Fish compatability questions

[har-2109]

Hi I just want a second opinion on this combination of fish for a freshwater community set up. I have used AQ advisor and it tells me that the neons will be victimised in this tank, but from what I have read on other sites/forums it doesn't sound too bad.

The tank is 4 foot - 240L/55USG
The fishes:

15 - neon tetra
1 - common/gold nugget plec (undecided)
4 - upside down catfish
8 - ruby barbs
3 - dwarf blue gourami
6 - guppies
1 - RTB shark

If the shark ends up too aggressive I have a local shop that would be happy to take him back.

I also have 10 platies and 6 peppered cats, would these be happy in the tank, or would that be overstocking?

Any suggestions are welcome. Thank yooo

 

[Tim Wheatley]

Can't answer on some of the fish, as I haven't kept them, but two I will:

Depends what kind of upside down catfish. My 9 inch Synodontis Euptera nips other fish a lot and would probably try to eat Neons.

Shark may become aggressive when older. Mine was perfectly fine until a day when it decided to try to kill everything.

 

[HN1]

My 2 cents...

15 - neon tetra
1 - common/gold nugget plec (undecided) Avoid a common. They get far too large. Bristlenose are cool and stay pretty small.
4 - upside down catfish (can't speak to)
8 - ruby barbs (fine, cool fish)
3 - dwarf blue gourami (3 will be a problem unless you get a REAL trio)
6 - guppies (Free food!)

1 - RTB shark (Rainbows are mellower IME)

JMO... I'd choose one type of the cats and one livebearing species per tank.

 

[har-2109]

The upside down cats I planned on getting were Synodontis Nigriventris which apparently grow to about half the size of yours.

I might end up taking the platies to the LFS, they just don't stop breeding! :O

and what do you mean by a real trio?
Thanks

 

[HN1]

99% of the dwarf gourami (colisa lalia, regardless of color) available are males. By real trio, I meant 1M/2F.

 

[har-2109]

Aaahh thats what I was planning on getting, didn't realise it was so hard to get females. Cheers

 

[Homedog98]

I second the rainbow shark. Very docile fish in my experience!

 

[TraceyB4602]

In my experience with 2 RTB sharks, they have been peaceful fish never bothered my other fish even as an adult.

Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium

 

[McLumpy]

I have a 55 gallon community as well and have had luck w/ a few of the fish you have listed.

15 - neon tetra
I have 4 in my DT, (plus 5 in my QT) and they do fine w/ my RTB Shark.
1 - common/gold nugget plec (undecided)
I wouldn't suggest getting a Common Pleco unless you plan on moving him to a larger tank or rehoming him when he gets too big. I have one and he has grown 4 times his original size in 6 months. If I can't get a larger tank by the time he's too big, our zoo will gladly adopt him.
4 - upside down catfish
No Comment.
8 - ruby barbs
No Comment.
3 - dwarf blue gourami
I have a male Flame Dwarf Gourami and he gets tormented by my Shark more than any other fish. He can hold his own though and has chased the Shark away a number of times. I recently purchased a male Blue DG, but he passed away 3 days after I got him. Some DG's are notorious for not lasting long, (I forget what the disease is that they get, but I'm sure that's what mine had). Great fish though and absolutely beautiful!
6 - guppies
No Comment.
1 - RTB shark
I've had my Shark shortly after the tank was cycled and he is a feisty booger! lol He likes to chase everyone during feeding time, but it appears that he's being more playful than aggressive. He is also part of my bottom feeder clean-up crew. He, along w/ my Pleco and Clown Loach do pretty well at keeping the gravel clear of left over food.


In short, my Shark is pretty laid-back, (w/ the exception of tormenting my DG), but his personality and behavior differs from others. I've heard of Sharks attacking and killing fish, so this is a chance that you take w/ them. I don't want to deter you from getting one, but you will need to watch for aggression and be prepared to move your Shark to a holding tank if his/her attitude changes, (which has known to happen, especially when they get older).

Edit: Missed this question...

I also have 10 platies and 6 peppered cats, would these be happy in the tank, or would that be overstocking?

I don't know anything about Peppered Cats, but I would think that the combination of 10 Platies, along w/ the 6 Cats, and the others you have listed would be pushing your stock limit. Of course, I can't talk about stock limits as I'm beyond mine w/ the Pleco and (possibly) the 2 Clown Loaches. lol Maybe instead of you getting a Common Pleco you could get a smaller algae eater like others had suggested.

 

[Homedog98]

For smaller algae eaters, look for the rubber lip or bristlenose pleco. They stay 4 times smaller then the common pleco. Common plecos need 125 gallon tanks. At least, and that's still cramped!

 

[severum mama]

I'd avoid the gold nugget as well, the vast majority of them die in captivity before reaching their potential adult size. This is a fish that should really be left in the wild IMO.

 

[Tim Wheatley]

I'd avoid the gold nugget as well, the vast majority of them die in captivity before reaching their potential adult size. This is a fish that should really be left in the wild IMO.

That's pretty sad. Sorry for the thread hijack but why is it that they die?

I've read quite a bit that the care for plecos when breeding/farming is very low. I was once told that when you buy one it's 50/50 whether it will survive or die. That particular LFS owner told me that is why he gets slightly older Plecos because if they can survive to the age he wants, they'll survive.

 

[har-2109]

Thanks for all your help. I read somewhere that adding the RTB shark last will minimise aggression, so Il try that. The local fish shop will happily take things back and sharks are quite cheap in the UK, so I can always do that

Is anyone a Pleco-expert, are there any other ones more suitable to my tank? Im really not keen on bristlenose or albino ones.

Im no too bothered about the gouramis, but my idea is to have a small amount of a medium sized fish to be the main show of the tank, with a few smaller shoals behind.

Il choose either guppies or platies, and take the peppered corys back before my tank gets overrun by assorted catfish :L

One last thing aswell, if you are typing on iPod/phone with predictive writing on where I said "Im no too bothered about the gouramis" above, it wanted to change gouramis to foursome. Glad I checked it over now :S

 

[Tim Wheatley]

There's lots of Plecos which could fit in your tank, smaller than Bristlenosed. Lots of them are expensive though.

My favorite was this guy, but he died and I have no idea why:
Snowball Pleco | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

My current small Pleco is this guy:
Zebra Pleco | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

I don't know what stock is commonly available in the UK though... But you might want to think about online ordering. Germany with overnight shipping might be a great source.

 

[itsgracia]

One last thing aswell, if you are typing on iPod/phone with predictive writing on where I said "Im no too bothered about the gouramis" above, it wanted to change gouramis to foursome. Glad I checked it over now :S

I have a love and hate relationship with my auto correction for the iPhone..LOL

 

[har-2109]

Half the time it's brilliant, and half the time it wants me to stock with plates rather than platies.

Bring on the Pleco research

 

[Tim Wheatley]

Apple recently removed an auto-correct which changed "stevejobs" to "erections"

If you haven't updated your iPhone recently it might still work.

 

[har-2109]

Stevejobs
no mines been updated
Took them a while to find that one then hehe