32G Build!

[Oscarr19]

I'm building a small cave for the pair for territory. Worst comes to worst I'll get two females.

 

[Oscarr19]

I might pick up the fish today! I'm not sure if i should get all the fish at once. I still have to call and see which LFS has keyholes and bolivian rams.

 

[eco23]

Couple things I might have missed...I saw you got seeded media from an established tank...have you been adding an ammonia source to keep it alive while the tank has been sitting during this time?

I'd also be leery of a pair of Rams with Corys...I've heard a few bad stories of Dwarf Cichlid pairs having "issues" with Corys who share the same space.

 

[Oscarr19]

Yea I do have some tetras in the tank now that I'll be giving to a friend once he comes back from vacation in 3 weeks. As for aggression towards the cories should I just get 2 female rams? Would only 1 cave be sufficient?

 

[eco23]

Yea I do have some tetras in the tank now that I'll be giving to a friend once he comes back from vacation in 3 weeks. As for aggression towards the cories should I just get 2 female rams? Would only 1 cave be sufficient?

After the research I did...I decided to go with a single Male. He's worked out great with Corys, Tetras, Danios, Otos, Amanos and is even nice to the (adult) RCS. A single is perfectly happy alone...and it reduces the potential for aggression.

 

[Oscarr19]

Should I maybe try a pair of keyhole cichlids? If not is there a type of fish that doesn't need a school that I can replace the second ram with?

 

[eco23]

Should I maybe try a pair of keyhole cichlids? If not is there a type of fish that doesn't need a school that I can replace the second ram with?

My personal choice would be to add another school and replace some of the singles or pairs you're looking at. Make sure you're looking at swim levels, because the best look IMO is to have all levels of the tank filled with activity. I've never personally kept some of the fish you're naming so I don't know detail...but personally for a 32 I'd aim for a peaceful community tank instead of fish which are potentially territorial. A single Dwarf Cichlid or Dwarf Gourami would work great with a couple schools of Danios, Tetras, Rasboras, Cherry Barbs and a bottom dwelling group of Corys. Just my personal opinion of course

 

[Oscarr19]

I really want the angel and 2 cichlids though. Say:

1 Angel
1 keyhole cichlid
1 Bolivian ram
6 tetras (still don't know what type)
6 leopard cories
6 cherry barbs
3 Otos

So I still have solitary fish and the schooling fish. I still need to call my LFS's tomorrow and find out if they even carry those 2 types of cichlids. If they don't can I add 1 more school?

 

[eco23]

I really want the angel and 2 cichlids though. Say:

1 Angel
1 keyhole cichlid
1 Bolivian ram
6 tetras (still don't know what type)
6 leopard cories
6 cherry barbs
3 Otos

So I still have solitary fish and the schooling fish. I still need to call my LFS's tomorrow and find out if they even carry those 2 types of cichlids. If they don't can I add 1 more school?

Stocking is definitely not my area of expertise, so hopefully someone else will chime in...but at initial glance that looks overstocked and I'd be leery of the Angel with the Keyhole with the Ram. I think if you picked one of the three...you'd be in good shape...otherwise I'd personally be nervous. I'd get a second opinion though.

 

[Oscarr19]

I think i'm just going to go with my original stock but with only one male bolivian ram.

 

[eco23]

Here's a fun site to play with...but it only gives you a rough idea...don't take it at it's word. I punched in the last group you listed and it put you at ridiculously overstocked. Instead of Cherry Barbs and Tetras...I just did all Cherry Barbs to get an idea-

http://aqadvisor.com/AqAdvisor.php?...AqSpeciesWindowSize=short&AqSearchMode=simple

 

[Oscarr19]

Here's a fun site to play with...but it only gives you a rough idea...don't take it at it's word. I punched in the last group you listed and it put you at ridiculously overstocked. Instead of Cherry Barbs and Tetras...I just did all Cherry Barbs to get an idea-

AqAdvisor - Intelligent Freshwater Tropical Fish Aquarium Stocking Calculator and Aquarium Tank/Filter Advisor

Really? My stock with 2 rams had me at 106% stocked. I understand the one with 2 schools would be overstocked lol. I guess i'll play around with it but either way tomorrow i'll be getting fish. Maybe all of them considering my tank is fully cycled.

 

[Oscarr19]

huh i put in the dimensions of my tank and it came out to 34.5 us gallons came out to 117% stocked with both schools.

 

[eco23]

I don't think that's a good idea at all...in fact I'd refer to that as a bad idea. You got the media from a different tank...but you said there's only a few fish in there to feed the bacteria? The bacteria will only support the fish that are in the tank, and will begin adjusting and dying off over time...how long has it been since you added the media and a few fish?

There's no way in the world I would consider adding all those fish at once unless you had done a fishless cycle at 4ppm of ammonia...and even then I'd recommend against it.

 

[Oscarr19]

Almost two weeks. I guess i might just get the cories and one or two schools?

 

[eco23]

I would advise 1 school...wait a week and monitor the water parameters...add another school...wait a week monitoring water parameters...add more, etc...

I'd be willing to bet you're gonna end up with one heck of a mini-cycle if you come close to adding them too fast. Slow and steady

 

[Oscarr19]

Alright i'll keep it slow. Hehe on aquarium advisor i clicked on ''only show suitable species for your tank'' and boesemani rainbows came up. Oh if only it were true

I think i've made my mind up

1 Angel
1 Keyhole cichlid
1 Bolivian Ram
6 Schooling fish
6 Leopard Cories
3 Otos

I'll look around tomorrow for a nice colorful school. Its been almost a month and i can't decide on what type of schooling fish i want. If none of my LFS have the ram and keyhole i'll add in another school.

 

[eco23]

I'd ask for a second opinion on the 3 Cichlids. I might be totally wrong (I only have a Bolivian and it's been years since I had an Angel)...but for some reason it seems questionable to me.

Is your tank a bow front? If so, entering the dimensions doesn't work on that site for actual size of the tank. But like I said, I wouldn't trust it anyway...it just gives you an idea.

 

[Oscarr19]

No its rectangular. I've asked about my stock on cichlid based forums and was told it was fine and that was with a pair of bolivians. Only reason i wanted a pair was to actually see some fry grow up considering they care for their young to a certain extent. Although i've read that they are bad parents on the first spawn.

 

[eco23]

No its rectangular. I've asked about my stock on cichlid based forums and was told it was fine and that was with a pair of bolivians. Only reason i wanted a pair was to actually see some fry grow up considering they care for their young to a certain extent. Although i've read that they are bad parents on the first spawn.

And a spawning pair can be very dangerous to Corys from many accounts I've heard.