Stocking suggestions for 5' 400litre tank

[Corygal]

I've just bought a second hand 5' 400l tank and it's a beaut!

I have some ideas for stocking but wondered what suggestions you might have. I already have a 180l tank with

Corydoras Aeneus

and

Corydoras agassizii

. I also have a small 60l with

Corydoras habrosus

. So I'm covered on the Cory front for now!

[MatsP]

Depends on:
1. What type of fish you like.
2. What you can get (locally and how far you are willing to travel - I know I'm quite crazy, so I'll quite gladly drive from Farnborough to somewhere around Manchester to get the fish I like to keep).

--
Mats

[Corygal]

I like rope fish, Loach, Puffers... not sure really

As far as Catfish go I really like the look of vampire plecs and bristlenose catfish but because I haven't had a big enough tank I've only really paid attention to the smaller catfish like the Corys and the Bristlenose. (Obviously I couldn't have had a vampire plec in my 180l.) So I guess I'm looking for a catfish that will be alright in a semi-community tank.

In my 180l I have Tiger Barbs, Corys and frogs so it's time for something completely different. I am open to suggestions really, just looking for inspiration

[RickE]

Depends on:
1. What type of fish you like.
2. What you can get (locally and how far you are willing to travel - I know I'm quite crazy, so I'll quite gladly drive from Farnborough to somewhere around Manchester to get the fish I like to keep).

--
Mats

And indeed:

3. how much you have to spend!

This http://www.planetcatfish.com/forum/view ... ny#p123118 is a wonderful thread with loads of ideas and pics of beautiful fish for a community tank.

(Mats please edit the link if there is a better way to do it)

[MatsP]

Puffers aren't the easiest fishes to keep - most of the smaller ones are decidedly nasty to other fish, and the big ones grow too big even for a 5ft tank.

Leporacanthicus

, the group that Vampire Plecos belong to, are my favourite group of plecos, and would love to keep a few more species of them.

Where in Hampshire are you, by the way?

--
Mats

[sidguppy]

Doras punctatus, a large group

they're called Ossancora now, I believe, but do not expect that name in the trade; they'll be sold as "Doras" or "Opsodoras"

these can be combined with Dianema (they mix up when combined!), Brochis, the more gentle Loricariids and small Auchenipterid species
another great catfish with (Opso)doras/Ossancora are Microglanis, Ituglanis and Bunocephalus

don't put Doras in with catfishes larger than themselves or with cichlids unless those are very mellow.
Angelfish for example are good, but Aequidens are not.

medium sized tetra's such as Gymnocorymbus, Aphyocharax, Hyphessobrycon, Copella arnoldi or Hatchetfish are perfect

you can even add a knife fish or so, if the waterquality is pristine and the species of knife fish is small.

[Corygal]

Hey mats. I'm in Fareham, 'tween Portsmouth and Southampton. I know your neck of the woods a little as my brother lives there. What can that group of plec live with?

Hi Sid. Great suggestions, thanks. Would Tiger Barbs be alright in that group instead of Tetras? I only ask because I have 9 Tigers in with my Corys and they've started being a nuisance. I don't want to give up on them if I can find a group that works although if forced to I'll have to take them back to Maidenhead Aquatics.

I travelled to Swindon for the new tank so I can see myself travelling a fair distance for the right fish. My budget isn't big but again, for the right fish...

[MatsP]

My personal opinion is that tiger-barbs are a nuisance with whatever they are kept - some fish are more affected than others... I certainly wouldn't keep

Ossancora

with tiger-barbs. With plecos, yes, no problem. And I know someone who works for Maidenhead aquatics that "hides" the tiger barbs in the back corner of the racks for that very reason - you have to stock them, or the customers who really insist on them will just buy them from Pets at Home or some such, but if they are in the far corner, customers at least have to walk past all the other nice fish that are better choices...

Leporacanthicus

are OK with most other fish - I have mine with corys and tetras, and used to have a group of Eartheaters with them too, but they moved into my bigger tank and then got whitespot due to a new introduction (yes, I know, quarantine and all that!).

I'm afraid my travels tend to be north(ish), so I've been to MA @ Bracknell, @ Ascot and @ Guildford recently, and they have some nice fish - Leporacanthicus triactis @ Bracknell (£45 each tho) and L. joselimai @ Guildford (small, £45 again).

--
Mats

[Corygal]

Thanks mats. Yes, the Tigers are the one piece of poor advice I've had from Maidenhead. I don't think its the fault of the Tigers though so feel I have a responsibility to them to not simply dump them because they're not right for my tank. Rather conflicted about it.

Guildford and Windsor are a reasonable distance so thanks for the tip.

[Taz]

The MA store at Fair Oak is pretty good, although the catfish numbers seem to vary quite a lot, sometimes they have loads, other times not many. I'd guess it's got about twice as many tanks as the Fareham branch, assuming you've been there.
http://www.fishkeeper.co.uk/store.aspx?id=76

There's also an Aquatics store at Arturi garden centre about 5 mins from Fair Oak, they only have about half the number of tanks but do have some nice catfish (got a lovely

L191

and an

L204

from them recently )

I went over to Romsey world of water last weekend and can safely say to avoid it, fish health didn't seem to be a priority at all

I need to check out the Basingstoke and Farnham MA stores next, as I haven't yet made it that far north...

Taz

[MatsP]

There's also an Aquatics store at Arturi garden centre about 5 mins from Fair Oak, they only have about half the number of tanks but do have some nice catfish (got a lovely

L191

and an

L204

from them recently )

That'll be AquaJardin. And yes, the Fair Oak MA branch is quite good too.

I need to check out the Basingstoke and Farnham MA stores next, as I haven't yet made it that far north...

Haven't been to Basingstoke branch for some time, so can't comment. I'd save the time & fuel unless you happen to be within a mile or two of Farnham, as they still haven't quite recovered from the fire there a couple of years back. They only have about a dozen or so tanks with pretty "basic" selection of fish.

If you are up this part of the world, the MA @ Guildford is OK, MA @ Bracknell is better (personal opinion), MA @ Ascot is OK, and MA @ Oxford (Wheatley) is very good.

--
Mats

[Sweety]

I've heard of people having problems with tiger barbs but I can honestly say i've never had any trouble with them myself, I used to have a dozen in my tank & if they were going to bicker it would be amongst themselfs & even when the numbers reduced due to old age I still didn't have any problems even with the guppies in the tank.
A shoal of congo tetras can look great