So I will soon have an empty 50gal tank on my hands, and while all this is still hypothetical I do enjoy planning and this is my first chance to seriously think about a larger tropical community tank.
Like I said, this is the first time I've seriously thought about a community tank and I'm afraid this is too much for a 50 gallon tank! Does anyone have advice to offer or adjustments that need to be made?
Please be aware that I'm quite experienced when it comes to fish tanks, but that I also do extensive research and IF we convert this tank into a tropical community tank it would be heavily planted along with proper filtration and what not. I'm aware of the Nitrogen cycle and it's long process etc. right now all I would like is info on the stocking idea.
Thank you! :)
?2014-06-15T22:29:38Z
I'd like something slightly different
dwarf powder blue gourami, maybe a pair I'd do 10-15 dwarf rainbows like celebes or feather fins since the full size rainbows will be crowded in the tank, especially if you get enough of them for a small school 20-25 cardinal tetras 10 of each of rasboras or cherry barbs 10 of the rummy nose or other small tetra no pleco 6 corries or 10 otocinculs catfish
and yes, like @noseless said, verify you have good biologic filtration, not some cheap crap filter.
start the tank with the hardier rasboras and tetras long before adding the cardinals or the otos.
and yes it's overstocked, but some of these are not going to make it because they're sensitive and you usually lose a few.
NOTE: I wouldn't do a planted tank because it requires specialized lighting and reduces the quantity of fish you can have without having problems with water quality and algae. I like easy to maintain tanks and dirt and plants while really cool, do change the possibilities for the tank.
I'd find tall bushy plastic plants and a lot of them, maybe a couple plants to either float on the top, or suction cup to the back at the water line.
Rainbows are schoolers and you need 6 or more of each species. I have kept pearl gourami, I love them,, i have had 3 pairs seporatly, they always stuck together like best freinds and i dont like to see just one, you could also try to keep 2 of these gorgeous fish!
I have had rainbow fish smaller than boesmani eat live crickets, and i would be concerned for those tiny pearl danio!
The rio ++++ pleco is also known as the candy stripped pleco and should do fine in there with the cories!
Im thinking about my 55 gallon, which is a foot longer than a 50 gallon. 1 school of a cardinal tetra size fish"2-2.5 inch max" in your tank, with 1-2 pearl gourami, 6 boesmani and 6 dwarf cories and the candy stripper would be more than fully stocked and i would suggest heavy filtration. I have 2 marineland penguin 350 filters in my 55 gallon.
There are other combinations that include the fish you listed. You could skip the boesmanis, which get surprisingly large... with 6-8 galaxy rasbora/ celestial pearl danio and 6-7 rummy nose tetra.
you might also consider smaller rainbow fish instead of boesmani, as they are more suited to the shorter tank, like turquoise, austrailian / murry river, or neon blue dwarf rainbows