Stocking and Combination Advice Please?

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Lauren88

Aquarium Advice Newbie
Joined
Nov 13, 2013
Messages
1
Hello

I have a 70 litre tank set up since July. It's my second tank as I have previously kept mollies and guppies etc.

I have deliberately left it empty since July as I want to pick my new fish carefully and fancy something a bit different to mollies and guppies.

I love Malawi fish but sadly I think this tank is too small, so this is where I need help as I'm back to the drawing board. My favourite fish at the moment are:

Neon blue gourami and neon red gourami
Red rosy tiger barb
Tiger barb
Gold gourami
Super blue Kerri tetra
Paradise fish
Red rainbow fish
Clown loaches
Discus fish

I know that there is no way all of the above could live together due to behaviour (and obviously my tank size!) but I'd like some advice please on which of the above would make good combinations in my tank or if any more could be suggested (must be brightly coloured please!)

Thank you in advance,

Lauren x
 
The trouble is, all of the choices!

Hello

I have a 70 litre tank set up since July. It's my second tank as I have previously kept mollies and guppies etc.

I have deliberately left it empty since July as I want to pick my new fish carefully and fancy something a bit different to mollies and guppies.

I love Malawi fish but sadly I think this tank is too small, so this is where I need help as I'm back to the drawing board. My favourite fish at the moment are:

Neon blue gourami and neon red gourami
Red rosy tiger barb
Tiger barb
Gold gourami
Super blue Kerri tetra
Paradise fish
Red rainbow fish
Clown loaches
Discus fish

I know that there is no way all of the above could live together due to behaviour (and obviously my tank size!) but I'd like some advice please on which of the above would make good combinations in my tank or if any more could be suggested (must be brightly coloured please!)

Thank you in advance,

Lauren x
What type of water do you have?

If it's hard water rift lake cichlids, I think cichlids offer the best colour of all freshwater fish. Don't tell my clowns!

Discus, no, way to advanced for a first tank, I don't think it's big enough on its own. Same goes for clown loach need to be a shoal, loaches.com, there is a fish profile on them in fish/plant profiles. Clowns get BIG!

Barbs are hardy I think, a smaller member of botiidae would be better, see botia striata.

Do you want a fast river tank?
Do you want a slower planted tank?

I believe most gourami sp. fit into slow planted and command excellent care.

That's 3 questions to answer.

Edit- look at Danio sp. they were my first fish, leopard danio, pearl danio, zebra danio.
All have great colours, all different, must be a shoal, small fish, hardy. Lasted me 3-4 years. The pearls were my favourite.

Question 4, what are the tank dimensions?
 
No discus or clown loach for sure.

Stick with tetras. You might enjoy a half dozen tiger barbs though. Just don't mix them with anything as they can be very nippy. Maybe a few rosy and a few tiger barbs. They are cool fish.

Also try to keep mollies in brackish water in the future. I find they are way healthier in brackish water
 
Neon blue gourami and neon red gourami YES (dwarf gouramis)
Red rosy tiger barb TIGHT FIT
Tiger barb TIGHT FIT
Gold gourami NO
Super blue Kerri tetra YES
Paradise fish YES (prefers cooler temperature)
Red rainbow fish NO
Clown loaches BIG NO
Discus fish BIGGER NO
 
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