# 125 gallon Tetra stocking help



## phantomlink (Aug 29, 2012)

I've got a 125 gallon tank I'm waiting to finish the stand for before I setup, but I have the filters cycling in my 70 gallon for now. I want this tank to be all about Tetras since I like to see groups of active schooling fish. Heres my list of fish I'd like to have, and let me know which I should remove/how many of each I should have

Harlequin Rasbora (15 of these)
Lemon Tetra (12)
Neon Tetra (10)
Cardinal Tetra
Corydora (10)
Emperor Tetra
Bleeding Heart Tetra
Penguin Tetra
Blue Colombian Red Tail
Tiger Barb/Five Banded Barb
Pearl Gourami ( wanted a larger fish type since all the rest are only around 2 inches )

I know the Barbs and the Blue Colombian can be aggressive but I figure with enough of them, enough space to hide and a tank this large ( 72x18x22 ) they should be calm but I really like the look of them and would like to use them if I could


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## redchigh (Jan 20, 2010)

F the barbs will definitely be a risk. I would not us the columbian at all.

Gourami are very sedate fish.. They usually to better with calmer tankmates. I do love the idea, so let someone else weigh in..

WillThe tank be planted?
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## phantomlink (Aug 29, 2012)

redchigh said:


> F the barbs will definitely be a risk. I would not us the columbian at all.
> 
> Gourami are very sedate fish.. They usually to better with calmer tankmates. I do love the idea, so let someone else weigh in..
> 
> ...


I've already spent a good chunk on this tank so maybe down the road. I didnt know there was such a large difference between LED/T5 and T8 light. All I have for the 125g right now are T8 lights at a total of about 50 watts or so which wont let me grow very much. I'm still trying to find some plants that might work at that wattage/height from the top. For the time being it'll be decently fake planted


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## Canadian Fish (Feb 12, 2012)

There are some low light plants, like Java Fern and Anubias. Those were recommended to me because they are low light, hardy, and most fish (even those that eat other plants) won't eat them. I'm sure there are others.


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## Pearl2011 (May 21, 2012)

Prob cant help with the stocking, but aren't lemon tetras dyed?? 
And if you dont get the barbs you could get more cardinals. I always find them the center peice of a fish tank.


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## phantomlink (Aug 29, 2012)

Pearl2011 said:


> Prob cant help with the stocking, but aren't lemon tetras dyed??
> And if you dont get the barbs you could get more cardinals. I always find them the center peice of a fish tank.


I'm not sure which species they use for the painted tetra, but the lemon stays yellow/transparent. I dont remember if the LFS had cardinal tetras but I know I saw a tank of Five banded Barbs. I wont know until I go back in probably two weeks or so


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## Byron (Mar 7, 2009)

The issues I see with the initial list are the activity level of various fish being at odds. The gourami has already been mentioned; have a look at our profile under the compatibility section.

Among the shoaling fish, activity again is important. Rasbora are calm fish, often just "hovering" in their group (and they will remain close almost continually). By contrast, barbs will be swimming all over the place. And this can be upsetting for the calmer fish. Take a look at each species in our profiles, this is mentioned.

Byron.


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## ashokantony (Apr 5, 2011)

phantomlink said:


> I've got a 125 gallon tank I'm waiting to finish the stand for before I setup, but I have the filters cycling in my 70 gallon for now. I want this tank to be all about Tetras since I like to see groups of active schooling fish. Heres my list of fish I'd like to have, and let me know which I should remove/how many of each I should have
> 
> Harlequin Rasbora (15 of these)
> Lemon Tetra (12)
> ...


Penguins are aggressive towards neons and cardinals and harlequin I guess. It isnt advisable to mix those


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## phantomlink (Aug 29, 2012)

ashokantony said:


> Penguins are aggressive towards neons and cardinals and harlequin I guess. It isnt advisable to mix those


Thanks for the info, they were a maybe in my books I can live without them


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## phantomlink (Aug 29, 2012)

Also Byron, what kind of centerpiece fish would I be able to keep with a tank full of Tetra if I decide to not go with the Gourami? Looked at Angelfish and they're a no-no


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## ashokantony (Apr 5, 2011)

phantomlink said:


> Also Byron, what kind of centerpiece fish would I be able to keep with a tank full of Tetra if I decide to not go with the Gourami? Looked at Angelfish and they're a no-no


How about Bolivian Rams. They are peaceful enough, stays around 3 inches and so will not grow bigger to eat up your neons and water parameters are similar as of neons. They are beautiful fishes


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## Byron (Mar 7, 2009)

phantomlink said:


> Also Byron, what kind of centerpiece fish would I be able to keep with a tank full of Tetra if I decide to not go with the Gourami? Looked at Angelfish and they're a no-no


First, gourami and angelfish are fine--with suitable tankmates. Among the tetra there are varying behaviours. It is simply a matter of selecting the right species. And this can work both ways: one has to guard against tetra that are more likely to nip the fins of sedate fish, and also be aware that linear tetra are more likley to be stalked by gourami (the larger species) and angelfish.

This is really going to be applicable with any "centrepiece" fish, if by this term one is thinking of somewhat larger fish which will almost always be sedate. For example, any South or Central American cichlid falls into this category, as do the anabantids.

But "centrepiece" can also mean some of the larger shoaling fish from the characins, atherinids (rainbowfish), peaceful barbs, etc. But here too one just has to select the smaller shoaling fish (tetra) carefully. Activity level is a very important criteria. I also consider water currents (not all fish are equal here, and this can be very stressful) as well as the more obvious temperature and other parameters.

Byron.


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## Canadian Fish (Feb 12, 2012)

I have Rainbowfish as the centrepiece in one of my tanks and they're gorgeous. Also VERY active, and responsive. They follow me when I walk by the tank and come front and centre when it is feeding time. Beautiful colors as they mature. My favorites are the red Irian and Bosemani.


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## phantomlink (Aug 29, 2012)

I checked out some images of adult Rainbowfish and while they look great, I read they can get to 6-7 inches and when you need a school of 10 or so that really limits the rest of my stock


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## Canadian Fish (Feb 12, 2012)

phantomlink said:


> I checked out some images of adult Rainbowfish and while they look great, I read they can get to 6-7 inches and when you need a school of 10 or so that really limits the rest of my stock


I would double check that with Byron. This is from his profile of Bosemani Rainbowfish:

*Size*

Males can attain 4.3 inches, females 3.2 inches.*Minimum Tank Suggestion*

48 inches in length.
Read more: Boeseman Rainbowfish (Melanotaenia boesemani) Profile

I think 4 inches is typical. Should be plenty of room for them in your big tank, plus a number of tetras as well.

​


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## phantomlink (Aug 29, 2012)

If thats the kind they generally sell at stores, I looked it up and there are.. many types of angelfish :/


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## Canadian Fish (Feb 12, 2012)

phantomlink said:


> If thats the kind they generally sell at stores, I looked it up and there are.. many types of angelfish :/


Angelfish? Or Rainbowfish? 

Some of the most popular Rainbowfish are Red Irian, Lake Kubutu, Turquoise, and Bosemani. I believe they all max out at around 4 inches, smaller for females.

Angelfish are totally different.

There are species of Rainbowfish that grow larger, but the ones I have mentioned above are the ones typically found in my area, and I believe they are all of the 4" max variety. The Bosemani's and Reds are stunning when they mature, and as mentioned in Byron's profile, max out at just over 4 inches, with the females even smaller.


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## phantomlink (Aug 29, 2012)

I cant use Angelfish unless I get rid of my Neons, its their food  Might stick to Rainbowfish


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## Canadian Fish (Feb 12, 2012)

phantomlink said:


> I cant use Angelfish unless I get rid of my Neons, its their food  Might stick to Rainbowfish


Yeah, I don't have any angelfish in any of my tanks because of that reason. My wife loves the look of them but they're not compatible with everything. 

My Rainbows get along with everyone in their tank. The zebra loaches in the tank swim along with them. I keep 3 different kinds of Rainbows and they all school together.

The juveniles in the store often look very pale in color, but as soon as you get them home in a decent sized tank and start feeding them, the colors start coming out right away, and as they mature they just get more vibrant.


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## phantomlink (Aug 29, 2012)

Ya I saw some pictures of adults and they look beautiful. Also... for a fellow Canadian way to mix up the colour with color


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## Canadian Fish (Feb 12, 2012)

phantomlink said:


> Ya I saw some pictures of adults and they look beautiful. Also... for a fellow Canadian way to mix up the colour with color



I also do the date month/day/year. Very unCanadian of me.


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## phantomlink (Aug 29, 2012)

I do that to because we always say September 17th instead of the 17th of September. I'm a hybrid of the systems though because of what we learned in school and what you see from american television I'm mixed for measuring distance, weight, mass etc


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## Canadian Fish (Feb 12, 2012)

Yeah, I use litres for gas and drinks but gallons for fish tanks.

I can use cups or millilitres for cooking, and I use inches for fish and construction, and height, though I learned centimetres in school and they're really more precise.

I use pounds for weight, never had any use for kilograms. 

However I am strictly Celsius when it comes to temperature. Fahrenheit is irritating. You can't beat freezing at 0 and boiling at 100.


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## Byron (Mar 7, 2009)

Canadian Fish said:


> Yeah, I use litres for gas and drinks but gallons for fish tanks.
> 
> I can use cups or millilitres for cooking, and I use inches for fish and construction, and height, though I learned centimetres in school and they're really more precise.
> 
> ...


This likely shows our respective age. I had finished school for many years when Canada changed from Imperial to metric. Having learned Imperial measure, I still have to use it simply because I understand it without working it out. I know right away what a fish that is 6 inches will be in size, but I have to stop and work out what a fish of 15cm is [they are the same by the way;-)]. When the weather report says it will be 25C, I have to stop and figure out the F or I have no idea how hot this is. Had I grown up and been schooled with metric, I would be the opposite. But I learned in Imperial.


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