120 gal tank mate suggestions

[NosseI]

Hello everyone! I'm new here and am looking for some your suggestions for additions to my tank.

I have a 120 gallon 2'w x 2'h x 4'w tank.
The current fish I have:
1 pink tail chalceus around 6"
1 pictus catfish 4-6"
1 feather fin 6" maybe a little bigger.
I have a sand substrate, with some drifwood, and some fake decorations along with larger rocks.
I would like to add plants possibly too.

The tank was an African cichlid tank but that goes how it goes with cichlids and so I got rid of them. I know catfish will eat anything they cat fit into their mouth and the chalceus will eat small fish. I was considering a pleco and some loaches then calling it a day. I'm not just not too familiar with other fish besides what I have and cichlids. Any loaches suggestions, particularly good snail eaters as my tank has a small snail problem developing. I have added 5 assassin snails who seen to keeping the problem at bay, But for how long.

Any suggestions or advice is appreciated.

 

[fishhead0103666]

Kuhli loaches, clown loaches, and rainbow loaches come to mind. The kuhli loaches are small peaceful loaches that do best in group,. Clown loaches can get big but take years to do so, schooling, and peaceful. The rainbow loach in my experience can get a bit aggressive when there are to many bottom dwellers that they encroach on his territory but other then that they are a nice addition. They get up to 6 inches and do best if they’re the only rainbow loach in the tank unless it’s a large tank.

Are you looking for suggestions for other fish besides loaches? I can recommend several other fish that I have experience with that I believe will do well in your tank and I can even help you with plants.

 

[Backfromthedead]

You could go in many directions with your current stock. Tell us about your water parameters so we can give the best recommendations. Water Ph, hardness, temperature you keep the tank?

Do you want to keep the tank lightly stocked or do you want lots of fish? This will affect your maintenance routine.

 

[NosseI]

I'm looking to have around 10 fish maybe in the end. I did end up adding 3 clown loaches and a regular pleco. I had recently removed 6 fish so I wanted to add some to keep the bacteria cycle(if it's even affected like that). So now I'm at 7 fish.
My water sits around 79 degrees F and the water is harder here from the tap with a high pH. So my ph is around 7.8 to 8.
Ever since my tank cycled, it has been good with no spikes or problems that I have seen. No fish casualties.
I try to maintain a 50 percent water change once a week with filter cleaning once a month.
My filter is a fluval fx6 cannister.

 

[Stanzzzz7]

Chalceus and pictus are shoaling species in nature, a few mire of those would be my recommendation.

 

[AnthonyFish20]

Chalceus and pictus are shoaling species in nature, a few mire of those would be my recommendation.

+1

 

[Backfromthedead]

If its me im getting a cichlid in there. I think a jack dempsey would fit the bill nicely with those tankmates and your water, and it wouldnt be a huge hit to your bioload.

I keep a 150 with one chalceus and one pictus among other tankmates. While i do agree they are shoaling species by nature, i will also contend they do just fine by themselves.

 

[NosseI]

If its me im getting a cichlid in there. I think a jack dempsey would fit the bill nicely with those tankmates and your water, and it wouldnt be a huge hit to your bioload.

I keep a 150 with one chalceus and one pictus among other tankmates. While i do agree they are shoaling species by nature, i will also contend they do just fine by themselves.

You don't think a jack dempsey would be too aggressive or a risk? I like the idea alot and never considered it. Atm I was going to add plants and a possible smaller schooling fish like 6 turquoise rainbows.
And I wish I could find more chalceus but the one I have the only one I have seen for some time. As for adding more pictus, I tried that once and my current loner just constantly attacked the smaller one so I took it back.
Currently the 3 clown loaches(1.5-2") are doing great and no one seems to mine them. The feather fin is territorial toward the pictus mainly but leaves him alone once he gets away.

 

[Stanzzzz7]

2 pictus will often fight. You need a group of at least 6.

 

[Backfromthedead]

You don't think a jack dempsey would be too aggressive or a risk? I like the idea alot and never considered it. Atm I was going to add plants and a possible smaller schooling fish like 6 turquoise rainbows.
And I wish I could find more chalceus but the one I have the only one I have seen for some time. As for adding more pictus, I tried that once and my current loner just constantly attacked the smaller one so I took it back.
Currently the 3 clown loaches(1.5-2") are doing great and no one seems to mine them. The feather fin is territorial toward the pictus mainly but leaves him alone once he gets away.

If you do go with the jd, get it small. It should be fine with those tankmates. JD are not incredibly aggressive, but will bully a vulnerable fish or eat smaller ones. Some people say the electric blue or platinum varieties are less aggressive.