What to put in my 37

[CAPSLOCK]

I have a new 37 gallon all filled up and ready to begin cycling. I'm going to put my little hoplo catfish in there, and one of my paradise fish.

Will a school of about 8 rainbowfish fit in there and get along? Or what else can I put in there for variety? I want a communtiy tank, but not with tetras or platies.

 

[trouthead]

I take it that you don't intend to begin cycling with your hoplo catfish?

 

[CAPSLOCK]

The catfish isn't going in until I have put some other fish in there and they have survived for a few days...the paradise may be the guinea pig for the catfish, or whatever I get from the lfs. I like the catfish too much to risk him...his name is Stumpy.

 

[trouthead]

Have you an existing tank that you can use the filter media from?

edit: of course you have! use the filter media (or some of it) out of Stumpy's tank.

 

[CAPSLOCK]

Yeah, I stole the used filter cartridge out of Stumpy's tank and stuck it into the new tank filter...Do I actually have to add ammonia to the water with the filter in there, or can I just leave it for a few days and see if the tank cycles by itself?

 

[mariners]

if you've got fish in there don't add ammonia! i would just leave it, it might take longer than a few days.

 

[Iggy]

Capslock... Hi & Welcome to the Tank!

Originally posted by CAPSLOCK
Yeah, I stole the used filter cartridge out of Stumpy's tank and stuck it into the new tank filter...Do I actually have to add ammonia to the water with the filter in there, or can I just leave it for a few days and see if the tank cycles by itself?

k, your missing a little information about cycling... you need ammonia present in the water to create and sustain cycle. You either do it fishless by adding bottled ammonia or use live fish, which I don't suggest because of the stress and high mortality rate.

Re-using your existing filter will speed up the time required to cycle your new tank, there are instructions on fishless cycling on the following thread:

http://www.myfishtank.net/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=13406

You will know your tank is cycled when it can process 5ppm ammonia in less than 24 hours with no nitrite readings.

As far as stocking, what are the physical dimensions (widthxdepthxheight) of the tank? What kind of tank theme do you want (schooling fish, marsh, riverbed, etc)

 

[CAPSLOCK]

I wasn't sure if you still needed to add the ammonia with the used filter in there...I will get some to add this afternoon, and start cycling.

The tank has the base size of a 20 gallon long or a 29 gallon...I it's approximately 13" by 29" and 23" high. I basically want a schooling theme, possibly with a couple extra non-schooling fish in there for variety. I want to try rainbows...they seem like nice schooling fish...and I was thinking of a group of 3 kuhli loaches (sp?).

 

[Iggy]

A taller tank like that... maybe a platinum gourami for a feature/top fish, with some gold or glolite tetras or harlequin rasboras for middle/schooling.

I like cory cats for bottom fish.

If you don't plan on snails, don't bother with a loach unless you just like them for appearances.

 

[CAPSLOCK]

Would a platinum gourami get along with the paradise fish? I love gouramis, I had a pearl that got pretty big, but I wasn't sure if they would appreciate sharing the tank with the paradise.

Would rainbowfish work for middle/schooling, or would they fight with the paradise? I've got tetras in another tank, and would like to try something different.

I do just like the kuhli loaches for appearances...they are neat little fish.

 

[CAPSLOCK]

How about this collection...would it be overstocked, understocked, or about right?

I was thinking 8 rainbowfish, 6 black neon tetras (I already have 2, and they will end up in this tank, so I want to get them some friends to school with), 1 paradise fish, 1 hoplo catfish, and 3 kuhli loaches.

If it isn't overstocked, and it would get along with the paradise, I was thinking about a gourami...probably an opaline or pearl (I don't know where to find a platinum...I've never seen one).

Any suggestions?