WendysWorld
03-09-2012, 06:36 PM
Please, help stock my first aquarium.
Already made some decisions (such as substrate and plants) based on the general kind of fish would like. But exactly which fish and how many of each is undetermined. Please help. Basic aquarium information below.
Size: Have a 52 gallon aquarium. (39.25" X 19.5" X 15.5")
Filter: Atman CF-800 external bio filter. Will need to add another filter in near future. Until then, need to keep fish population below maximum limit.
Lighting/Cover: does not work correctly (bought second-hand and too expensive to replace it for now). So the lighting is limited to only one bulb, and can only use it when home (to be sure no fire!) or not at all.
Plants: until lighting situation fixed--all plastic plants planned, except maybe one or two indestructible ferns.
Water: city water - 20GH+ (reportedly higher than 20GH but don't this type of water test to verify), PH 7.5 - 8.6
Substrate: black sand, which when tested after a week in a jar, the PH was lowered to 7.5 (sand ratio to water was not proportionate to represent aquarium).
Aquarium style: Primarily community aquarium. Since would like to maximize the different variety of fish, would prefer to have the minimum number of each kind of fish.
(Of course, not possible to have them all in one aquarium, but below is list of fish would like to have. They are listed in order of desire to have. And yes, I know NOT to add all the fish at once, but only two or three fish at a time, starting with the hardiest fish first.)
List of available fish that would like to have:
Kuhli loaches (2 to 4 of them)
Kribensis and/or Pseudotropheus saulosi
common guppies (prefer the ones with the fancier, beautifully colored tails)
betta splendins (only one)
angel fish (one or two---what are the smallest ones?)
cherry barb or rosy barb
pentazoa five band barb or tiger barb
neon tetras
lemon tetra
golden pristella tetra
zebra or pearl danio
black skirt tetra
Probably need a suckermouth fish of some kind to help keep algae under control. Which ones are smallest and yet most effective to do that job?
Can I put either of the two types of cichlids (kribensis or Pseudo saulosi) with the other types of fish listed? Or is it a choice of Cichlids versus the other community fish?
Can I mix Kribensis Cichlids with Pseudotropheus saulosi? Or is it a choice of one or the other of the two types of cichlids?
What is minimum number of Pseudotropheus saulosi can keep in an aquarium?
Seems kribensis can be happy campers even if only two of them. What about the Pseudotropheus saulosi? Is two too few?
Do I have to have both males and females? How many minimum of each sex to keep them happy and healthy?
Maybe it would lessen aggressive activity if only females?
Sorry for the ton of questions on one forum post!!
Thanks folks!
Already made some decisions (such as substrate and plants) based on the general kind of fish would like. But exactly which fish and how many of each is undetermined. Please help. Basic aquarium information below.
Size: Have a 52 gallon aquarium. (39.25" X 19.5" X 15.5")
Filter: Atman CF-800 external bio filter. Will need to add another filter in near future. Until then, need to keep fish population below maximum limit.
Lighting/Cover: does not work correctly (bought second-hand and too expensive to replace it for now). So the lighting is limited to only one bulb, and can only use it when home (to be sure no fire!) or not at all.
Plants: until lighting situation fixed--all plastic plants planned, except maybe one or two indestructible ferns.
Water: city water - 20GH+ (reportedly higher than 20GH but don't this type of water test to verify), PH 7.5 - 8.6
Substrate: black sand, which when tested after a week in a jar, the PH was lowered to 7.5 (sand ratio to water was not proportionate to represent aquarium).
Aquarium style: Primarily community aquarium. Since would like to maximize the different variety of fish, would prefer to have the minimum number of each kind of fish.
(Of course, not possible to have them all in one aquarium, but below is list of fish would like to have. They are listed in order of desire to have. And yes, I know NOT to add all the fish at once, but only two or three fish at a time, starting with the hardiest fish first.)
List of available fish that would like to have:
Kuhli loaches (2 to 4 of them)
Kribensis and/or Pseudotropheus saulosi
common guppies (prefer the ones with the fancier, beautifully colored tails)
betta splendins (only one)
angel fish (one or two---what are the smallest ones?)
cherry barb or rosy barb
pentazoa five band barb or tiger barb
neon tetras
lemon tetra
golden pristella tetra
zebra or pearl danio
black skirt tetra
Probably need a suckermouth fish of some kind to help keep algae under control. Which ones are smallest and yet most effective to do that job?
Can I put either of the two types of cichlids (kribensis or Pseudo saulosi) with the other types of fish listed? Or is it a choice of Cichlids versus the other community fish?
Can I mix Kribensis Cichlids with Pseudotropheus saulosi? Or is it a choice of one or the other of the two types of cichlids?
What is minimum number of Pseudotropheus saulosi can keep in an aquarium?
Seems kribensis can be happy campers even if only two of them. What about the Pseudotropheus saulosi? Is two too few?
Do I have to have both males and females? How many minimum of each sex to keep them happy and healthy?
Maybe it would lessen aggressive activity if only females?
Sorry for the ton of questions on one forum post!!
Thanks folks!