[mindy]

I think I have finally decided on what I plan to stock my tank with.

It is a 4 foot long, planted, 66 gallon peninsula tank. I have a Eheim 2215 at one end and a 750 gal/hr Koralia powerhead to help with water movement.

I am thinking I am going to do:

10 albino coried
10 zebra danios
6 eastern rainbow fish
red cherry shrimp - if I can find them. Probably get 10 or so, hopefully they will breed.

What do you think? Will this work out?

(tank is fully cycled and set up for a year, last fish in there didn't work out I still have 3 cories and a common pleco in there so it isn't sitting empty. My plan is to return the pleco [mistake to get him, improper research] and get the rainbow fish tomorrow and work up from there every time I go into town - usually every 2-3 weeks.)

 

[jpalimpsest]

I would be concerned about the rainbowfish with shrimp, but I'll let someone more experienced comment on that.

It sounds like a beautiful combination

 

[mindy]

Thanks

I didn't think about the rainbow fish eating the shrimp. I would hate for them to become lunch! My LFS hasn't had any shrimp in lately so I probably won't even be able to get them. Aqadvisor didn't mention anything about the fish eating the shrimp, but I don't know if the site would.

*off to do more research*

 

[shloken38]

Yeah, I was going to pretty much say the same thing. I believe the danios would be a problem with the shrimp also. Good choice with the albino cories. I have them in my 29 and they are awesome!

Everyone will basically tell you the same thing with shrimp; if they fit in the fish's mouth, they will be eaten. Even if they don't, some fish will pick at them until they die. Everyone's experiences are different though. The only fish that is "proven" not to go after shrimp is the otocinclus. Every other fish is up for debate. I stock my shrimp with endlers, and they are fine. I've heard the celestial pearl danios are also good tank mates for shrimp. You can always give it a try with some ghost shrimp to see how your fish react. Ghosts are cheap, so it won't hurt the pocket. I hope I'm not sounding heartless in saying that.....

 

[mindy]

Not heartless, food chain and all

Thanks for the advice. Maybe I will just avoid the shrimp. It is too bad, though. I had amano shrimp (I think they died of old age, I had them for a few years) and I loved them so much!

How about one bamboo shrimp instead? They are much bigger.

 

[jpalimpsest]

I plan to add a bamboo shrimp to my tank once it's established. They like to be in the flow of the filter output. Do you have any driftwood or anything they could climb on to reach the flow?

 

[shloken38]

Not sure about bamboo, don't have much experience with them. I did see one for the first time this weekend....they are huge! Never realized how big they got. Are they peaceful?

 

[mindy]

As far as I know they are peaceful. They are filter feeders and I love to watch them with their little fan hands.

I do have driftwood that he could sit on. But, I have a pretty good current in my tank, thanks to my powerhead. Even the shortest crypts in my tank are swaying in the current. I hope that would be enough.

I have wanted one for so long but haven't gotten one because I am afraid I won't be able to get it the food it needs. I will do more research before bringing one home.

 

[jpalimpsest]

Sounds like you have enough movement. I've read that if you see them walking around on the substrate, they are hungry and you need to supplement food. I haven't read how to do that yet.

 

[mindy]

That is my problem too! Haha! I have to make sure I will be able to get a food source for them before getting one.

 

[wicca27]

cherry shrimp will just be snacks so prob best to not get them

 

[jpalimpsest]

My experience so far... every time you have the perfect stocking list... something comes up :icon_conf

 

[shloken38]

This is because everyone has varying opinions/experiences with their fish. The way I went with everything was to get opinions that were in the majority, then come up with my own deductions based on that. No answer is 100% correct. Sometimes it will be trial an error, unfortunately.

 

[mindy]

I have had this tank set up for about a year now and I still haven't gotten it right. I really hope this list is it. It was supposed to be my dream tank but I have had nothing but trouble with it so far. I finally got the algae problems under control and the fish that didn't work out are sorted. I really, really hope these fish work out!

wicca27, I already said I wasn't going to get the red cherry shrimp.

 

[flesxruoyxllik]

if i had that tank i'd put a long ear sunfish in there and let a whole bunch of anacharis get really over grown

 

[mindy]

I have never heard of that fish. It is pretty neat looking.