Can my tank house this amount of fish?

[chris87]

The tank is 150 litres (40 US gallons / 33 UK gallons) . The total surface area is 80 cm X 50 cm. I also have a powerful filter, with a capacity of 250 litres. I want to have 4 clown loaches (once they reach 5 cm however, I will trade them in for smaller ones). 3 silver sharks (again once they get larger I'll trade them in). 5 Female guppies and 2 male guppies, 1 plaque (i have him in my current tank, hes around 7 cm and I don't belevie he will grow any larger). My black loach which I currently have, hes around 8 cm. I'm considering getting a siemeas fighting fish, hwoever I have never had much luck with them getting along with my guppies. Finally, a shoal of 5 or so barbs.

Please tell me if I can keep this many fish, and if I have made any misstakes with the chances of these fish getting along together.

 

[vanimal]

I wouldn't do the Silver Sharks, Clown Loaches, or a Siamese Fighting Fish.

 

[chris87]

Why not? Will they not get on?

 

[FishFanatic88]

The tank is 150 litres (40 US gallons / 33 UK gallons) . The total surface area is 80 cm X 50 cm. I also have a powerful filter, with a capacity of 250 litres. I want to have 4 clown loaches (once they reach 5 cm however, I will trade them in for smaller ones). 3 silver sharks (again once they get larger I'll trade them in). 5 Female guppies and 2 male guppies, 1 plaque (i have him in my current tank, hes around 7 cm and I don't belevie he will grow any larger). My black loach which I currently have, hes around 8 cm. I'm considering getting a siemeas fighting fish, hwoever I have never had much luck with them getting along with my guppies. Finally, a shoal of 5 or so barbs.

Please tell me if I can keep this many fish, and if I have made any misstakes with the chances of these fish getting along together.

If you go with smaller fish such as polka dot loaches, or yoyo loaches then you wont have to trade them in and you can see them mature. The silver sharks i would not do, and instead maybe a larger school of barbs or maybe also a school of larger tetras. Most male betta fish ( siamese fighting fish) do not do well in communities, they will either get too stressed and die or they will attack everything. Mine got too stressed and died.

 

[vanimal]

Well the Clown Loaches and Silver Sharks get 14 inches. Also they must be in a school of at least 4. You could try it if you want but I would strongly recommend against it. The Siamese Fighting fish would try to kill your other fish.

 

[chris87]

Ah ok, thanks for the help. However why do you advise against sharks? Is there any way I could change my plans in such a way that I could keep sharks? Once again, thank-you.

 

[chris87]

Ah ok, thanks for the help. However why do you advise against sharks? Is there any way I could change my plans in such a way that I could keep sharks? Once again, thank-you.

 

[sally pu]

I'm gonna have to agree with fishfanatic, that stock list sounds off....by a mile. I don't mean to offend but if I were you, I would stick with smaller loaches, no sharks or bettas, but instead def do a school of tetras, a school of barbs, or danios, and a BN pleco maybe some corys if you'd like but no smaller than a group of 5-6.

 

[chris87]

(Sorry for sending the same message twice, I'm new to this!) And ok Vanimal, I probably won't get a siemeas fighting fish. And I know how large they can grow, but won't it be ok as long as I trade them in for smaller ones once they reach around 5 cm.

 

[vanimal]

Well you could keep them but they get much too large for a 40 gallon tank. If you trade them it will be fine but I personally would choose a different fish.

 

[chris87]

Yeah I understand where you're coming from. If I bought them about as young as you can buy them from fish shops, from my memory they're no smaller than 2 inches?... How long would they take to get to large for my tank in your opinion?

 

[reefdiver]

No offense but your answering your own question. Most off the people do not recommend it for the reason that you will gave a hard time finding new homes. Yes you can keep what you want it's your money. Just be considerate of the animals you keep.

 

[vanimal]

This is what I'd do.
The Guppies you wanted
6 Cories
1 Peacock Eel
2 Angel Fish
1 Bristlenose Pleco
And maybe something else like large tetras.

 

[FishFanatic88]

(Sorry for sending the same message twice, I'm new to this!) And ok Vanimal, I probably won't get a siemeas fighting fish. And I know how large they can grow, but won't it be ok as long as I trade them in for smaller ones once they reach around 5 cm.

I guess that would be fine, BUT the fish would not like it very much at all. I just find it odd, because i know that i love to see my fish mature and grow to their full size. that is why i suggested the snaller loaches and tetras.

 

[sally pu]

I think even the angel fish would be a stretch unless you got the dwarf species and even then...

 

[vanimal]

I agree with FishFanatic I love watching my fish grow.

 

[chris87]

Yeah, I would as well, but these are the fish I really want to keep. So if I only get to see new ones grow a couple of inches every time it's not so bad, I might get these and become attachted a buy a bigger tank in a few years if my circumstances allow it. What kind of size would I need to safley house these fish for their enitre life?

 

[FishFanatic88]

Yeah, I would as well, but these are the fish I really want to keep. So if I only get to see new ones grow a couple of inches every time it's not so bad, I might get these and become attachted a buy a bigger tank in a few years if my circumstances allow it. What kind of size would I need to safley house these fish for their enitre life?

Probably near a 125

 

[Samzter]

I think even the angel fish would be a stretch unless you got the dwarf species and even then...

An angelfish would be fine in a 150 litre tank.

 

[Samzter]

Even if you get a bigger tank I'm not sure if they'll have territorial issues or not.