning new tricks" thanks largely to fishlore.