# 65 gallon stocking



## Vpaw (Apr 21, 2013)

Hello all I recently upgraded my 45 gallon to a 65 so now it'd be nice to add some more fish 

I have 2 mollies in it but I'm rehoming them in 2 weeks... So after that my stock will be:

2 angelfish (pinoy and koi I believe)
1 dwarf gourami
6 black skirt tetras
1 red tailed black shark
4 nerite snails (or 3)
Some trumpet snails

It has sand, gravel, and river rocks. Drift wood, Lots of silk plants, heater, lights, strong filter (for up to 110 gallons)
Any suggestions welcome  I'd rather go more exotic than basic, I have other tanks for those.
Also my water hardness and ph is rather high but I might start adding RO water to that tank.







I'm also getting some taller plants for the background.


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## Vpaw (Apr 21, 2013)

Anyone think I should replace the shark with a baby whale when he becomes aggressive?


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## tankman12 (Nov 13, 2012)

I would rehome the red tail. Skip the baby whale, and get more black skirts (maybe 12 total) or get some white skirts.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Vpaw (Apr 21, 2013)

tankman12 said:


> I would rehome the red tail. Skip the baby whale, and get more black skirts (maybe 12 total) or get some white skirts.
> _Posted via Mobile Device_



I want some sort of cool bottom fish, maybe a pho tom something? Is there a reason for rehoming the red tail? Can I add anything else? I'll probably up the school to at least 8 soon.


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## Vpaw (Apr 21, 2013)

I'm not planning to rehome my shark yet anyways so maybe a phantom later. But any new schools or larger fish?


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## tankman12 (Nov 13, 2012)

Since it is sort of a semi aggressive tank. You could do bloodfin tetras, awesome little schooling fish. You could also throw a female firemouth or convict in there if you wanted.
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## Vpaw (Apr 21, 2013)

The fire mouth cichlids seems cool, and I have and and rocks for it. Are females less aggressive? Would they need special cichlids food instead of tropical flakes ( I feed frozen and dry freeze as well) they seem large, would they get along ok with the Angels and shark?

The bloodfin tetras seem a little small for the tank but I like their flexible parameter range. 
They're not semi aggressive so they might get picked on. They also don't look that impressive, at least on camera.

Anyone else think a fire mouth would do well?


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## tankman12 (Nov 13, 2012)

The bloodfins in a large school would do fine, since the red tail (the most aggressive thing in the tank) will be on the bottom and the bloodfins are top swimmers. 

The firemouth will not be as aggressive, but may have some problems with the red tail. They eat almost anything.
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## Vpaw (Apr 21, 2013)

I have a lot of foliage to get away in for them if they do get in a fight. I'd love to have a large cichlid! I'll focus on that for now then, any other ideas for schooling fish though?

Updated picture of tank:


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## tankman12 (Nov 13, 2012)

Well there is;

Danios really any type

White skirt tetras
Serpae tetras
White finned rosy tetras
Bleeding heart tetras
Bloodfin tetras 
Congo tetras
Maybe glow light tetras and/or black neons

Tiger barbs
Odessa barbs
Rosy barbs
Maybe gold barbs

Silver hatchets
Marbled hatchets
ONLY IF YOU HAVE A TIGHT LID

Silver tail rasboras
Maybe adult harlequin rasboras 

You could probably add a common pleco if you want.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Vpaw (Apr 21, 2013)

Ohh, I really like some of those, like the Congo tetra.

Only problem being with some of the ones I like is they're fin nippers, so not great for Angels like the barbs. Or they like acidic soft water, which I'm still not sure if I'm going to change


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## tankman12 (Nov 13, 2012)

Black skirts are very nippy, but in proper schools "nippy fish" arent really nippy. Plus angels arent always their first target to nip. Also every fish you have now likes acidic water, they all adapt.
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## Vpaw (Apr 21, 2013)

I also really like the serpae tetra but it's small and peaceful. The Congo tetra seems like it likes extremely acidic water so I probably shouldn't go there.

And tiger barbs seem cool but I hear they are very bad fin nippers.


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## tankman12 (Nov 13, 2012)

Serpaes would actually be perfect. Congos like acidic water, as do almost every fish in the trade. So if you want them and your ph isnt like 8.5 they will be fine. Also tiger barbs are usually fine with angels, especially in large schools and in a big enough tank.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Vpaw (Apr 21, 2013)

Hm, ok I've done more research and some people have problems with keeping them with Angels and some don't. Ok so as a final how does this sound?
Add 2 more black red skirt tetras. So that would end up being 8 total
6-8 serpae tetras (which is better?)
One fire mouth cichlid
And already in the tank:
2 Angels
1 balck red tailed shark
1 dwarf gourami
2 mollies (friends tank got ich so I'm keeping them a bit longer) 

My other concern about the serpae tetra is they like calm waters and my shark likes fast so my filter current is rather strong and I have air stones around, but there are areas where it's a little quiet. 

Would all those be able to live in a 5 gallon quarantine tank for 2 weeks? It should I split it to first fire mouth and black skirts and then serpae?

I also think maybe instead of RO water I should just but peat moss and put it in the filter. I just need to find it.


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## tankman12 (Nov 13, 2012)

Ya get everything at different times. I never quarantine my fish, but that is just me. Ro isnt really needed, but peat is a great idea. I use Sera peat moss and it is amazing. 

The stronger flow will make the serpaes school a little bit more and they wont mind it. Also mollies hate soft water, so i would rehome them.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Vpaw (Apr 21, 2013)

tankman12 said:


> Ya get everything at different times. I never quarantine my fish, but that is just me. Ro isnt really needed, but peat is a great idea. I use Sera peat moss and it is amazing.
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Yes I'm rehoming them as soon as her ich is gone. My water is at 8.2 ph and it's too high.
Aq advisor says that that would bring my stocking level to 96% so I guess it's ok.

Where do you buy it? None of my stores carry it and I'm having trouble finding a good one online. Any sight you reccomend? Sera peat moss? So far only heard about sagghitarious peat moss.


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## tankman12 (Nov 13, 2012)

I got mine from dr foster and smith.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Vpaw (Apr 21, 2013)

I'll look into it more but it looks more expensive than it could be. I usually quarantine, I know some people are very strict about it and even do it for a month! So far I've had 4 ich infestations from not quarantining. So I guess I should... It's just I put things into my frog tank, so I'm pretty much doing quarantine against just ich.


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## tankman12 (Nov 13, 2012)

Well ya you should QT than. Cuz the supplier of the fish most likely has ich in their systems. I dont even QT my reef fish, or when i had discus i never QT them. I havent QT one freshwater fish or plant with no real issue. But ya its fine to QT its the safer thing to do.
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## Vpaw (Apr 21, 2013)

It's possible, I mean that's Petsmart. I wanna go to a lfs for these guys. But the one that's 20 mins away doesn't have firemouth cichlids so I'd have to go to the one 40 mins away.


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## Vpaw (Apr 21, 2013)

What other cichlids could I get other than firemouth? There's a lot of cool ones, and some people are selling them Claire to me than the petstore. Does it have to be female?


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## tankman12 (Nov 13, 2012)

There are a lot of cichlids that could go in that sized tank but not with that red tail. The female firemouths are more peaceful to go with the other fish but could still hold its own against the red tail. Maybe a convict cichlid or some more larger cichlids, but than you may have problems with the smaller fish. 

I would honestly rehome the red tail.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Vpaw (Apr 21, 2013)

tankman12 said:


> There are a lot of cichlids that could go in that sized tank but not with that red tail. The female firemouths are more peaceful to go with the other fish but could still hold its own against the red tail. Maybe a convict cichlid or some more larger cichlids, but than you may have problems with the smaller fish.
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Is the red tail the only problem? He (or she) hasn't caused any problems yet, and is rather peaceful. But if once it gets older it becomes aggressive then I will rehome it.

If the store doesn't females would a male do ok?


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## tankman12 (Nov 13, 2012)

The red tail is the main problem. Do to when they get older they will become very territorial of the bottom. Which many dwarf cichlids could not handle. Than you would have to get larger more aggressive cichlids that would cause problems with the smaller guys. 

How big is it now? 

The main reason he hasnt done anything is because it is the only thing on the bottom and if he is small will be peaceful to start anyways.
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## Vpaw (Apr 21, 2013)

He is somewhere between 3.5-4 inches I believe. He likes his little hut on the side of the tank but swims up for feeding time but doesn't bother anyone. One of my angels used to like being in the hut with him but they either don't get along or the angel can't fit into it anymore.


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## Vpaw (Apr 21, 2013)

How would it sound if instead of the red mouth cichlid I got an electric blue ram? It's much closer XD
I finally got another 2 black skirt tetras and 6 serpae tetras today.
I'll probably get 2 more at some point so they're more comfortable


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## Vpaw (Apr 21, 2013)

I think I'm in love with the looks of the German blue ram. I really want one. Would it be good for this tank? Should I get a pair? They're just smaller than I wanted.


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## Vpaw (Apr 21, 2013)

Alright I don't think I have proper conditions for the ram and they seem too delicate. But I really need some reassurance in this one. I have people on Craigslist selling fish close to me and they are peacock cichlids. My research says they're calm, pretty, and seems like my water is good for them. 
Questions are:
Do you agree?
If I get them should I even get peat moss for the other fish?
Would they get along with everyone?
How many should I get?
Should I only get one gender?


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## Vpaw (Apr 21, 2013)

I've decided on a dojo loach.

Okay so I finally went to the fish store (so far away) and they said they like dojo loaches but don't have any in stock... There aren't any available for them to order either. They said it would be weeks before they can get some, but when they are available they will get them. Ugg, they didn't have Java moss or duck weed either this time!!

I saw cichlid stones at Walmart, pretty good price for a pack of 3, anyone else recommend them? I thought they looked a bit small for the dojo?


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## edman2012 (Mar 26, 2013)

Have you considered adding live plants?
I personally have 2 bolivian rams with a red tailed shark and they don't bother each other. You just have to be watchful in the beginning where the shark might feel disturbed. It only bothers my gourami occasionally but it's not a threat to it. But always be watchful in case aggresion gets too bad. Most fish from acidic waters can adjust to a high pH, just acclimate properly. My pH is 7.8 and my fish from acidic waters are healthy.


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## Vpaw (Apr 21, 2013)

edman2012 said:


> Have you considered adding live plants?
> I personally have 2 bolivian rams with a red tailed shark and they don't bother each other. You just have to be watchful in the beginning where the shark might feel disturbed. It only bothers my gourami occasionally but it's not a threat to it. But always be watchful in case aggresion gets too bad. Most fish from acidic waters can adjust to a high pH, just acclimate properly. My pH is 7.8 and my fish from acidic waters are healthy.



Well live plants I would imagine are good, I have a planted 20 gallon:







However then I'd have to buy a plant bulb, start adding fertilizers, ect.
And most of my plants end up dying somehow, oddly my 20 gallon has the biggest nitrate problem, it's always above 80, even when I bring it down to 20, in just a few weeks, with water changes, it goes back up. 
So I figured the plants are causing it and I don't really want to ruin the water in the 65, I know it sounds crazy.
It might be because my ph is so high, in the 65 it's at 8.4!!!!!! In the 20 it's 8.2...


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## edman2012 (Mar 26, 2013)

Plants actually use up nitrates, so the problem isn't the plants. At that high pH there is also very little co2 so it's tougher to keep them healthy. So I guess you're better off not over complicating yourself lol


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## Vpaw (Apr 21, 2013)

Yeah... Not sure it's the plants themselves but maybe there's dead plant matter? Or some of the additives?


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