Newbie 75 Gallon Stocking List

[Mplsdjw]

After several months of success with a 10 gallon tank I'm moving up to a 75 gallon tank. I wanted to get peoples comments on my stocking list.
I'm mainly interested in smaller schooling fish and sticking with hardy species that will give me the best chance for success.

10 -12 Longfin Zebra Danios (Currently have some in the 10g. Can't wait to see what they are like when they have more room to swim.
10 - 12 Harlequin Rasboras
10 - 12 Barbs (Not sure what type yet, possibly Cherry, Black Ruby or Panda. Somewhat dependent on what the LFS carries)
For some action at the bottom of the tank I am thinking of 6 or loaches. I would like to stay with the smaller types; Angelicus, Dwarf or Zebra loaches. I would appreciate feedback from the loach experts out there.
Also, do loaches get along with snails & shrimp? Thinking that I might add either of those once the tank is established but not sure if the loaches would give them problems.

I would appreciate any feedback I get.

Particulars
75g tank 48x18x20
Penn-Plax Cascade 1500 canister filter (along with sponge and floss filter media I added a tray of Matrix and a tray of Purigen)
Hydor 300W In-line heater
Low Light/Low Tech Plants - Eco-Complete substrate

 

[Shadow Bass]

I would leave out those fin nipping barbs lol

 

[sinibotia]

With barbs, rasboras and danios you can do just about any botia you list. Angelicus are my favorites; they're very active but simultaneously pretty mellow towards tankmates. Zebra loaches are good in this regard too. The one thing I'll say about dwarf loaches is that they're more active towards the midwater than most loaches so you may want to pick one of the others if you're looking especially for a bottomdweller. And loaches will seek out and decimate populations of just about any invertebrate- snails, shrimp, etc.

No experience with the barbs you list except cherry barbs. But cherry barbs aren't nippy at all and would work nicely. My friend actually has his cherry barbs with a betta, no nipping even then!

One last thing about the botias. I recommend quarantining them and treating with food soaking praziquantel and metronidazol. Loaches usually have some internal parasites and those two meds treat most of them.

 

[Mplsdjw]

Thanks for advice, Sinibotia. I'm intrigued by the Angelicus loach so I think I'll head in that direction.
I will be setting up the 10g as a Quarantine Tank so I will be able do the meds that you mentioned.
I had seen it mentioned in another forum that they recommended treating all new quarantined fish regardless if they exhibited any symptoms or not with praziquantel and metronidazole. Just wondering if that was standard practice for experienced fish keepers.

 

[sinibotia]

Thanks for advice, Sinibotia. I'm intrigued by the Angelicus loach so I think I'll head in that direction.
I will be setting up the 10g as a Quarantine Tank so I will be able do the meds that you mentioned.
I had seen it mentioned in another forum that they recommended treating all new quarantined fish regardless if they exhibited any symptoms or not with praziquantel and metronidazole. Just wondering if that was standard practice for experienced fish keepers.

I typically do praziquantel and salt, but metro is good too. I prefer salt as a prophylactic because I do worry about the issue of resistant strains of bacteria caused by overuse of antibiotics. You can use regular salt in the water as a moderate preventative treatment for ich, fungus, bacteria, etc. And epsom salt soaked in food to treat some of the same things as metro. I try to save metro for when I KNOW there's an issue that it will treat. Loaches do NOT like salt though.



As for prazi, it treats worms and is very gentle on fish. Worms are less inclined to develop resistance so you can go nuts with that stuff.

 

[emilygupps]

I kept kaluhi loaches with Amano shrimp and they fed side by side and they also didn't mess with the narite snails either.


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