Hi, I've recently acquired a 75g aquarium. I have a Penguin 350, Penguin 330, and am working on getting a Magnum 350 up and running (getting some new hoses, filter media, etc.), a GLO T5 HO dual bulb light and some driftwood already in it. It's ready to stock all levels have checked out. Currently I have a couple common plecos in there and a gold and blue gourami. I plan to remove all but one of the Plecos. So really think of it as blank slate save 1 pleco.

We like color and movement, and not really looking for many shy guys, would be nice to have a few w/ a little size. I also hope to do a light/medium planting in the tank so plant friendly fish would be nice.


What it comes down to is, if you had this and had similar tastes, what would you pick to stock it.

Thanks in advance.

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75 Gallon: Fluval 405, Eheim 2229, Penguin 330 - Heated
48" Hagen Glo Fixture w/ Dual T5HO & 48" 2x T8
1 Amazon Sword Plant, 2 Java Moss Rocks, Wisteria
1 Gold Gourami & 1 Blue Gourami
9 Harlequin Rasbora
5 Turquoise Rainbows & 15 Neon Tetra
1 Pictus Catfish & 1 Singapore Shrimp
1 Rainbow Shark & 1 Peppered Cory Catfish

Are you planning on running all 3 filters at the same time or is the 350 replacing both or just one? (Sorry, knowing filtration helps with knowing how many fish you can have.) :D

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20g Heavily Planted http://www.aquariumforum.com/gallery...00&ppuser=8981
36g Bow Front Heavily Planted http://www.aquariumforum.com/gallery...00&ppuser=8981

~edit:

After fiddling w/ the Magnum, it looks like the magnet is toast, and the canister once removed isn't looking too good either. Looking online at Marineland's website, it'd be over $70 just for those 2 parts, and I'd still have an older canister filter. I think I'll only be using the Penguin 350 & 330 for the time being.

I'll keep an eye out on Craigslist for a Fluval canister, those seem to pop up from time to time for a reasonable price.

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75 Gallon: Fluval 405, Eheim 2229, Penguin 330 - Heated
48" Hagen Glo Fixture w/ Dual T5HO & 48" 2x T8
1 Amazon Sword Plant, 2 Java Moss Rocks, Wisteria
1 Gold Gourami & 1 Blue Gourami
9 Harlequin Rasbora
5 Turquoise Rainbows & 15 Neon Tetra
1 Pictus Catfish & 1 Singapore Shrimp
1 Rainbow Shark & 1 Peppered Cory Catfish

So the Penguin 350 is for tanks up to 75g and the Magnum is for tanks up to 100g? I think you'd be fine with those two then! (You could always run the third, but I'd maybe keep it as a back up in case on of the others breaks.)

Next few questions would be, do you want schooling fish (so a bunch stay in relatively the same area) or do you want fish that prefer to be single? And, do you like livebearers or egg layers or both?

I'm assuming you want fish on all 3 levels of the tank.

For the bottom you could go with a school of Cory cats (6+), and for the top a school of Hatchet fish (also 6+ and make sure you have a lid - they jump!) in the middle, you could do a school of Neons or Cardinals (6+ the more the better) and then a school of something else.

I've got a school of 9 Harlequin Rasboras and I find them to be nice to look at.... if you want a bit more colour (H. Rasboras are beige with a black triangle) you could go with Porkchop Rasboras (which are slightly smaller and instead of the beige, they are red and then have the black triangle.)

Congo Tetras (also schooling fish) are beautiful!!! VERY colourful!

Lemon Tetras (schooling again) are also very pretty.

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20g Heavily Planted http://www.aquariumforum.com/gallery...00&ppuser=8981
36g Bow Front Heavily Planted http://www.aquariumforum.com/gallery...00&ppuser=8981

I would like coverage over all the tank, and I do like schooling, the grouping of color is nice. I would like 1 or 2 stand outs that are 5"-7" full grown that could be loners, just a couple w/ a little size other than my pleco that will play nice with others (color is key, my wife really likes color so I guess the next one will be salt water). I have neons and black neons in my 30g so I'd prefer to go w/ something else.

Great ideas, would love to hear more. Oh I also have a natural brown/red substrate if that helps.

And as far as egg layers or livebearers, I'm new to this hobby so I haven't researched it yet to have a preference. I also have to be up for work in 5 hrs so I don't think I'll research it tonight. =P

Thanks again.

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75 Gallon: Fluval 405, Eheim 2229, Penguin 330 - Heated
48" Hagen Glo Fixture w/ Dual T5HO & 48" 2x T8
1 Amazon Sword Plant, 2 Java Moss Rocks, Wisteria
1 Gold Gourami & 1 Blue Gourami
9 Harlequin Rasbora
5 Turquoise Rainbows & 15 Neon Tetra
1 Pictus Catfish & 1 Singapore Shrimp
1 Rainbow Shark & 1 Peppered Cory Catfish

Ok, no real ambitions to breed anything, so really don't care 1 way pr the other about live bearer /may egg layer.

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75 Gallon: Fluval 405, Eheim 2229, Penguin 330 - Heated
48" Hagen Glo Fixture w/ Dual T5HO & 48" 2x T8
1 Amazon Sword Plant, 2 Java Moss Rocks, Wisteria
1 Gold Gourami & 1 Blue Gourami
9 Harlequin Rasbora
5 Turquoise Rainbows & 15 Neon Tetra
1 Pictus Catfish & 1 Singapore Shrimp
1 Rainbow Shark & 1 Peppered Cory Catfish

I appreciate holly12's response, anyone else have a different or unique idea?

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75 Gallon: Fluval 405, Eheim 2229, Penguin 330 - Heated
48" Hagen Glo Fixture w/ Dual T5HO & 48" 2x T8
1 Amazon Sword Plant, 2 Java Moss Rocks, Wisteria
1 Gold Gourami & 1 Blue Gourami
9 Harlequin Rasbora
5 Turquoise Rainbows & 15 Neon Tetra
1 Pictus Catfish & 1 Singapore Shrimp
1 Rainbow Shark & 1 Peppered Cory Catfish

No problem! I'll keep thinking about it and let you know if I come up with anything else!

Did you google the fish I suggested? (I wish I had a 150g so I could get all of those!)

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20g Heavily Planted http://www.aquariumforum.com/gallery...00&ppuser=8981
36g Bow Front Heavily Planted http://www.aquariumforum.com/gallery...00&ppuser=8981

Yes I did. Cory cats are fun and I like the rasboras. I have a soft spot for the gouramis as they are always so happy to see me (cause they're little piggies and always want to eat) so I think about those too, maybe some dwarfs. Cockatoo cichlids are pretty and I've read they can do ok in a community tank, but not sure about them with plants.

I've also seen some pretty killifish.

Im also torn right now, I have a chance to get a 1 month old fluval 405 for $100, but im just not sure I need it. I know the canister filters are superior for the mechanical filtration of the water, but I don't know that I actually "need" it with the penguin 350 & 330 both running on now. I think I'm interested just stuck on the idea of having a canister.

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75 Gallon: Fluval 405, Eheim 2229, Penguin 330 - Heated
48" Hagen Glo Fixture w/ Dual T5HO & 48" 2x T8
1 Amazon Sword Plant, 2 Java Moss Rocks, Wisteria
1 Gold Gourami & 1 Blue Gourami
9 Harlequin Rasbora
5 Turquoise Rainbows & 15 Neon Tetra
1 Pictus Catfish & 1 Singapore Shrimp
1 Rainbow Shark & 1 Peppered Cory Catfish

If it were me,I would indeed get that canister,as I love canisters.The are not such an eyesore,having just the tubes in the tank.You can even hide this by getting some fancy glass pipes and they make the tank look like a pros.

On the fish,Again if it were me,and most people do not have the same taste as I,simply because I am more for rareities than anything found in store.I would add a nice colony of Betta Unimaculata.They have some of the prettiest blue irids on them,in my opinion.Not very betta like as they do get along with other fish,and can keep a group of them together.Then again I just love my betta mahachai.The pair I have seem to be bonded really well, and the fry are all with them,and everyone gets along swimmingly(pun intended)They have wonderful color as well, a nice greenish blue,and shimmers in the light.

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"Come to the dark side....we have cookies...and filters/heaters/and water changes!"

If it makes a difference for choices I know have a Fluval 405 to use on the tank too.

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75 Gallon: Fluval 405, Eheim 2229, Penguin 330 - Heated
48" Hagen Glo Fixture w/ Dual T5HO & 48" 2x T8
1 Amazon Sword Plant, 2 Java Moss Rocks, Wisteria
1 Gold Gourami & 1 Blue Gourami
9 Harlequin Rasbora
5 Turquoise Rainbows & 15 Neon Tetra
1 Pictus Catfish & 1 Singapore Shrimp
1 Rainbow Shark & 1 Peppered Cory Catfish

Another fish that will come to 'greet' you when you walk up to the tank is Angelfish. They are super curious, lol.

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20g Heavily Planted http://www.aquariumforum.com/gallery...00&ppuser=8981
36g Bow Front Heavily Planted http://www.aquariumforum.com/gallery...00&ppuser=8981

Maybe 2 or more angels for my big fish?! I'm kinda liking that idea, they are very showy and if they've got personality, all the better.

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75 Gallon: Fluval 405, Eheim 2229, Penguin 330 - Heated
48" Hagen Glo Fixture w/ Dual T5HO & 48" 2x T8
1 Amazon Sword Plant, 2 Java Moss Rocks, Wisteria
1 Gold Gourami & 1 Blue Gourami
9 Harlequin Rasbora
5 Turquoise Rainbows & 15 Neon Tetra
1 Pictus Catfish & 1 Singapore Shrimp
1 Rainbow Shark & 1 Peppered Cory Catfish

I would try 3-5 angels and you can get some colored angels also but they are a little pricey, here is a link for you to check out.

Angelfish USA - Angelfish for Sale

Thanks, ya the more I read it looks like the magic ratio is 1 male to 4 female?

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75 Gallon: Fluval 405, Eheim 2229, Penguin 330 - Heated
48" Hagen Glo Fixture w/ Dual T5HO & 48" 2x T8
1 Amazon Sword Plant, 2 Java Moss Rocks, Wisteria
1 Gold Gourami & 1 Blue Gourami
9 Harlequin Rasbora
5 Turquoise Rainbows & 15 Neon Tetra
1 Pictus Catfish & 1 Singapore Shrimp
1 Rainbow Shark & 1 Peppered Cory Catfish

I am not sure where you have read that because if you end up with a mated pair they might tear up the rest. I am trying to keep all males in my 180. I order 5-7 at a time then sort out a breeding pair then put a couple males in and get rid of the rest. I think you can get away with 3-5 in a well planted tank and if not pull 1 of the breeders and keep the rest.

Hrrm I'll see if I can find it.

~Edit: Oh I found it and I read it all wrong, thank you for straightening me out.

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75 Gallon: Fluval 405, Eheim 2229, Penguin 330 - Heated
48" Hagen Glo Fixture w/ Dual T5HO & 48" 2x T8
1 Amazon Sword Plant, 2 Java Moss Rocks, Wisteria
1 Gold Gourami & 1 Blue Gourami
9 Harlequin Rasbora
5 Turquoise Rainbows & 15 Neon Tetra
1 Pictus Catfish & 1 Singapore Shrimp
1 Rainbow Shark & 1 Peppered Cory Catfish

OK I just wanted to know if there was some new info out there that I wasnt aware of. I would add angels last if you plan on haveing any small fish in there and add them first IMO.

It's hard to tell males from females, but Susankat seems to be able to do it, lol. Send a pic to her and she'll tell you!

I've been told that 3 is the least you should keep, but I've got 2. They came from the same tank and were the size of quarters when I got them (2-3 months old) and one has doubled it's size in 2 weeks. The other is a veil tail and it's veil is getting really long! They seem to get along great just the 2 of them, but that may be because they've been together since they were young... that and Susan thinks I have a male and a female. I've heard you can keep a group, but yeah, if some of them pair up, you may have to re-home the stragglers.

I'd go with 1 or 2 maybe. Koi Angle fish are gorgeous!

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20g Heavily Planted http://www.aquariumforum.com/gallery...00&ppuser=8981
36g Bow Front Heavily Planted http://www.aquariumforum.com/gallery...00&ppuser=8981

I'm going to go by my favorite LFS tomorrow and look at their selection. I may pick a few up, I'm excited to have a direction now.

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75 Gallon: Fluval 405, Eheim 2229, Penguin 330 - Heated
48" Hagen Glo Fixture w/ Dual T5HO & 48" 2x T8
1 Amazon Sword Plant, 2 Java Moss Rocks, Wisteria
1 Gold Gourami & 1 Blue Gourami
9 Harlequin Rasbora
5 Turquoise Rainbows & 15 Neon Tetra
1 Pictus Catfish & 1 Singapore Shrimp
1 Rainbow Shark & 1 Peppered Cory Catfish