Suggestions for stocking a couple of 75 gallons

[JDogg]

i will soon be picking up a couple of used 75 gallon. i checked them out today and they appear to be in great shape and all in working order, i just need to wait until the guy sells off the fish that currently live in them :?

in one i plan to move my malawi cichlids to. currently they are living in a 45 gallon tank in my classroom, they will have to come home for the summer and it seams to be to be the right time to move them to bigger and better acomidations ... currently i have...
2 Red Empress Cichlids: Protomelas taeniolatus
3 Yellow Labs (Lion's Cove II): Labidochromis caeruleus
3 Cobalt Blues: Maylandia callainos
3 Snow White Socolofi: Pseudotropheus socolofi "Albino"
1 Featherfin Syno: Synodontis eupterus

in the other i plan to take the plunge and try my hands at Discus! i am thinking 4-6 discus (is this a good number for a 75?)
i will probably also have a pair or two of GBR or a trio of apistos, a school of some small tetras and some cory cats...
this tank will be lightly planted with low light plants and driftwood.

thoughts and suggestions on either or both set-ups are welcome!

 

[Fish Kid]

wow I love the malawi lake stocking list!!!! sounds like a great little tank!

as for the discus you should be fine with 4... 6 might be pushing it....... and apisto's would be awsome for it! would add some color on the bottom of the tank were the discus dont occupy any space. although i'd be carefull because even for apisto's some can be aggressive wile mating and that wouldn't be to good for your discus......... well just try to stick to some more dicile species and you should be fine!

 

[blazeyreef]

I would deffenitly make the discus a planted! I LOVE discus and how lucky are you to be able to do this! I would do exactly what you said, about 6 discus, maybe 6 german blues or bolivians, apisto's, and tons of corry's, but I would also add some otto's to!

 

[WaterPond]

if i were you, i would just go with the discus and maybe a few otos. Theres really no point in stocking that tank to capacity when you could understock alot and be abosolutely positive the discus are ok, seeing as how they are very sensitive to water quality. you could do the GBRs, and maybe some cories... but all i know is if i were going to start keeping discus, i wouldent risk adding anthing else to the bioload.

 

[JDogg]

if i were you, i would just go with the discus and maybe a few otos. Theres really no point in stocking that tank to capacity when you could understock alot and be abosolutely positive the discus are ok, seeing as how they are very sensitive to water quality. you could do the GBRs, and maybe some cories... but all i know is if i were going to start keeping discus, i wouldent risk adding anthing else to the bioload.

i understand the concerm with the bioload but i already plan on doing 3-4 50% pwc on the tank every week. so i am really thinking that a few corries(6) and a couple rams(pair) or apistos(trio) will not add that much :? maybe i am wrong

 

[mugginns]

Wouldn't 3-4 50% water changes per week use a LOT of water?

That is like 150 gallons a week... I'm all for PWC but that seems like a lot of water to be pushing.

 

[JustOneMore20]

I think your ideas are great JDogg. I'd do the same thing you are doing, making one an African tank and the other planted Discus.

For the Discus tank, I'd probably have 4-6 like you are planning, a school of 10-12 Cardinals or Rummynose, some cories, and some dwarf cichlids. I'm a big fan of stocking to capacity, just because there are so many different fish I'd like to keep. If you plan on doing multiple water changes a week, I think its fine to stock to capacity. Also I think a tank with just Discus and bottom feeders would be kind of lacking. Just my opinion though. I always love to see a big school of Cardinals with Discus.

Congrats on the good deal you got! I only wish I could find a good deal like that around here.

 

[Fish Kid]

muggins... yes that is a lot of water but if the person doing it doesnt mind..... then it doesnt really matter!

 

[JDogg]

muggins... yes that is a lot of water but if the person doing it doesnt mind..... then it doesnt really matter!

that is what pythons are for

 

[Fish Kid]

i have one and I LOVE IT!!!!