Stocking 75 Gallon

[brunettebaby4571]

So I am going to be picking up a 75 gallon in the next few days and I am trying to figure out how I want to stock it. I know I want angels and some type of schooling fish but not sure what kind. I wanted neons but from what I have heard/read most angels will eat them sadly :/ So what are some other schooling options? Or if I didn't do the angels what kind of fish would you suggest as a bigger center piecey type fish? Would angels bother otos? It will eventually be planted but that will have to be later as I wont have a good light for plants yet. Got to save up for that! Oh and also how many of each fish would also help greatly! Thank you!

 

[emerald76]

So I am going to be picking up a 75 gallon in the next few days and I am trying to figure out how I want to stock it. I know I want angels and some type of schooling fish but not sure what kind. I wanted neons but from what I have heard/read most angels will eat them sadly :/ So what are some other schooling options? Or if I didn't do the angels what kind of fish would you suggest as a bigger center piecey type fish? Would angels bother otos? It will eventually be planted but that will have to be later as I wont have a good light for plants yet. Got to save up for that! Oh and also how many of each fish would also help greatly! Thank you!

I'd do the following-
2 angels
12 any one species of Cory
12 cardinal tetras
6 otos
1 German Blue Ram
6 Cherry Barbs
2 male guppies
4 female guppies

 

[brunettebaby4571]

Well I do like the ram idea but Im not sure about the others...not a huge fan of guppies lol but I think I might do a few loaches instead of the cories...But I was thinking of only a few different types of fish as I dont want a whole bunch of different ones...any other ideas?

 

[Aquatic_Adam]

Well I do like the ram idea but Im not sure about the others...not a huge fan of guppies lol but I think I might do a few loaches instead of the cories...But I was thinking of only a few different types of fish as I dont want a whole bunch of different ones...any other ideas?

And I personally think that's a wonderful idea. Too often in this hobby we find ourselves getting "collector-itis" and only a few fish of a lot of different species. I think it's great that you can see the beauty in having larger numbers of the same fish.

That being said, a 75g gives you a lot of options. Do you want to do a specific biotope or region of the world? Or just make sure they are colorful?

 

[brunettebaby4571]

Yeah I have a 40 gallon with a random assortment of fish...while I love the tank (it was my first biggish tank so its my baby) I want something beautiful and wowish lol so thats why I want a mostly angel tank...And I dont really mind any specific region or anything just something pretty lol thats why I was thinking just something simple like the angels and some schooling fish so any ideas are welcome! Just no guppies mollies or platys or anything of that nature lol

 

[Bigfish99]

What about endlers instead of guppies? I enjoy watching them and they look reaaly good

 

[Aquatic_Adam]

Yeah I have a 40 gallon with a random assortment of fish...while I love the tank (it was my first biggish tank so its my baby) I want something beautiful and wowish lol so thats why I want a mostly angel tank...And I dont really mind any specific region or anything just something pretty lol thats why I was thinking just something simple like the angels and some schooling fish so any ideas are welcome! Just no guppies mollies or platys or anything of that nature lol

Well. It's pretty easy to do a South American theme with Angels. I like Rummynose Tetras personally, although Bloodfins are a very nice alternative. To be the alternative to them, another school of wide body tetras (like Lemons) would also add a variety to the tank

Add that with some pretty Corydoras like Sterbai or Juhlii, and you got yourself an easy start to a beautiful SA tank

 

[brunettebaby4571]

I do like Endlers but I dont think for this tank I would like them...I like all the tetras you mentioned...I really like rummynose and lemon tetras so I might try and get one of them or maybe some harlequin rasboras or espei rasboras...oh so many choices!! haha I really want altum angels ...I love them! So natural and beautiful! But I will probably just get a random assortment...I need to find them somewhere semi cheap...how many angels do you think I should put in the 75?

 

[brunettebaby4571]

Well a better question is how many angels and how many tetras could I put in there?

 

[Aquatic_Adam]

Well a better question is how many angels and how many tetras could I put in there?

You could get a few in there, although aggression arises if they manage to pair off. What a lot of people do is get about 5 or so Angels, see which ones pair off eventually, then return all but the 2 that paired off.

The Tetras, depending on how many different schools you want! Getting 2 schools of fish would be nice. You could get up to 10 of each Tetra types easy

 

[brunettebaby4571]

So I could only do one pair in there?? I was hoping I could do more :/

 

[Zimmanski]

So I could only do one pair in there?? I was hoping I could do more :/

You can do more than two. River cats has a ton of angels in her tank, which is a lot bigger than the 75 you and I have but she would know a lot of answers to these types of question. Just my experience, I have 4 angels in my 75 without any problems at all, they're actually some of the most calm fish in my tank

 

[meegosh]

I kept my angel with neons and she never went after them. She did devour any guppy fry-adult though. I would skip the barbs as they may want to nip at your angels. Some larger tetras would look nice, IMO. I am very partial to Diamond Tetras, one of the larger bodied tetras. Lemons would be another good choice. Von rios for some color, etc.

You have plenty of options with a tank that size. If you want a species only tank, I'd suggest geos... but again, I'm partial to them.

 

[brunettebaby4571]

Yeah I don't want any barbs. They look nice but I am just not a big fan of them! I think I just want the angels and a decent sized school of some type of tetras or some harlequin rasboras. I can't wait to get this tank up and going!! Do you think I could put 5 or 6 angels in this tank? If I do start to see any aggression I can always put them an a different tank or rehome them.

 

[meegosh]

I've only kept a single angel but long term I don't see 5 or 6 getting along in there. Especially when/if they start pairing up and spawning. Things will get intense, to say the least. My female lays eggs every water change it seems and she becomes the meanest fish in my tank.

 

[Aquatic_Adam]

You can do more than two. River cats has a ton of angels in her tank, which is a lot bigger than the 75 you and I have but she would know a lot of answers to these types of question. Just my experience, I have 4 angels in my 75 without any problems at all, they're actually some of the most calm fish in my tank

220 is much larger than a 75. And I did say she could have more, but aggression will rise if they manage to pair off.

I apologize if she misunderstood my response.

 

[brunettebaby4571]

Ok thank ya! I will probably get 4 and see how they do. I always have other tanks I could put them in if I see any problems. I have been trying to find all the info I can on the leopoldi angelfish but there isnt a whole bunch on them for some reason. I like the fact that they stay smaller than the other angelfish. I have been getting conflicting answers on them though. Some places say they are the most aggressive while others say they are no more aggressive then the others. It is hard to say. If I can find any I might try them out and see what they are like! thank you guys for the help! If anyone has any other suggestions for the tank I am interested to hear!

 

[brunettebaby4571]

Did you mean two pairs or just the two angelfish that paired off?

 

[Aquatic_Adam]

Did you mean two pairs or just the two angelfish that paired off?

I was simply explaining what I have seen a lot of people do. They just keep the one pair. But nobody said you had to!

 

[Zimmanski]

220 is much larger than a 75. And I did say she could have more, but aggression will rise if they manage to pair off.

I apologize if she misunderstood my response.

I was simply answering the question that was asked, I know what size Rivercats has, I did say that Rivercats's tank was a lot bigger than what me and the OP has. I also know that rivercats has something like 14 angels in her tank and has been keeping them for like 20+ years which is why I mentioned her. I think even with two mating pairs in a 75 would be fine either way.