fish in a 75 gal freshwater community tank

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demodrin

Aquarium Advice Apprentice
Joined
Apr 22, 2013
Messages
13
just got 75 gal freshwater , id like to have a community tank, here is a list of fish id like to have after it cycles properly , any ideas on what i should add or eliminate and how many of each is best?

tiger barb
albino rainbow shark
black fin shark
khuli loach
cory cats
pleco
angel fish
 
I wouldn't trust the tiger barbs with angelfish, and I'm not too sure about the two different types of "sharks" being together.
Also i think kuhli loaches are over-rated. I never see mine even with just some tetras in te tank with them.
 
If there are enough tiger barbs in the school they will be okay, but as 'heyhey' said, try and stick to one of the sharks. Do you have an idea about how many of each fish you want??
 
thank you for the help, angelfish is the main species, i was thinking maybe 3-5 angels and whatever else can be kept with them, definitely dont want to overstock , the albino rainbow and black shark together is a bad idea, any sharks that can get along with angels?
 
A friend recently had to get rid of hers because the fish got more aggressive with time. Not sire which she kept, but i know she kept it with angels. However, this was in a 55 gallon tank. Perhaps the larger volume of water will make cohabitation more peaceful? I believe it's always worth a shot, as long as you have a backup plan if things go awry.

As for other species, the classic stocking with an angel community is corydoras and a school of larger tetras. Diamonds, perhaps? Rummynose are also a frequent recommendation.
 
Tiger barbs are best by themselves, or with other barbs. Keeping them with fish who have long fins like angels is a no-no. Why don't you do:

1 Pair of Angel Fish
1 Red Tail Shark
1 BN Pleco
10-12 Larger Cory Cats
School of Rainbow Fish
 
Tiger barbs are best by themselves, or with other barbs. Keeping them with fish who have long fins like angels is a no-no. Why don't you do:

1 Pair of Angel Fish
1 Red Tail Shark
1 BN Pleco
10-12 Larger Cory Cats
School of Rainbow Fish

i like that idea, went to local petco , aquarium guy suggested in my 75 gallon tank,

9 tiger barbs
5 rosie barbs
3 bala sharks
3 rainbow sharks (albino, grey or mix)
5 gouramis ( said to make sure to get all same color, cant mix)
cant put cori cats (put pictus cats instead)

anyone see any problems with this mix? im a bit skeptical after reading so many threads here of balas needing at least 125 gallons.
 
i like that idea, went to local petco , aquarium guy suggested in my 75 gallon tank,

9 tiger barbs
5 rosie barbs
3 bala sharks
3 rainbow sharks (albino, grey or mix)
5 gouramis ( said to make sure to get all same color, cant mix)
cant put cori cats (put pictus cats instead)

anyone see any problems with this mix? im a bit skeptical after reading so many threads here of balas needing at least 125 gallons.

I could be wrong but I think I remember someone saying (I've never kept gouramis so I don't have the personal experience) that getting multiple gouramis is a bad idea because they will end up fighting? Again, never had sharks but a multiple sharks just seems like a bad idea to me.
 
Don't listen to any "chain store employe" chances are they are out for the sale and not the long term welfare of the fish or your tank.

Balas reach 1'

RT/rainbow sharks will be aggressive towards each other as well to their own kind.(albino or not makes no difference).

Tigre barbs are notorious fin nippers.

Gourami/angels would not mix well with the Tigre barbs IMO, both have long "flowing fins".

I'm not to sure about the multiple gourami's mixing well together. But I know some depending on the species can get aggressive with each other. (I'm sure someone with better exp. with them will chime in).
 
Don't listen to any "chain store employe" chances are they are out for the sale and not the long term welfare of the fish or your tank.

I am one of those "chain store employees" and I really disagree with your comment above. Yes many i,f not most, chain store employees are out for sale but there are also those of us who truly want what's best for the fish and the fish keepers. I always try to help people stock properly and suggest fish that would fit in the aquarium they have. My first question whenever anyone asks me to get them fish is "what size tank do you have and is it cycled?" If they don't know about cycling I explain it to them and try to help them understand that it's an important part of successful fish keeping. There are of course people who don't listen and while I'm not allowed to refuse sale I am allowed to use my judgement to not allow our guarantee on fish I don't think will work survive. You'd be surprised how many people rethink their poor stocking choices when they can't just bring back the dead fish for a new one a few days later. Ultimately I'm trying to help as many people have as much success in our hobby as I can.
 
i like that idea, went to local petco , aquarium guy suggested in my 75 gallon tank,

9 tiger barbs
5 rosie barbs
3 bala sharks
3 rainbow sharks (albino, grey or mix)
5 gouramis ( said to make sure to get all same color, cant mix)
cant put cori cats (put pictus cats instead)

anyone see any problems with this mix? im a bit skeptical after reading so many threads here of balas needing at least 125 gallons.

That's not a good idea.

I would do either
3 Angels
1 Blood Parrot
2 Pictus Cats
1 BN Pleco
1 Rainbow or Redtail Shark
1 Gourami
4 Silver Dollars or some medium sized schooling fish. I would only add these with good filtration and a good water change schedule.

Or I would do

5 Denison Barbs
20 Tiger Barbs, mixes of Albino, Green, and Normal
15 Rosy or Cherry Barbs
1 BN Pleco
1 Redtail or Rainbow Shark
1 Syno Cat of some kind.
 
I am one of those "chain store employees" and I really disagree with your comment above. Yes many i,f not most, chain store employees are out for sale but there are also those of us who truly want what's best for the fish and the fish keepers. I always try to help people stock properly and suggest fish that would fit in the aquarium they have. My first question whenever anyone asks me to get them fish is "what size tank do you have and is it cycled?" If they don't know about cycling I explain it to them and try to help them understand that it's an important part of successful fish keeping. There are of course people who don't listen and while I'm not allowed to refuse sale I am allowed to use my judgement to not allow our guarantee on fish I don't think will work survive. You'd be surprised how many people rethink their poor stocking choices when they can't just bring back the dead fish for a new one a few days later. Ultimately I'm trying to help as many people have as much success in our hobby as I can.

I don't mean to offend, but you would be one and faaaaaaaaar between.

I don't make the rules, but I know one thing. Stereotypes exists for a reason, (and in our hobby) the "chain store" employees is generally only going to have limited knowledge on the few species their store is limited to.

I'll be the first to admit I have 0 knowledge of SW. Very limited in African cichlids, and very limited in "community" type fish minus the handful I actually like.

I been keeping NW cichlids for close to 18-19 years.

Outside of NW cichlids, generally I feel like I still have a better knowledge of fish keeping/the species a chain store sells. Then 90% of the employs out there.

I can't even count on hands and toes of the poor stock lists and awful advice I have heard over the years.

So not to derail much more as we are on a totally different topic. I'll say this. Not everyone in the whole entire world is out to give you bad advice and poor stock lists.. But I strongly feel like they are so far and few between its safest to assume its best to come to a site like AA, for questions and concerns before taking the advice of Any employee anywhere. Unless you really trust them.
 
That's not a good idea.

I would do either
3 Angels
1 Blood Parrot
2 Pictus Cats
1 BN Pleco
1 Rainbow or Redtail Shark
1 Gourami
4 Silver Dollars or some medium sized schooling fish. I would only add these with good filtration and a good water change schedule.

I wouldn't do pictus, they need schools as well and are very active, I personally wouldn't add them to a 4' tank.

I'd also nix the BP they can get aggressive and well their hybrids.

I do like the SD's though. And since you aren't thinking to neons or any other smaller fish I'd add a Senegal bichir(at a chain store they are most commonly referred to as dragon eel).
 
Personal prejudice alert: I don't like silver dollars. Although they'd definitely fit in your tank, they just aren't as attractive once they grow up.

What if you say what "main" or centerpiece fish you for sure want, then we can work around that? :)
 
Personal prejudice alert: I don't like silver dollars. Although they'd definitely fit in your tank, they just aren't as attractive once they grow up.

What if you say what "main" or centerpiece fish you for sure want, then we can work around that? :)

center fish are sharks , any kind, we like them all, and some schooling fish
 
How about an oscar? they can't really live with any other fish in that size tank but they are said to be the dog of the aquarium world... they can reconize you once you've had them for a bit and typically you can get them around an inch and a half at petstores them watch the grow into at least twelve inch fish
 
If you really want angels I will list the fishI know from experiment didn't get along and did.

Good - gourami, festivum, geophagus, rams, ottos, cories, severums, rainbows, neons.
Bad - redtail shark, medium to large tetras, barbs, betta

I would go with either
4 angels
4 assorted rainbows
12 cories
15 neons
BN Pleco
Or
6 angels
1 pearl gourami
1 moonlight gourami
12 cories
8 ottos
15 rummy nose.
 
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