Anyone want to help me pick some fish?

[ExtraHannah]

*BOUNCINGS

Hi everyone! I'm new here, but have been learning a lot through reading. I tend to post really long winded posts, so I hope I will be forgiven in advance.

I had a 27 gallon Hex set up several years ago and really enjoyed it. I then started moving a lot, so I've just been dragging it around with me ever since. However, I'm ready to get back into it!

So, not only do I have the 27 g Hex to stock, but I also now have a 60 g on a stand. I couldn't resist it as a trade for something I wasn't using. I don't know if it's considered a tall or not? It's 48" L x 13" D x 24" H.

I'm currently getting them both set up and it will be awhile before I'm ready for fish, but I want at least a basic plan. I thought some of you fish lovers might not mind making suggestions on my lists. I would like to have them both be community tanks.

I am a huge fan of Angelfish and figured the nice tall 60 G would be good for them. I am also really attracted to Gouramis and would like to include them in that tank as well. I love some of the colors of the dwarfs. So, would those two work as my "focal" fish in my big tank? If so, how many of each would you suggest? I know with the Gouramis it probably depends on which I choose, but tell me what types and how many you would put in if it were your tank. I also need to figure out what else to add for maybe some small schools (tetras? I love the cardinals and have read they are usually big enough to not become dinner) and at least one algae eater. Oh and suggestions on tank conditions, temperature, etc. would be helpful as well. My well water is naturally 6.8 PH with a KH of 53.7 ppm (3 dKH). I haven't been able to get a reading on my GH for some reason.

I'm at much more of a loss for the 27 hex. It's a good size, but the shape means it's quite narrow with not a lot of water surface area.

I've contemplated platties and/or guppies and/or mollies as my main fish. I also like really like Rams, but I've heard they can be more challenging to keep alive and short lived?? What about adding some neon tetras or Dwarf Rainbow Fish? Any algae eater that can live in that small of an area as the hex provides?

Fish I've found online that I liked the look of and thought might work in one of the tanks:

Dwarf Gourami
Swordtails
Angels
Peacock Gudgeon
Tetras
Peppered Cories
Otto
Rams
Platies
Single male Beta
African Dwarf Frogs
Cherry Barbs
Killi Fish (Love Clown Killies)
Zebra Danios
Gold Dojo Loach
Chili Rasboras
Cherry Red Shrimp
Boesemani Rainbow
Praecox (Dwarf) Rainbow

Obviously, I can't use all of them. Just was hoping people might make suggestions of what might work and look good. I'm happy for suggestions not on my list.

If you actually read all of that, thank you very much!!

 

[JRB__]

Hi Hannah,
Wiith your 60g you could go for a nice large Angel as your centre piece with 1 or 2 medium-ish angels, Dwarf gourami, you pick the colours, I'd recommened 1 male to 3-4 females. a peppermint bristlenose pleco (i love these guys, best looking pleco and algae eater avaliable IMO, i'll attach a pic if you haven't seen them) and for a bottom feeder, I think a school of up to 8 peppered cories would look awesome. That would be heaps of colour and some really cool looking fish, plus each one looks completely different from the next. They will all get along and most of them have similar-ish water requirements and food. Or you could go a smaller school of cories and add a small school of otto's or another small fish you like. Either way that would be reaching the stocking limits of a 60g but shouldn't be over-stocking.
So I suggest

3 x Angelfish
4 x Dwarf gourami
1 x Peppermint bristlenose
8 x Peppered corie

What do you think?

Peppermint Bristlenose

 

[ExtraHannah]

Thank you so much JRB! I really appreciate the input and I'm liking your thinking. That Peppermint Bristlenose is amazing! Just gorgeous and I had never seen one. It's totally going on my list.

I actually really like your suggestions.

Do you think I could do:

3 x Angelfish
4 x Dwarf gourami
1 x Peppermint bristlenose
4 x Peppered cory
5+ Cardinal Tetra

Would dropping the cory number allow for a small school of cardinal tetras? Supposedly, they are usually big enough the adult angels won't eat them like they will the neons.

Somehow, a tank just doesn't feel right to me without neons or cardinals.

 

[ExtraHannah]

Well, I checked that grouping out on the aqadvisor: AqAdvisor - Intelligent Online Freshwater Aquarium Stocking Calculator and Aquarium Tank/Filter Advisor and it looks like I would be fine stocking wise. (Though they don't have the lovely Peppermint as an option) However, it brought up another question I had. It says I would be at 98% on my filtration and should add more. I have a Penguin 350 and I figured that that would turn over my water 5.5 times an hour. It's suggested for up to 75 g and I only have 60. However, I keep reading where people say they double or even triple the recommnended amount. So, should I likely plan on buying another 350 to put on the other side of my tank? Or at least a 200?

 

[JRB__]

Do you think I could do:

3 x Angelfish
4 x Dwarf gourami
1 x Peppermint bristlenose
4 x Peppered cory
5+ Cardinal Tetra

Would dropping the cory number allow for a small school of cardinal tetras? Supposedly, they are usually big enough the adult angels won't eat them like they will the neons.

Somehow, a tank just doesn't feel right to me without neons or cardinals.

If you cut the cories down to say 4 you could add up to probably 7 cardinal tetras. However from what I know Angels are to aggressive to keep with them. I have never tried it though, if you have a reliable source that has said it'll work, then maybe give it a go. Although if you do go with a nice big angel for your centre piece they probably won't defy the odds, not for long anyway.
You've got a 27 gallon, make the 60g a semi aggressive mid-size (fish) community and the 27g a peaceful small-sized community, full of tetras and neons alike!

 

[JRB__]

Well, I checked that grouping out on the aqadvisor: AqAdvisor - Intelligent Online Freshwater Aquarium Stocking Calculator and Aquarium Tank/Filter Advisor and it looks like I would be fine stocking wise. (Though they don't have the lovely Peppermint as an option) However, it brought up another question I had. It says I would be at 98% on my filtration and should add more. I have a Penguin 350 and I figured that that would turn over my water 5.5 times an hour. It's suggested for up to 75 g and I only have 60. However, I keep reading where people say they double or even triple the recommnended amount. So, should I likely plan on buying another 350 to put on the other side of my tank? Or at least a 200?

The peppermint bristlenose is just a colour/pattern variation of the standard bristlenose, if they have that in the list choose that one. The only difference from a standard is adult male peppermints won't put up with another adult male peppermint in its tank.
There's a thousand and one opinions on filtration I have found. I would add a few live plants do regular maintanence and test your water for pH, ammonia, nitirite and nitrates once a week and see how you go, its all about keeping good water parameters, not necessarily just about how many times the water turns over an hour. If you can't keep good parameters then look at upgrading or adding further filtration.

 

[misterking]

Get an even number of angels - should two pair up, the other will be bullied terribly, especially if they should breed. You could get away with a good group of 4 in there. Gourami-wise, my personal suggestion would be the pearl gourami, they're a lot more peaceful than most and so a couple of males can usually be kept together well, just make sure you have a decent female to male ratio (either equal female:male, or more females than males). These are quite a bit bigger than dwarf gouramis though, so you could only get a couple. Personal preference though!

Advice on tetras with angels aswell, buy the tetras as your first fish, and as you gradually stock over the weeks, add your angels last to complete your stocking, and buy them small. This has always worked for me, and I've never had any end up as dinner.

 

[ExtraHannah]

Thank you so much guys! Great info - I'm excited! I think the planning is almost as much fun as having the tanks.

I had planned on doing the tetras first anyway, as they are the cheapest and easiest to come by, so that should work well. Once I'm sure the tanks are good and tetras are doing well, I'll head an hour away to our good, big fish store.

 

[Newman]

like mentioned, even number of angels is very important...

 

[ExtraHannah]

Thanks Newman! You guys have been super helpful. OK, so I'll update that to:

4 Angelfish
4 Dwarf gourami
1 Peppermint bristlenose
4 Peppered cory
7 Cardinal Tetra

Anyone have thoughts on my 27g hex? I'm still totally up in the air on that one. That one's going to be in my bedroom with lunar lights, so I want something pleasant to watch in bed. ;-) I do really like the rams, but are they as short lived and challenging to keep alive as I've read? Some sites say they are great beginner fish and others say they are very sensitive. If so I might be better off going with the "easier" mollies or platties or guppies. I've never had any of those either...

 

[misterking]

That is a nice stocking list for your 60.

Rams can be quite hard to keep, and also as you said there isn't much surface area in your hex I guess there is equal floor space, which rams like a fair bit of. A mixed shoal of male guppies would be a colourful and active addition and you wouldn't have to worry about mass breeding if you keep just males. You could also try a shoal of neons as you said, with which a betta as a centrepiece might be nice (although, some people reccommend not keeping betta's with male guppies incase it sees them as too similar and attacks.. I've not had this issue personally). You mentioned before about a small bottom feeder/algae eater, I'd go for otocinclus in that sort of tank (only a couple of inches long at most, like to be in groups), just make sure the water quality's good.

If you want, why not try a pair of rams in your 60 aswell, I don't think you're pushed for space and the larger volume of water should provide a more stable environment which they enjoy. Just keep on top of water changes for them and you should be fine, if you can get hold of bolivian rams they're typically more hardy, though blue rams are more hardy than golds.

 

[ExtraHannah]

You guys have been so great! I have a tentative plan for now.

Suggestions on foods to keep everyone happy in these tanks would be great as well! I'm trying to research, but it's confusing! Would about 78 degrees be good for both tanks?

These are basically my notes to myself.

My 60 g:

4 Angelfish

4 Dwarf gourami

1 Peppermint bristlenose (or other pleco? The Peppermints look like they might be very expensive. If so, I'll want to wait until I'm fairly confident I won't kill it!)

4+ Peppered cory (Or maybe a variety. Can I mix and match cories?) (Supplement with algae wafers?)

7+ Cardinal Tetra

Maybe a pair of Rams – Bolivian more hardy than Blues, both hardier than Golds

My 27 Gallon:

? Male Guppies (How many would be happy in there?)

5-7 Neon Tetras

1 Male Beta (maybe - likely add him last and see if he's OK with guppies)

2 otocinclus (Algae wafers?)

ETA: I'll probably start with just the tetra in both tanks. If they are happy, we'll slowly add from there.

 

[hayer]

my male betta is ok with the guppies(trying to find homes for them; there are 2 of them), but sometimes the fight. it is more like the betta chasing them, but you know what I mean!

 

[misterking]

You could get a good group of guppies in there, maybe 6?

 

[Newman]

I think if you can keep otocinclus alive in your tanks, you certainly can keep german and bolivian rams in them as well. both like very clean water.

also if you can keep the angels and gourami alive, then dont bother worrying over keeping the peppermint bristlenose alive as well. same clean water issue there.

temps sound good for everyone. 78-80F will be fine. the male guppies would be happier with ome females...and the offspring wont survive anyway since you have so many predators in there, so no worrying over overpopulating

 

[misterking]

The fry will find somewhere to hide in my experience and it doesn't take long for them to reach a size where they won't be eaten, males will be perfectly happy without females, they'll just flare up now and then.

It's true that rams like good water quality but my issue was floor space in the hex, as they stay low to the substrate. By all means keep them in the 60.

 

[paperdog9]

I personally REALLY love black sailfin mollys. They are really cool and help with algea control! You should het a school of those and maybe a school of colorful platys. If you get guppies, be aware that they breed like crazy! Thats all I really have, for I don't have as much experience as most on this site (probably). But I still highly recommend the Black sailfin mollies!!

 

[paperdog9]

Heres a picture of a Black Sailfin molly. The reason I reccoment=d the black ones is that they are so mysterious and beautiful!*BOUNCINGS

 

[paperdog9]

I personally REALLY love black sailfin mollys. They are really cool and help with algea control! You should het a school of those and maybe a school of colorful platys. If you get guppies, be aware that they breed like crazy! Thats all I really have, for I don't have as much experience as most on this site (probably). But I still highly recommend the Black sailfin mollies!!

 

[Newman]

yea we get it you love them
I cant really argue there, black sailfins are amaizing. good looking and usefull too. even i would get them if my 40 gal wasnt so crammed...