50gal, what eose should i get? a few questions

[WaterPond]

I have been thinking about getting a pair of GBRs

They have had some nice ones at my LFS lately for 10bucks each, i think i am going to get some with my christmas money. Here is my current stock

2 dwarf gourmis
1 african butterfly fish (can be removed it needed)
5 head and taillight tetras
1 angelfish
1 dojo loach

Here is what else i plan on:
-2 GBRs
-1 farowella
-4 julii cories
-1 dojo loach

i kindof want a school of smaller tetras too. probably cardinals. I will have to get rid of the afric butterfly for that wont i?

Will i have enough room?

 

[JustOneMore20]

I'm not sure about the Butterfly fish, but I do suggest getting more than 4 cories. You have room for atleast 6, 8 would be better. They are much happier in bigger groups.

 

[WaterPond]

ok, they are kindof expensive around here (the cories) 5 bucks a peice. I will try for 6, but if not i will go with 4 or five. This all dpends on how much christmas money i get

 

[hc8719]

a note on the farlowellas:

they will not eat flakes, even if starving i have never seen mine eat flakes, these guys have to be the laziest fish. i have actually picked mine up, and moved them onto cuccumbers, without a struggle.

i have a 55 gallon, so i can imagine your's happy in a corner with a somewhat densely planted area.

i also recommend not getting these guys until your tank is nicely established for a little while, and has some algae growth.

be prepared to supply mushed peas and cuccummbers for these guys (and veggies cloud the tank fast)

 

[severum mama]

More notes to add to hc's comments: My farlowella seems to eat some algae, but it doesn't really seem to care for prepared foods, as hc mentions. Unfortunately, it doesn't have much of an appetite for veggies either, but it does chew some holes in my plants so be prepared for that. I agree with adding a farlowella to an established tank, as they can be somewhat sensitive. My tank was over a year old before I found my farlowella, so I didn't have any issues.

I have also bare-handed my farlowella on several occasions (all the times I've had to move my tank in recent months, long story). They are delicate, so I actually prefer to catch them that way because I believe it would be really easy to injure them while netting. They don't really struggle, I agree.

 

[hc8719]

severum mama, have you tried zucchini? i slipped up and wrote cuccumbers, which my pleco goes for. while i have seen my farlowellas half-heartly eat cuccumber, zucchini seems to be more readily accepted, as accepted as any food will be for them.

just a side note, severum, do your farlowellas grow? i've had my 2 for several months, and the bigger one has become more plump, but the smaller one is a short twig, slow growers maybe?

 

[severum mama]

Yes, I think they are slow growers. I've had mine for about 2 years now, and it has grown to its max size of about 7 inches TL.

And no, I haven't tried zucchini. Guess I should check that out.