68g Stock Levels? Room for any more?

[chappers]

looking for some advice on stock levels for my 68g/260l well planted tank, if it helps I run 2 1400lph externals.

Currently have:
2 baby bristlenose plecs
3 baby clown loach
5 mollies
13 neon tetras
1 ruby shark

Last fish (7 tetras) were added a couple of days ago and readings are 0 amm, 0 trites and very small trace of trates after 48 hours with no water change.

was thinking about adding some cory's, maybe more neons, maybe some guppy's and LFS said i could add some firemouth cychlids but didn't question his opinion (assuming too aggressive?)

whats your opinion? my first tropical stocking so any help/advice is great

 

[librarygirl]

I think you're overstocked now, I'm afraid, especially as the fish grow. The shark may try to eat the neons eventually. Clown loaches like groups of 5 and they can grow rather large, not sure if your tank would house them long-term.

If you aren't going to upgrade your tank to something much larger the clowns will have to go. That will free up some room but keep in mind the shark may not like certain tank mates; the neons are already in trouble lol. I'd also advise a tank upgrade as the shark grows and if you can't then return it as well; without the clowns and shark you'd have more room to add more neons, corys and guppies (so without the shark and clowns you could add 5 more neons, maybe 5 corys depending on the size, 5 sterbai for example which are a larger type of cory, and 5 or 6 guppies. If you like loaches you could substitute one of those for khuli loaches instead of the clowns). I don't think the Cichlid would do well with the Neons either.

 

[chappers]

wow, i wasn't expecting to be overstocked already! Thats not good, the ruby shark is only 2 inches so the neon's are just about safe for now but he soon went through the mollie babies that popped out a week or two ago.

thanks for the advice, anyone else have an opinion on what i should do?

 

[djtypykuhl]

Oxygen exchange rule: Length x Width on tank = surface area
(ex. my 10g is 20x10, so 200in sq.)
take surface area divided by 12.5
(200/12.5 = 16)
Natural oxygen exchange by surface are can support this many inches of fish
Live plants help you push this rule a little, because they add more oxygen to the tank

***this rule is only concerned with the oxygen levels. you may need to research idividual fish species to see how much waste they produce, whether or not they can manage in a tank with loads of fish, etc.***

honestly, i would see about rehoming your clowns and shark, and maybe go for a nice tetra display. get 3-5 tetras of various breeds, even a beta (but only one!)

you could see about getting some cory cats, they stay small and are active little bottom feeders. maybe some danios for a nice top level activity?

as long as you stick with small fish, you will have an awesome display tank

 

[chappers]

Oxygen exchange rule: Length x Width on tank = surface area
(ex. my 10g is 20x10, so 200in sq.)
take surface area divided by 12.5
(200/12.5 = 16)
Natural oxygen exchange by surface are can support this many inches of fish
Live plants help you push this rule a little, because they add more oxygen to the tank

Thanks for the scientific reply, mine would be 58 inches then plus a lot of plants, 2 huge java fern plants that are the biggest i have ever seen, easily 14-15 inches tall and well over 100 leaves total, a dozen amazon sword plants, christmas moss (small) and a couple of dozen very tall twisted grass like leaves, around 2 ft high each and some dwarf hair grass (just added).

 

[djtypykuhl]

the rule that i use for oxygen stocking is the one listed above, plus one more inch of fish for every 6in of live plant.
i would say that your tank could easily support 75in of fish, plus it should remain quite clean, considering the plants use the fishes waste as food, and you currently have half of the amazon in one tank

Could you tell me the dimensions?

 

[chappers]

lol, your not wrong, i think half of the amazon plus supporting most of my local pet stores turnover! though the plants are only 6 weeks old in most cases so not started spreading yet.

here is a pic,

dimensions are W 103cm x D 45cm x H 62cm

 

[djtypykuhl]

very awesome tank! nice center focus too.
you deffinately have room for some more fishies.
i would stay away from the cichlids, because although some species are semi-passive, they are ALL territorial.
i would throw 4-6 corydoras in there, along with a beta, and two more schools of tetras at about 9-14 each. your neons would absolutly love more company, maybe 5 more? i would also recommend some danios to add some spunk to the upper level of the tank, maybe 4-7.

LOOKING GOOD!

 

[chappers]

Thanks for the reply,

I have added 6 more neons and 4 cory's to the mix, going to get a beta and another school at the weekend i think, maybe some rummy nose tetras or something similar!

 

[djtypykuhl]

sounds fun!
you HAVE TO post pics on this thread when you get going with it.

 

[chappers]

Will do,

tank is actually starting to look like there are fish in it now!

Thanks for the advice, did a test this morning and everything was 0 so looking good for some more fish at the weekend!

 

[Austin.b]

Subscribed, nice looking tank!! I've always liked the look of rummy nose tetras!!

 

[djtypykuhl]

if you do end up getting a beta, make sure you dont get any tiger barbs.
tiger barbs love to nip at the fins of long finned fish, and terrorize all fish smaller than them.