Tropical Fish Forums

[koolguyal]

I have used this site before and got a very positive response so thought I would get some ideas from on here before I get started on it.

First of all I currently have a 15 gallon that will be shifted to a new 46 bowfront tall tank. I have an Emperor 280 for it and 2 light bulb slots for the tank.

Current stock is: 1 betta, 6 Platys (2 Adults and rest are kids), 7 Neons/ Cardinals and a pair of Neon Rainbow fish.

I was thinking of adding on to that list leaving the betta and platys in the old tank.

New Tank Fish:

1 pair Angel fish
1/2 pair Kribs or Dwarf Flag Cichlids
10 Neons (will add 3 more cardinals)
6 neon rainbow fish (2 m 4 f)
A couple of Ottos for the cleanup crew

How does that list sound? Anyone have any experience with Kribs or Dwarf Flag Cichlids? Will I be able to put in about 2 pairs in this type of tank? My tank is a little less than 2wice as wide as my 15 gallon which was 23.6 wide. Would the Angels have any problems with the Kribs or Dwarf Flag Cichlids? I was also thinking of mixing it up a bit and having a pair of kribs and a pair of dwarf flag cichlids ... but I do not know if thats a good idea!

All suggestions will be helpful here.

[koolguyal]

P.S. Most of the bigger fish I found for this tank (ie most Cichlids) do not go well with planted aquariums so I specifically am looking for fish that would like planted aquariums and do well in them. I am open to the different bigger fish I can have in there other than the ones above, any suggestions would be helped. I also loved rainbow fish, but they might be too much to add on to this tank....since its more of a tall tank than a long one. Although if there is anyway I can fit them in the list, I would luv too!

[fishlover888]

4 discus for the 46 g is about max out the bio load. Plus all other fish, you can not add more fish to the tank.

Neons and discus don't mix well. Neons like colder water and discus like higher temps. Most of the time, neons ended up as discus lunch.

Discus and plants mix is challange too. Most plants don't like the high temp discus needed to have. Discus don't like the Co2 injections too much because the like higher oxgen. You need to change water daily for young discus to grow, your plants would not like that. If you are thinking of buying adult discus, you are talking about $50 to $100 for each discus. Not so many people want to pay that kind of price for freshwater fish.

Finally, discus like to be in group of 6 or more in order to spread the picking order. 4 of them in a tank may up 3 gang on one and eventually kill the weaker fish.
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125 g discus tank 13 discus, 5 Sterbai cory, 3 clown loaches, 1 Albino BN pH 6.3 50% WC x2/wk
2 g nano tank 3 Danio, pH 7.6 80% WC/ 2 days

[koolguyal]

I guess Discuses are out of the list, I want some fish for which I would have to change the water every week and not everday. Thanks for the suggestion though

[Serkan]

Discus need regular water changes but plants don

[koolguyal]

Thanks for the advice Serkan but I am looking for more of a showy fish that I can have as a central point for my tank. I am not looking to get another tank anytime soon so want something that would be able to grow in this tank and be able to live it in it for its lifespan.

Angelfish is one of the only fish I have in my list right now since I do not know any other fish yet of a similar size that likes planted aquariums. Most cichlids I can put in the tank are either smaller, more agressive or don't like plants so I am at a loss not to chose amongst them.

I have a choice of going for the Pearl Gouramis as well but I would much prefer a larger pair like Angels or something on those lines.

P.S. I am going to take my Betta to a seperate tank by itself so I am not limited on the choice of fish for my 46 gallon.

[Bob]

A pair of Angels would do well in a 40+ gallon planted tank, however there are a couple of issues.

Livebearers tend to like hard water, and although Angels (Neons and Cardinals) can cope with theis, they do prefer softer water.

It's not a good idea to keep Angels with Livebearers, Angels are hunting fish (The equivelent of stealth hunters, creeping up on prey through the plants, before a final sprint), in the wild their normal pray are small Cardinals etc. By keeping them with Livebearers, you are effectivly training them to eat live food, if this happens your Neons and Cardinals will disapear soon after.

I wouldn't keep a Betta and Angels together. Maybe if you keep your Betta and Platties in the 15 gallon (A nice size tank for a Betta and some company).

[fishlover888]

Here is another option: 6 Boeseman Rainbow fish (4 males and two famales) will look nice in the tank. They grow about 3" each and can look really nice when full grown. Make sure you get your stock from a good dealer since the colors from a good breeder are much more better.

Here is the link to check them out:

http://www.aquahobby.com/gallery/e_boese.php
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125 g discus tank 13 discus, 5 Sterbai cory, 3 clown loaches, 1 Albino BN pH 6.3 50% WC x2/wk
2 g nano tank 3 Danio, pH 7.6 80% WC/ 2 days

[koolguyal]

Thanks for the great help Bob & Fishlover, I have updated my list and decided to go with Angel Fish as they seemed the only option available to me to the size of fish I wanted as my centerpiece and that went well with plants.

[Docholliday]

As for kirbs, I have had some in the past and found that they were excellent fin-nippers. Mine were both female and they would nip at the fins of all my dojo loaches until every fin was gone. I eventually sold them to a local fish store because I couldn't get them to stop nipping.
So I would have a bit of concern for your angels because they are a "fancy" fish, as in, they have long fins which are open to attack. I find that the kirbs stay at the bottom though and the angels don't so they may be OK together.
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Faith is the evidence of things unknown