Planning the restock on the 200L Community Tank

[Gill Passman]

I decided to take NetMax's advice and spend some time working out what to
put into my sadly depleted Community Tank. It is heavily planted, has
bogwood and a Fluval 4 Internal and Fluval 404 external.

The remaining occupants after the disaster are:-

3 Blue Gouramis
1 Queen Arabesque Plec
3 Flying Foxes
5 Otos (I think - might be 7)
2 Platys
1 Neon
1 Guppy

In addition to this I have also recently set up a 15gall tank partly as a QT
initially and then as a display tank. The environment in terms of plants and
driftwood is the same.

So far I have bought 3 Clown loaches and 6 Neons. I tried catching the
remaining Neon from the other tank but it was the only fish I couldn't net -
even the oto's were jumping in the net - lol - but no way could I catch the
tetra. The plan is to move the Clowns to the bigger tank after a few weeks
and probably leave the Neons in the smaller tank. I also plan to add another
3 Clowns making 6 in total in the bigger tank as I feel they do better with
larger numbers.

I've been taking a look around and as NetMax said "so many fish, so little
time". The smaller tetra/rasporas type fish aren't too much of an issue -
although it is nice to have a mix of sizes. I'm rather taken with the
Boesman's Rainbows but I'm not sure if this will be too many largish fish in
the tank as this would make:-

3 Gouramis
6 Clowns
3 Flying Foxes
1 Plec
and possibly 6 Rainbows

From my initial research I understand that the rainbows do better in larger
numbers (possibly 6 again).

So my questions are:-

1. Would this be pushing the stocking levels on this tank - which I rather
suspect? I do have some room in some of my other tanks to do some swopping
around if necessary.

2. Does anyone have any experience of Boesman's Rainbows? What is the
smallest number that could live happily?

3. Any other thoughts on possible tank mates?

Thanks
Gill

[Derek W. Benson]

On Fri, 12 Aug 2005 18:26:17 +0100, "Gill Passman"
<gillspamattaylorpassmanspam.co.uk> wrote:

>I've been taking a look around and as NetMax said "so many fish, so little
>time". The smaller tetra/rasporas type fish aren't too much of an issue -
>although it is nice to have a mix of sizes. I'm rather taken with the
>Boesman's Rainbows but I'm not sure if this will be too many largish fish in
>the tank as this would make:-
>
>3 Gouramis
>6 Clowns
>3 Flying Foxes
>1 Plec
>and possibly 6 Rainbows
>
>From my initial research I understand that the rainbows do better in larger
>numbers (possibly 6 again).
>
>So my questions are:-
>
>1. Would this be pushing the stocking levels on this tank - which I rather
>suspect? I do have some room in some of my other tanks to do some swopping
>around if necessary.

IMO the tank would not be overstocked with these fish, including the
Rainbows.

-Derek

[Mary Burns]

"Derek W. Benson" > wrote in message
...
> On Fri, 12 Aug 2005 18:26:17 +0100, "Gill Passman"
> <gillspamattaylorpassmanspam.co.uk> wrote:
>
>>I've been taking a look around and as NetMax said "so many fish, so little
>>time". The smaller tetra/rasporas type fish aren't too much of an issue -
>>although it is nice to have a mix of sizes. I'm rather taken with the
>>Boesman's Rainbows but I'm not sure if this will be too many largish fish
>>in
>>the tank as this would make:-
>>
>>3 Gouramis
>>6 Clowns
>>3 Flying Foxes
>>1 Plec
>>and possibly 6 Rainbows
>>
>>From my initial research I understand that the rainbows do better in
>>larger
>>numbers (possibly 6 again).
>>
>>So my questions are:-
>>
>>1. Would this be pushing the stocking levels on this tank - which I rather
>>suspect? I do have some room in some of my other tanks to do some swopping
>>around if necessary.
>
> IMO the tank would not be overstocked with these fish, including the
> Rainbows.
>
> -Derek

How many inches are you allowing, as most get quite big? I know clowns can
get big, but allowing them to get to around 4" in 1 year, and getting 3
more, really means allocating them about 24" of the 200 litre. In my 65g, my
5 clowns x4", 3x2", get allocated 35", so my 10 platies can have 25", 5
cories 10" I am technically fully stocked, although some platies are juniors
still. This way means I haven't got to upset them too much changing fish
around for the next year. Your tank will be overstocked if they all reach
their max size quickly. With the 2 filters you have, a few more inches makes
little difference except to how many water changes you do. I do 2 x 15/20 %
a week as clowns like clean water as much as my angels do. Any more each
week may stress the clowns more. The rainbows need a small group, so 6 as
you suggest is good. Will the clowns be happy with 3 gouramis and 6
rainbows, all bigger than them, swimming above them? I suppose I'm guilty of
putting the clowns needs first as they are the easiest to stress and not as
hardy as other fish. When my clowns approach 6" it will be time to get a
bigger tank!! Mary

[Gill Passman]

"Mary Burns" > wrote in message
...
>
> "Derek W. Benson" > wrote in message
> ...
> > On Fri, 12 Aug 2005 18:26:17 +0100, "Gill Passman"
> > <gillspamattaylorpassmanspam.co.uk> wrote:
> >
> >>I've been taking a look around and as NetMax said "so many fish, so
little
> >>time". The smaller tetra/rasporas type fish aren't too much of an
issue -
> >>although it is nice to have a mix of sizes. I'm rather taken with the
> >>Boesman's Rainbows but I'm not sure if this will be too many largish
fish
> >>in
> >>the tank as this would make:-
> >>
> >>3 Gouramis
> >>6 Clowns
> >>3 Flying Foxes
> >>1 Plec
> >>and possibly 6 Rainbows
> >>
> >>From my initial research I understand that the rainbows do better in
> >>larger
> >>numbers (possibly 6 again).
> >>
> >>So my questions are:-
> >>
> >>1. Would this be pushing the stocking levels on this tank - which I
rather
> >>suspect? I do have some room in some of my other tanks to do some
swopping
> >>around if necessary.
> >
> > IMO the tank would not be overstocked with these fish, including the
> > Rainbows.
> >
> > -Derek
>
> How many inches are you allowing, as most get quite big? I know clowns can
> get big, but allowing them to get to around 4" in 1 year, and getting 3
> more, really means allocating them about 24" of the 200 litre. In my 65g,
my
> 5 clowns x4", 3x2", get allocated 35", so my 10 platies can have 25", 5
> cories 10" I am technically fully stocked, although some platies are
juniors
> still. This way means I haven't got to upset them too much changing fish
> around for the next year. Your tank will be overstocked if they all reach
> their max size quickly. With the 2 filters you have, a few more inches
makes
> little difference except to how many water changes you do. I do 2 x 15/20
%
> a week as clowns like clean water as much as my angels do. Any more each
> week may stress the clowns more. The rainbows need a small group, so 6 as
> you suggest is good. Will the clowns be happy with 3 gouramis and 6
> rainbows, all bigger than them, swimming above them? I suppose I'm guilty
of
> putting the clowns needs first as they are the easiest to stress and not
as
> hardy as other fish. When my clowns approach 6" it will be time to get a
> bigger tank!! Mary
>
>
Well I succumbed this afternoon. I'd given a friend a lift over to the shop
that has the wonderful display tank with the rainbows plus lots of other
stuff in there....a very, very well stocked tank - he said that he knows he
is running on a "wing and a prayer" but the tank is completely stable
(another 200L). I had a chat with him over the Clown Loach issue and he did
not think it was a problem as the Rainbows are peaceful. The fish I have
bought are still young and small (only one is really getting it's colour) -
so I'm figuring that settling the clowns with non-aggresive fish not much
bigger than Platys initially shouldn't be too much of an issue. IME once
they are settled the Clowns never had much respect for the larger fish
anyway....they just got on with their lives in spite of the "grip of terror"
that the male Gourami uses to control the rest of the tank...in fact they
used to treat his postering with total contempt (maybe another reason I'm so
fond of these fish).

Gill

[Elaine T]

Gill Passman wrote:
>
> Well I succumbed this afternoon. I'd given a friend a lift over to the shop
> that has the wonderful display tank with the rainbows plus lots of other
> stuff in there....a very, very well stocked tank - he said that he knows he
> is running on a "wing and a prayer" but the tank is completely stable
> (another 200L). I had a chat with him over the Clown Loach issue and he did
> not think it was a problem as the Rainbows are peaceful. The fish I have
> bought are still young and small (only one is really getting it's colour) -
> so I'm figuring that settling the clowns with non-aggresive fish not much
> bigger than Platys initially shouldn't be too much of an issue. IME once
> they are settled the Clowns never had much respect for the larger fish
> anyway....they just got on with their lives in spite of the "grip of terror"
> that the male Gourami uses to control the rest of the tank...in fact they
> used to treat his postering with total contempt (maybe another reason I'm so
> fond of these fish).
>
> Gill
>
You wouldn't be bothered by the local thugs either if you had a built-in
switchblade the size of a clown loach spine. ;-)

--
Elaine T __
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