[fishysteve66]

Hi

My new 55g tank has finished cycling (I hope) and I have recently added 3x Synodontis Petricola who seem to be doing fine, although I don't see then eating much.

Temp 80 degrees, 0 ammonia and nitrite, 10ppm nitrate, pH 7.9, GH 16, KH 17. Changing 25% water every couple of days. My tapwater is hard with pH of 7.4 so I have been adding baking soda to buffer to the same pH as tank (7.9) but this is raising the already high KH so plan to reduce/stop this.

Question is 2 fold...

I have been considering 5x Yellow Labs, 5x Yellow Tail Acei and 10x Demasoni. Are these compatible? I realise 55g will be overstocked. Have Eheim 350 and Fluval 306 filters. Is this too overstocked?

Stocking with juveniles. All at once or species at time? As I understand it stocking all at once is better for fish to establish territory (I have lots of rocks creating caves) but I'm worried about bioload going from 3 synos to full load in one hit. If going with a species at a time should I go with most aggressive first?

Thanks

 

[james1983]

If you want demasoni I would only stock 2 species, the acei can also get pretty big for a 55.

 

[fishysteve66]

I was in two minds about Demasoni. Should I go with Rusties instead? (Yellow Labs, Acei, Rusties)

 

[DJRansome]

Also with demasoni you want to end up with 12 in the tank after removing extra males. If you are not absolutely determined to have demasoni I'd skip them...they require conviction.

I would skip the acei in a 55G as well. What about 1m:4f of Cynotilapia sp. hara in lieu of the Acei?

 

[fishysteve66]

Cynotilapia sp. hara look great. I was looking for something where the females also have colour. My problem will be getting hold of them. My LFS has Acei just the size I'm looking for. I guess once they reach 6in. then they will be too big.

My tank is 4ft. its volume is actually 63g. I stated 55g as to take account of rocks etc. The water in the external filters/pipes probably means this is closer to 60g.

 

[DJRansome]

Stock by lengthxwidth not gallons. I'd skip the acei unless your footprint is 48x18.

This is a rectangle tank, right?

 

[fishysteve66]

Sure its a rectangle 48x15 and 18 deep.