Upgrading tanks, increasing stock

[tw0lves]

Hi all, long time reader first time poster.

I finally have a question to post than I can't find an answer to prior to posting. I am moving from the 37 Gal tank in my profile to a new 75 Gal tank I bought. I will repost the info for people that don't want to go look. My current tank is as follows:
37 Gal.,
Penguin 160 HOB + a sponge filter,
Custom lights using CFL twist bulbs
Fish:
1 Angel, Big - 5"x8"+,
3 Long Fin Serpeas,
3 Dwarf Gouramis (1 Red, 1 Natural, 1 Blue and the newest members)
3 YoYo's,
2 Male BN (temminckii),
1 SAE,
1 Oto Cat
Plants: Java Fern, Anacharis, Amazon Sword, rotala indica

Moving to: 75 Gal, Emporer 400, Hagen Glo T5HO Dbl 48"

I would like to get some opinions on stocking...
First I am going to up the school of LF Serpeas to 6-7,
My second goal is ad a group of 3-5 angels to the current one,
My third goal is add some more color, LFS recommends a school Gold Barbs..
Last I am open to suggestions...or criticisms.
Maybe I should add a couple more YoYo's? However they are very small in the store and my three are already fully grown at 3-4"...
Also thinking about adding a second or third SAE..
Or bringing up the school of Oto's.
Maybe female partners for the Gouramis and Plecos?
My last thought is maybe a school of Panda Cory's

My order of goals is not neccessarily the order of the fish I will add, I think the Angels, should/would, be the last fish to add to the tank. I am really not sure what the stocking limits of my new 75 will be and the main reason of my post.

Thank!

 

[Etunes]

Welcome to AA and glad to have you posting.

First issue to address is Seprae tetras. They can be REALLY nippy towards fish with alot of fin. Mixing seprae tetras and angels. It could lead to a angel with no fins and death. There have been people that have successfully kept them together but usually it takes them a while to stop and a large school of them. You could try it but i dont recommend it. I would recommend rehoming the tetras as eventually with you only having 3 and the overall risk to your angels.

Second issue is dont listen to the LFS right away. Make them prove they know what there talking about. Ask them questions (even if you know the awnser) and come check here. LFS have lead people down many dark roads with there tanks.

Third leading form second Barbs are best for semi-aggressive to aggressive tanks. They like to nip as well and they like big schools. Unlike the seprae the barbs will not be just matching them up with the right fish but it will be that they are just a more aggressive fish. They also need a large school. But now that you have that issue if my brain serves me right i believe gold barbs are 1 of the more forgiving species. So they could be a good selection for your tank. You need a school atleast 6+.

Fourth, you could up the numbers with the yoyos even with small ones as they will school. I would get more otos and you could do another SAE if you wanted. I would be careful with the gouromis as they are territorial against males and there is only so much room in a 75g. Also make sure you get atlest 2 females for each male so they dont constantly harass 1 and stress it out (i would save the space for more fish). Cories would be a good addition but you need atleast 6+. I also would tone down the amount of angels you want to about a total of 4. I would probably shoot for some sort of tetra. Maybe a school of black skirt tetras or diamond tetras (both also in danger of being nipped by seprae). Some rams might also be a good addition just make sure you have caves for them.

As for finding fish just shop around and do your research.

 

[tw0lves]

Thanks for the reply. I have been told by multiple people the long-fin serpeas are the least the nippy of the big tetras. The are not the standard/short fin serpeas and have no issue with them yet. Maybe this information isn't as accurate as I hoped. I'll look into the Rams, thanks. The angels I was worried if I don't get enough, that the big one will terrorize the smaller ones. My LFS carries angels in the 3"x5" inch range that should be ok, so I have no problem keeping that group at 4, if we get more to begin with. The LFS recommended the Gold Barbs for the same reason you mentioned, and offered no others, its the only reason I considered them.

 

[Etunes]

Seprae tetras are seprae tetras. The longfin is just a variation. It is like saying that guppy has a longer tail then that guppy, then saying that they are gonna act completely different because of a longer tail.

Just some more of the top of my head you could try are
guppys
swordtails
mollies
hatchet fish

 

[meegosh]

Guppies and large angels, like yours, won't mix well. I have a large koi angel and it would even eat full grown adult guppies. As far as adding more angels, many recommend that if you want to keep multiple angels that you buy them small and introduce them all at the same time and let them grow up together.

I have a feeling your big angel will consider the whole tank his territory and chase the new, younger & smaller, angels around.

 

[BigJim]

Welcome to AA!

If you're looking for more color, consider rosy barbs. They're supposed to be more docile than many barb species and if you get a small school, six or so, the nipping is supposed to be even less. Maybe the long-finned variety.

I like my panda cories. I have six normal adults and six long-finned juveniles in a 20L. They're a lot of fun. I love watching them root around in the sand. They also like to sleep in piles.

 

[Etunes]

I have a feeling your big angel will consider the whole tank his territory and chase the new, younger & smaller, angels around.

I have a feeling your right BUT if she introduces them all at the same time in the 75g it should be fine. Another thing is the guppies he is right about. But it dosent always happen and i would probably want to throw some test guppies in. Also reorganizing the tank will help the thing with the angels.

 

[tw0lves]

Nothing wrong with a little fresh meal, eh? lol, I don't mean to be cruel, but the food chain is a proven system. If I add a couple more small YoYo's, I'm wondering if there is a chance the large angel might bother/eat the small YoYo's before they are big enough. I will have plenty of hiding spots, caves, driftwood, orniments, plants, so my guess is, any new YoYo's should be safe.

To BigJim:
I would certainly like watchin a group of cory's scurry about in their school, but I don't want to over stock a tank just trying to get my current types of fish up to their proper size groups. So I won't get any unless I know I can get the whole group with out over stocking.

 

[Etunes]

The yoyos wont be bothered by the angels, dont worry about that. And a school of cories and yoyos will not overstock a 75g. You could put alot in there.

 

[tw0lves]

I'm looking at LFS in the twin cities and close to me, it seems hard to find female BNs. Anyone have a good suggestion to get a female or two, BN plecos? The local shop in the cities here has serveral temminckiis about 2"-2.5" long, none with bristles yet. But I don't want to end up with three or four males just guessing.

Also, the Rams look promising, but the short life span is a negative, anyone have success breeding these?