# Angelfish Tank Stock-list Fine-tuning



## knfanning (Mar 5, 2009)

Okay, I don't really need help with what species I'm going to put in my tank. I'm more concerned about the numbers. When I was talking with the guy at the LFS he suggested an amount that I know would be way too much. Here's what I have so far and what I was planning on putting in.

My tank is a 55 gallon. I have an aqueon quietflow 55 and a marineland penguin 200 for filters. I am good with keeping up with water-changes on a weekly basis. This is a planted tank with driftwood, flat rocks scattered about and some clay pots for caves.

What I have in currently
9 - Columbian Tetras

What the LFS suggested
7-8 German Blue Rams
9-10 Angelfish
3 Rainbowfish(they're cool but wrong biotype)
2 Plecos
3 Loaches

I was thinking that this would be more realistic

What I want to add
4-5 - German Blue Rams
4-5 - Angelfish
2- Plecos
1 - Catfish/3 - Corries(1 or the other)
Small school of hatchetfish/trio of swordfish (1 or the other and these are currently a maybe still)

If you think I need to modify my numbers let me know. I think initially I'm okay but as the fish grow I'll be slightly overstocked with my current stocklist. I'm definitely open to some suggestions for specific species of catfish and corries. Also if anybody can think of any other type of fish that would look cool in this tank I'd like to hear it.


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## aquariam (Feb 11, 2010)

Get a new LFS. Loaches prefer higher current and oxygen levels than angels. Cancel them.

Fully grown, realistically, your tank will support two angelfish pairs. You can seperate territories by putting a large log and sword plant at opposite ends of the tank creating two territories. I would only get ONE pair of angels as two pairs will fight from time to time and it's not wise.

Same with the rams. 
_
Get five angels and five rams, wait until you get a pair, remove the rest._

_a pair of bushynose plecos (same thing, get a few, keep the pair)
_
_
10 bronze corydoras

25 Amano shrimp (if available to you)
_
DO NOT use the rainbowfish they are too fast and will disturb your other fish in this setup.
Again, your LFS is not very good.

Cheers.


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## knfanning (Mar 5, 2009)

To the guy at the LFS's credit I asked how well he was with South Americans and he only said he was allright. The LFS I go to is the best in my area. They take amazing care of their tanks, carry a pretty good selection, know me well enough to give me a discount sometimes even :wink: I think I just need to be more selective about who I ask for advice. I thought the rule of thumb with rams was 1 per square foot of tank space at the bottom since I have a 4 foot tank wouldn't I be able to get away with 2 pairs? I have a big piece of driftwood in the middle that kind of divides the tank in 2. I think I do agree with maybe only doing 1 pair of angel but aren't rams supposed to be a little more peaceful


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## adam79 (Jun 27, 2007)

I would aim for 2 pair on the angels. Go at least 5 or 6 on the cories. They like groups and their behavior is more interesting in groups. Also, choose your species carefully. Rams prefer warmer water 82-85. Most cories are cooler water fish. You could end up with two species with 10+ degree temp preference. Sterbai do well in warmer water. Your species of pleco is important. Stick with the smaller growing species like pecktolia or bristlenose. I would go with the hatchets, good top water fish. I'm not sure if you want a pure SA tank, but swords are CA. As for other catfish, I like farlowella, raphael and oil catfish. I would also look at a school of tetra.


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## knfanning (Mar 5, 2009)

adam79 said:


> I would also look at a school of tetra.


 I have 9 columian tetras in the tank currently.


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## aquariam (Feb 11, 2010)

Here's a stock list that'll work nicely:

1m 1f bristle OR bushynose plecos

2 clown plecos

2x pair angelfish OR 1x pair angelfish+ 1x pair pearl gourami

1x pair rams OR 1 group smaller eartheaters, about 5 (sand preferred) OR about 5 bolivian rams

20 amano shrimp (may get picked off if you go with eartheaters)

10 corydoras (pick a hardy one. Aneus are great)

your 9 tetras

I have had almost the identical stocklist. It works. Make sure to put a powerhead at the bottom and lots of woodwork for the plecos.

Keep the tank about 80F and everything will be fine. Ideally though, don't go with german rams/blue rams. Get bolivians instead they're more fun and do ok in groups.


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## DeadFishFloating (Oct 9, 2007)

I'd just like to add some points.

Plecos aren't the best idea for community tanks. They create a lot more waste than any other fish, and really aren't necessary unless you really like them and are a plecofanatic. If you have a bristlenose for algea control, read up on the cuases of excessive algea and combat the problem.

Blue rams like higher temperatures, similar to discus. Many SA fish can handle these temperatures for s short period, but after a while will start to suffer. Blue rams are also a pair bonding cichlid, and aren't as social as Bolivian rams. Bolivian rams are also a lot more hardier and have a longer lifespan.

When buying juvenile cichlids, buy more than you intend as your final stocking level if you want genuine pairs. Let them form thier own bonds, do not try and force a pair. Conspecific aggression is a lot worse in a tank than it is in the wild, quite simply there is no where to run to. The more individuals helps spread the aggression untill you can seperate a genuine pair.

Add as much structure as possible to your tank. Lots of plants, driftwood, root and branch tankles, rocky outcrops. If you want a nice _show tank_, stock much more lightly as you are not going to have enough structure in the tank for many cichlids to co-exist.


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## aquariam (Feb 11, 2010)

Plecos are great community fish. They poo a lot, sure, but they make up for their bioload in cuteness.

You don't need the pleco. A bunch of amano shrimp is a better algae control choice with a lower bioload impact.


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## knfanning (Mar 5, 2009)

I think I will go with the bolivians. I lost a columbian tetra today. It looks like he somehow got stuck to a filter or something. I'm not sure. My ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate were all at 0. The others all look fine. I picked up a school of 7 julie corys and added them in. They seem sto be happy and I think the tetras took a liking to them as well as they were kind of hovering over the cory's for awhile. I still need to add some more structures to the tank. I think I'm good with plants for now. I do want to get a floating plant of some kind and add a little bit more driftwood. The piece I do have in is pretty big.


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## knfanning (Mar 5, 2009)

I think I will go with the bolivians. I lost a columbian tetra today. It looks like he somehow got stuck to a filter or something. I'm not sure. My ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate were all at 0. The others all look fine. I picked up a school of 7 julie corys and added them in. They seem sto be happy and I think the tetras took a liking to them as well as they were kind of hovering over the cory's for awhile. I still need to add some more structures to the tank. I think I'm good with plants for now. I do want to get a floating plant of some kind and add a little bit more driftwood. The piece I do have in is pretty big.


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## knfanning (Mar 5, 2009)

Ugh.... I got a case of Ich going now. Not sure if it was from having all my fish die and then restarting the tank or if it was from one of the new fishes. I'm treating it now and it looks like all the fish are okay. I lost 2 of my tetras and some of my plants aren't looking all too good. Looks like I'm going to have to wait a bit before adding anymore fish for now.


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## adam79 (Jun 27, 2007)

It is pretty common to bring ich home from the fish store. If you can, keep a hospital tank for new fish and wait a few day before adding them to your tank. Treat if needed. Raising your temp a bit helps. You usually can't just throw plants in a tank and expect them to live. You need to provide the right conditions: light, CO2, good substrate, fertilizers, water flow, ect. If you like live plants you have to commit to accomedating them or go with easy low light species. Anubias and swords are a safe bet.


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## knfanning (Mar 5, 2009)

I am adding iron and another growth fertilizer to the water for the plants. there is some decent waterflow in the tank just from how I have my filters set up. With the plants I have in, my LFS said that they should be fine with just using regular fluorescents. The only thing i'm not sure of is cO2. How can I tell if the plants are getting enough of it. Also I did raise my temperature of the tank along with the medication. I'm using Rid-Ich by Kordon which is Formalin and Malachite Green.


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## adam79 (Jun 27, 2007)

How many watts are your bulb(s) producing? The more light you have, the more your plants will demand CO2. When plants absorb light they breath CO2, and use nutrients from there roots to grow. The more light you have they more CO2 and fertlizers needed. If you have low light your plants will need less and grow slower, but some plants won't survive under low light and some wont do well under high light. 
You will most likely have very little natural co2 in your tank. So, unless you are willing to inject it with pressurized CO2, you will need to keep your lights low and buy plants that do well in low light. potassium sulfate, potassium nitrate, mono potassium phosphate, and micros csm+b are the most important nutrients.
Find out how much light you have or how much you want to have and build around that.


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## knfanning (Mar 5, 2009)

Well one of my cories started acting sick so I'm going to setup a hospital/quarantine tank. I got my wife to agree to me getting one so hopefully I can nip whatever is going on before it gets any worse. I don't know if it's Ich or something else now.


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## gage (Feb 7, 2007)

... Your nitrates are 0? nitrates are never 0 unless your tank isn't cycled yet. How long as your tank been set up?


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## knfanning (Mar 5, 2009)

Okay mystery solved. I had hoped that the bacteria didn't die off so I wanted to get some fish in there as quickly as I could in order to keep the bacteria alive. I realize now that this wasn't the best idea and there were things I could have done to make this more successful. I definitely didn't have ich and the ich treatment is what killed one of my cories. All in all I lost 3 tetras and 1 cory. I was talking with the guys at my LFS and I took a water sample and we finally got an ammonia level to show. I think all my readings were showing 0 because I have the live plants in my tank and I was doing frequent water changes. While I was at the LFS I picked up some stress zyme, melafix, and aquarium salt. I added all 3 and within a few hours the fish as started acting more energetic. I guess my tank wasn't cycled after all  I guess I just got too impatient setting this up. I also discovered that columbian tetras don't really like swimming up near the top so I'll have to figure out something to occupy that upper space. I'm not sure how well hatchet fish so I'll have to do some research on that.


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## knfanning (Mar 5, 2009)

//double post by accident this one can be deleted


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## Pollution (Dec 2, 2005)

knfanning said:


> Well one of my cories started acting sick so I'm going to setup a hospital/quarantine tank. I got my wife to agree to me getting one so hopefully I can nip whatever is going on before it gets any worse. I don't know if it's Ich or something else now.


I'm pretty much in the same boat as you as I'm doing angels, apistos, swords, cories, red phantoms, and BN pleco for a 75 gallon. I just wish I didn't rush things. and would have set up a hospital/quarantine tank. Maybe my tank wasn't cycled either and I've lost a decent amount. Still battling ich but it seems to be going away. Then I have to restock. Try and remember patience will be better in the long run wait the full 2 weeks in quarantine before putting them in your main tank. Good luck with your ich, I hope it doesn't cause that many problems for you.


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