75 gallon Planted Aquarium: Completly restocking!

[Tornado]

So, as some may have read in my introduction thread recently, I re-set up my 75 gallon tank recently, and started with a green terror, and a Convict. Not long after getting them, My passion for a planted aquarium returned. I simply love a heavily planted aquarium, and had ran one about 2 years ago. I have slowly been adding plants now, and its starting to slowly fill out. The problem of course is that still have the cichlids, and as everyone knows, they will eventually start digging up my plants, and tearing the tank up. So, that brings me to my post. I am going to completly re-stock the tank in the comming weeks.

I stopped by locally owned fish store yesterday, and the owner told me he would gladly take in my green terror and convict, as long as they were healthy, so that took the first weight off my shoulders, of finding a home for them. So what Im looking at, is a heavily planted aquarium, a few pieces of drift wood, and very few larger rocks.

I was hoping some of you guys and gals could help me decide what to stock the tank with. There are so many choices and stock options I could go with, but I am having a hard time deciding. To better help make suggestions, here are my tank stats:

75 gallon rectangular aquarium.
Under gravel filter, 2x Penguin model 550 Power heads (145 gph each)
Magnum 350 Delux canister filter (350 gph)
160 watts of Lighting- 4x 48" florescent bulbs ( just over 2 watts per gallon)
250 watt heater
Water conditions:
Temp: ~77 degrees F.
PH: 7.0
Nitrite: 0 ppm
Nitrate: ~40 ppm
Ammonia: 0 ppm
Water hardness: Kh: ~200-240 GH: ~150-180
Substrate: small pebbles (normal gravel)- Approx. 3" deep


I forgot to mention but I do have a 6" general Pleco in the tank as well, he can go to the fish store as well, or stay, Whichever. One of the only fish so far ive really wanted to get is some german blue rams, they look so awesome to me, but no store anywhere around here stocks them. I may end up having to try going the internet route. (ive always been worried of ordering Fish on the internet- you cant see what you are getting) I also like the look of Discus's, but their sensitivity to disease has made me wonder. I would like to have a really varied stock, not just 1 or 2 different fish types. I also dont want fish who are going to get too large. Nothing over maybe 4 or 5 inches. I would also like to have a variety of both bottom dwellers and mid-upper swimmers, so there is activity everywhere I know of several many kinds of fish, but dont have personal experiance with a lot of them- I live in a rural area, and the fish stores around here just dont stock much outside of the normal, most popular of fish. ( another reason i made end up going to the internet to get something)

So, what would you guys stock in the tank? I'm willing to look into any type of stock, as id really like to try something different, I want people to walk in and see my tank and say "wow". A tank you could sit in front of for hours and not get bored of watching all the activity going on. So please, any suggestions would be appreciated, wether you have 1 fish you personally like and would reccomend me try, or if you want to take a stab at stocking the entire tank, go for it, Id love to read your input. I am willing to invest a bit of money into my tank, to get it how I want it to look, so money isnt really a factor. Thanks guys!

[turbomkt]

I've focused lately on rasbora's. Harlequin's are nice, but I prefer the espei's (same look, smaller, more vibrant). But really there are a ton of options.

Another great fish is the lemon tetra. If you get a healthy bunch their yellow really offsets the green of the plants.

For the rams, have you considered bolivian's? Either way, there are a number of reputable breeders that frequent Aquabid and I've heard good things (I even had 6 bolivian's temporarily from one of these breeders - a guy in Ohio).

In all honesty, I'd just find a good book like Axelrod's Atlas series. Find a group of fish you really like and start listing them. Maybe someone has had experience with them or knows where to get them. Lots of options.

Edit: Great thread here.

[Lady Hobbs]

Have you thought of rainbows at all? There are several kinds and are nice fish that go with community tanks. I'm planning on adding them with my silver dollars in a larger tank.

[Tornado]

Thanks for the input, Im having a hard time deciding what to go with. I can be a bit of an indecisive person as it is lol.

Thanks for the link Turbo, I actually had already read that link just last nite. I followed the links in your introduction post and registered at that website and had given it a look over already, thanks. Any other input would be much apprecieated.

Also, does anyone have a good internet store they use and trust for fish? I live in a Rural area in north florida, and I will more than likely end up having to go an internet store to get what I want. I just hope after paying the premium in price (due to shipping costs) that the fish make it here alive, and do well. Thanks again

[turbomkt]

Man...Florida has the biggest fish farms in the country. I'd think it wouldn't be a problem down there. :(

[Tornado]

really, well thats interesting. I only have 3 fish stores within 40 miles of me, 2 are locally owned, one is PetSmart. I can find the normal, more popular fish species at these stores, but finding more delicate, or rare species is a no go. I can find a lot of danio's, and tetra's, african cichlids and other cichlids, betta's, etc but If I want Discus, the Blue rams I mentioned, or anything else that wouldnt make the top 15 most sold fish in america, then my options are closed unless I go onthe internet. I suppose I could talk to my local fish shop owners, they could maybe get in special fish if I request it, but if im going to do that, Id be just as good off ordering them online myself. It's just so much more expensive to order online.

[turbomkt]

Sometimes they'll tell you who their suppliers are and you can then find out the supplier's stock list. From there you can request specific fish you know the store can get.

Otherwise, online at Aquabid (or similar) is going to be about it. Good luck to you.

[Glasstapper]

I've been looking at aquariumfish.net. They explain their warranty, and have a wide variety of fish with price listings.

Here's a link for you:

http://www.aquariumfish.net/index.htm