Need a stocking plan for a 46gal. tank

[jim692]

I would like to figure out where I want to go with this tank rather than load it with fish and realize I should have had a plan. So, I am currently cycling with 7 zebra danios and 2 cherry barbs. When cycling is complete, my wife wants 2 more cherry barbs and my son wants 2 black mollys (thinks they are the coolest of fish, he originally wanted a large shark so this is an improvement.) I would like to have a nice mix of fish in this tank. so I would be starting with :

7 x zebra danios
4 x cherry barbs
2 x black mollys

I have a 46 gal. tank (36"w x 14.5"d x 20"h). There is a stealth 200 heater currently maintaining 77'F, and a penguin 350 HOB filter with a fairly strong current through the tank, and a sponge filter in the corner preparing itself for QT, or hospital duty as the need may be.

I like most gourami, rainbow fish, paradise fish, cardinal tetras, cories, and plecos. Hey, I like most fish period. I was hoping to have fish in the top middle and bottom strata of the tank, not all in one place. Trying to avoid feeding problems,(fish getting eaten), crowding problems, and I realize not all species play well with others.

Any advice given to the makeup of the tank and stocking levels would be greatly appreciated from all.

thanks.

 

[runninwoof]

hello!

1st be prepared to be chastised for not fishless cycling by other members

now that thats outa the way, i too am cycling my 40g tank and wondering what to stock it with. for the bottom i was thinking of cories, they school together and look silly with thier little whiskers and fat bellies. i too love plecos and if i didnt alrdy have one waiting for my tank, i would go with a zebra bristle nose pleco! i plan on getting a pair of german blue rams, and a trio of cokatoo apistos. although ive always wanted a pair of kissing gouamis, they're so funny. a school of neons always looks good. a few rummynoses also look good. when you get your mollys make sure they are both females otherwise the male will harass the female, they do best with a ratio to 1-3 (3 females to 1 male) but be weary they will reproduce nonstop!

are you going to have plants?

 

[cwt]

my 29G tank has a similar stock, with zebras and cherry barbs (albino ones)... but since I captured some danio eggs and bred them, the balance of power has shifted quite a bit... 5 adult and 7 juvenile zebras seem to have the 4 cherry barbs hiding in the bottom corner most of the day. So I'd recommend getting more barbs to even it out (assuming everyone survives the cycling), or like runninwoof suggests, some cleanup crew (cories, etc) for the rest of the tank. That's what I'm looking at next.

Don't know how big molly fry are, but if the zebras are big enough to eat them, they will.

 

[happygirl65]

I like your plan...I would add a pearl gourami or two. And definitely get more of the cherry barbs, they are so colorful and love to swim in circles and play when there are enough of them.
I second the suggestions of corys..they are so fun to watch I just love them. Definitely get a dwarf variety of pleco if you get one....the commons get monstous quickly. Good luck and have fun with it!

 

[mike47517]

cories, dojo loaches, and kuhlii loaches are all great choices for the bottom level for the tank along with your barbs. The danios you have are godd for the middle level although in that large of a tank you could get much more. And some tetras would be nice for the middle level too. And for the top layer i would suggest some rasbora. And i would highly suggest you get a clown, bristle nose, or rubber lip pleco for that size of tank. I would also suggest getting 2 male black mollies other wise i would get 3 back mollies. 2 female and 1 male as the male will mate with a single female so much that it will actually stress her out possibly to death. Oh and also if you go with the male and female mollies they will breed like crazy. My mollie give an average of 60 babies per month. now multiply that by 2 and you get 120 mollie fry per month. Hope this helps.

 

[jim692]

I beg a pardon for not cycling fishless. Listened to the LFS guy first. Found AA 3 days later . See this link for my rookie adventure .
http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/f15/sharing-my-fishkeeping-blunders-110485.html

Thanks for all the tips and advice people. After some more research, I seem to like this as a possible list.


15x Cardinal Tetra
6 x Dwarf Rainbowfish
2 x Honey Gourami
2 x Black Molly
7 x Zebra Danio
6 x Cherry Barb
2 x Paradise Fish
6 x Otocinclus

Any thoughts on group sizes , temperment , sexes, or appropratness for the tank size? (tank 46gal. 36"w x 14.5"d x 20"h) also any feeding issues?
I will need some guideance on # and type of hiding places prefered for the fish.

Here are some tank pictures. I think, if I did this right lol.

 

[CTD]

Looks good Jim

Have you considered turning your heater horizontal?

 

[jim692]

I just put the heater that way so I could reach the adjustment knob without going to the bottom of the tank. Do they work better horizontally?

 

[mike47517]

doesnt matter which way you keep ur heater. i keep mine vertical too. for the same reason. list and tank look good.

 

[verucaproduce]

doesnt matter which way you keep ur heater. i keep mine vertical too.

Actually by putting the heater horizontally at the bottom, the heat distributes more evenly through the tank.

 

[CTD]

I just put the heater that way so I could reach the adjustment knob without going to the bottom of the tank. Do they work better horizontally?

The whole concept of having the heat rise toward the heaters thermostat just seems to myself as being inefficient just as it would be to direct a heat duct outlet in your home toward your homes thermostat.

So in short and IMHO I believe they do work more efficient, but then again it's just my personal opinion.

 

[jim692]

The whole concept of having the heat rise toward the heaters thermostat just seems to myself as being inefficient just as it would be to direct a heat duct outlet in your home toward your homes thermostat.

I just thought it was easier to reach the adjustment knob on the heater. I wouldn't think it would affect its operation much at all. the transfer of heat from the heater to the water with the circulation of the pump should keep the tank temp fairly uniform i would think.

Go E-A-G-L-E-S!

 

[GhostKnife]

In my 46 gal bowfront I have 3 clown loaches, 1 bala shark, 6 cherry barbs, 4 gourami(opaline, 2 gold, and a pink kissing) 1 gold nugget pleco, and 1 angel fish. The more cherry barbs you get the better I think as they school and their bright red color looks awesome as they cruise around the tank! With your blue gravel it would look good to get some sort of moonlight. I have my lights on timers so they kick on and shut off as others are coming on for instance at 9:30 my main light goes off and my moonlights come on at 10:00 the main moon light shuts off and two of my aqualight lunar lights come on... anyways the tank looks sweet!

 

[GhostKnife]

Also my heater is upright and my tank is always I mean always at 78 degrees. It may fluctuate .2 degrees one way or the other but its very stable.

 

[CTD]

I prefer a horizontal position on my heaters so I do not have to unplug them when i do water changes as well as having the heaters thermostat deeper in the aquarium instead of near the top.
Vertical and Horizontal each have their own advantages and disadvantages and there are also many aquarists that mount their heaters at an angle so i guess it really mainly just depends on what you feel works the best for you and your particular setup.

 

[verucaproduce]

Another suggestion for when/if you buy a new heater...

If you enjoy being able to adjust the temp without getting elbow deep in tank water, you can get a titanium heater with the adjustment that hangs outside the tank. I love mine!

 

[aveldina]

Just make sure your heater is fully submersible.. My aqua clear heater is mounted vertical because it's not a full submersible. Having to keep an eye on the min/max lines while filling are kind of annoying but that said it does a good job of maintaining the temperature it's set at.
My full submersible in my 10 gallon is horizontal. Great for water changes but it's harder to read the setting on the heater and the heater's temperature setting isn't even close to what the thermometer reads.

 

[jim692]

I prefer a horizontal position on my heaters so I do not have to unplug them when i do water changes as well as having the heaters thermostat deeper in the aquarium instead of near the top.

That i'll buy. leaving it alone during water chanhes sound good.
It is set for 77'F is that approprate for these types of fish?
15x Cardinal Tetra
6 x Dwarf Rainbowfish
2 x Honey Gourami
2 x Black Molly
7 x Zebra Danio
6 x Cherry Barb
2 x Paradise Fish
6 x Otocinclus

Or do you think I should make an change?

 

[CTD]

Your temp is fine!