Need Help Stocking 6x2.5x2.5

[Harris.]

Returning fish keeper, haven’t kept fish for around 4 years and now have space for a decent sized tank.

6x2.5x2.5 custom tank due to be delivered in a couple of months, will be run on 2x FX6s with a ton of house plants out the top for aesthetics and additional filtration.

I’ve been inspired by Stanzzzz7 GT harem tank, can I get some advice on whether this stocking would work.

-1m 5f GTs
-6-8 Corydoras Brochis Splendens (emerald Cory)
1 albino common pleco

I’d also like a group of schooling fish that won’t eat plants and are large enough/ fast enough to not be eaten overnight.

Also open to any other ideas, the focus for this tank is the GT harem.

 

[tlindsey]

Returning fish keeper, haven’t kept fish for around 4 years and now have space for a decent sized tank.

6x2.5x2.5 custom tank due to be delivered in a couple of months, will be run on 2x FX6s with a ton of house plants out the top for aesthetics and additional filtration.

I’ve been inspired by Stanzzzz7 GT harem tank, can I get some advice on whether this stocking would work.

-1m 5f GTs
-6-8 Corydoras Brochis Splendens (emerald Cory)
1 albino common pleco

I’d also like a group of schooling fish that won’t eat plants and are large enough/ fast enough to not be eaten overnight.

Also open to any other ideas, the focus for this tank is the GT harem.

Stanzzzz made an appearance today. Hopefully he'll chime in later.

 

[celebrist]

True bleeding heart tetras maybe?

 

[Stanzzzz7]

Returning fish keeper, haven’t kept fish for around 4 years and now have space for a decent sized tank.

6x2.5x2.5 custom tank due to be delivered in a couple of months, will be run on 2x FX6s with a ton of house plants out the top for aesthetics and additional filtration.

I’ve been inspired by Stanzzzz7 GT harem tank, can I get some advice on whether this stocking would work.

-1m 5f GTs
-6-8 Corydoras Brochis Splendens (emerald Cory)
1 albino common pleco

I’d also like a group of schooling fish that won’t eat plants and are large enough/ fast enough to not be eaten overnight.

Also open to any other ideas, the focus for this tank is the GT harem.

I don’t see any reason why this won’t work.
I would start off with juvenile GTs for the best chance of compatibility and to ensure whatever schooling fish you decide on don’t become prey.
There are never any guarantees when dealing with multiple cichlids but it is a reasonable scenario that has every chance of working out long term.
Schooling fish like full grown Columbian tetras, bleeding hearts or BA tetras should all be fine if they are introduced while the cichlids are still small.
I also used to keep pimelodus cats and hoplo cats with mine . They also worked out fine.

Good luck with the set up, I enjoyed mine and it made an interesting set up.

 

[Harris.]

I don’t see any reason why this won’t work.
I would start off with juvenile GTs for the best chance of compatibility and to ensure whatever schooling fish you decide on don’t become prey.
There are never any guarantees when dealing with multiple cichlids but it is a reasonable scenario that has every chance of working out long term.
Schooling fish like full grown Columbian tetras, bleeding hearts or BA tetras should all be fine if they are introduced while the cichlids are still small.
I also used to keep pimelodus cats and hoplo cats with mine . They also worked out fine.

Good luck with the set up, I enjoyed mine and it made an interesting set up.

Thanks for your advice mate, picking up a standard 4ft tank as my 6ft custom is still 6ish months away

was thinking of getting the tetraand Cory’s to grow out in the 4ft, give them 6 months head start then get the GTs once the tank is ready.

then the 4ft will be used as a QT tank.

when you had your GT setup how was it when they started laying eggs ?

was hoping with the 2.5ft height and 2.5ft depth it should give everyone plenty of space to move around in

will have plenty of driftwood, Anubis and Java fern, and then roots hanging down from house plants that will be on top of the tank.

 

[Stanzzzz7]

Sou

Thanks for your advice mate, picking up a standard 4ft tank as my 6ft custom is still 6ish months away

was thinking of getting the tetraand Cory’s to grow out in the 4ft, give them 6 months head start then get the GTs once the tank is ready.

then the 4ft will be used as a QT tank.

when you had your GT setup how was it when they started laying eggs ?

was hoping with the 2.5ft height and 2.5ft depth it should give everyone plenty of space to move around in

will have plenty of driftwood, Anubis and Java fern, and then roots hanging down from house plants that will be on top of the tank.

sounds like a nice set up in the making and your planning sounds good to me.
I didn’t experience any trouble when my GTs started spawning.They were quite a chilled out group of fish for the most part.
Females would have the odd squabble with one another but nothing that ever resulted to any concern.
I think you will be fine with your tanks foot print and plenty of line of sight break decor.

Not all cichlids will react the same way and one size does not fit all so it’s good you will have a spare tank if needed.

Hope all goes well.

 

[duanes]

Take this scenario for however you like.
About 4 years ago I picked up a 6 foot 180, and put about a dozen 2" wild caught Andinoacara coerleopunctatus juvies in it.
They are close cousins (though sightly smaller) than your GTs. The tank also contained some Roeboides tetras, a Pleco, and an Awaous goby
At about a year, one of the males matured into the alpha.
Within a week of his maturity, he systematically killed off all other males, and a number of non-receptive females, leaving 3 females and himself., ignoring the non-cichlids.
Since then he has tolerated those 3 females, in that size tank, spawning on and off every breeding season with each (Dec thru Mar).

As of late, the tetras have been aging out (if they were maybe 1 year old when I get them, 5 years of age is about max for this size tetra) and as they weaken, and slow down, the Andinoacara, take advantage and shred them. The Tetras are al this point only slightly smaller than the female Andinoacara.


As you can see, the tank has lots of cover in the form of sunken wood, and plants, that allow the non-spawning females cover, and places to hide in season, when these are not spawning.
An important factor in their survival during that time. Not only the males, but in season, spawning females can be quite brutal to other females

 

[Harris.]

Take this scenario for however you like.
About 4 years ago I picked up a 6 foot 180, and put about a dozen 2" wild caught Andinoacara coerleopunctatus juvies in it.
They are close cousins (though sightly smaller) than your GTs. The tank also contained some Roeboides tetras, a Pleco, and an Awaous goby
At about a year, one of the males matured into the alpha.
Within a week of his maturity, he systematically killed off all other males, and a number of non-receptive females, leaving 3 females and himself., ignoring the non-cichlids.
Since then he has tolerated those 3 females, in that size tank, spawning on and off every breeding season with each (Dec thru Mar).
View attachment 1513718
As of late, the tetras have been aging out (if they were maybe 1 year old when I get them, 5 years of age is about max for this size tetra) and as they weaken, and slow down, the Andinoacara, take advantage and shred them. The Tetras are al this point only slightly smaller than the female Andinoacara.
View attachment 1513719
View attachment 1513720
As you can see, the tank has lots of cover in the form of sunken wood, and plants, that allow the non-spawning females cover, and places to hide in season, when these are not spawning.
An important factor in their survival during that time. Not only the males, but in season, spawning females can be quite brutal to other females
View attachment 1513721

so best chance based on your experience and others is a harem, and even then it’s still a gamble.
Ill have a QT tank available and start with a group of 10-12 and filter down to 1m/5f.
Thanks for sharing your experience.

 

[duanes]

With cichlids, stocking density is really only up to them.
In that 6 ft size tank, I Iike the harem concept and try to start with as many juvies of a single species as I can, but always expect with normal aggression and at maturity, to lose a few.

 

[Stanzzzz7]

A point I think worth mentioning is the rivulatus are a well established fish in the hobby and have been bred in captivity for many years and many generations.
Therefore I do think they have become far more docile than their wild predecessors.
I also think it is a fish that can be sexed relatively easily at a small size. This makes selecting a harem an easier task than with many cichlids.
If I remember correctly duanes fish were wild caught and as a general rule of thumb would be more aggressive than a more commercially bred old timer like the GT.

like I’ve said before ,cichlids can always be a bit of a gamble but I think you will be fine with your plans.