Yet another "What should I stock in my...?" thread

[Corydorable]

Well, if that title doesn't reel you in, you're probably pretty darn sensible.

Hello, brand new to AA (not fish) and this is my first post.

I'm after some suggestions for appropriate stocking ideas for my modified Juwel Rio 180.

Tank size 101cm long, 41cm wider and it is advertised as 50cm high, however the reality is 45cm to the fill line.

When I say "modified" I mean I ripped out the inbuilt filter and filter housing that Juwel are so proud of and it is now serviced by a 1400lph multimedia canister filter (filter pads, bio balls and ceramic noodles). Much better if you ask me

Aside from this there are currently two airstones attached to a Tetra Whisper.

I have washed playsand as my substrate and am keen on a heavily planted tank. I currently have 6 amazon swords from a previous tank growing away and will be adding plenty more other varieties of plant in the coming week.

Tank is fully cycled. I live regionally so we have fairly hard water, out of the tap this is what the local water authority are saying (See attached)

The tank is currently housing my two adult Bristlenose plecos, seven albino corydoras and an elderly silvertip tetra (yes, tetra, singular) that I took pity on (but that's another story).

I have done an awful lot of reading of other threads pertaining to very similar questions, however I'm over the perusing stage and interested in hearing other people's suggestions for my tank. I've had pearl gourami and neon tetras in the past, looking for something different. Perhaps a bonded pair of angels or some cichlids (I was interested in getting some p.saulosi, but nowhere here has any pure ones...) Anyway.... suggestions people please!

 

[Delapool]

I always find angelfish entertaining I confess. Yoyo loaches as well.

If not keeping larger cichlids in my own tank I’d go back to live bearers - guppies maybe as haven’t seriously kept them for a fair bit.

 

[jake37]

This tank is somewhere between a 40B and 50B. You could do a pair of angels but i think dwarf cichlid is a better bet. The question is of course which species and there are hundreds of choices. A couple that I think are interesting include

hongsloi apistogramma
borelli apistogramma
nannacara a (golden eye)
bolivian rams
keyhole
electric blue acara (if you want something a little larger)
-
I'm also a fan of kubotai rasbora (small green fish that stays close to the top very active) - kind of a misfit since they are natives of asia and not sa.
-
If you want a loach i'd recommend zebra loach over yoyo. They are a bit smaller and more passive. Also less likely to jump out They are very very mellow - yoyo can be a bit active and the tank is a bit on the small size for a very active fish.
-
Then again there is of course a different direction and you could go with guppies and swordtails....