Well my 55 gallon should be about ready within a week or so. The 150 gallon is just a couple days into a fishless cycle but with some seeded filter cartridges it shouldnt be long for it either.

So now I'm thinking... HHHMMM... What do I want to see in there?

The 55.

Right at the moment it has 4 twinbar platys in it, and a crapload of snails that hitchhiked on the plants. My first ever tank was a "Barb tank". I had tigers, black rubys, checkerboards, and golds. I intend to do the same type of thing, but will limit it to the tigers, both regular and green, and checkerbords. The first new addition to the tank after the cycle will be at least one, possibly 2 pearl gouramis. I had a gold three spot in the barb tank before and he was fine because I kept a large enough school of barbs. I intend to get at least three YO YO loaches. active little suckers, and the snails will be a nonissue with them in the tank. after that my love of cats will be kicked in. I would love to see a spotted pictus in there and a spotted raphael. last but not least, for algea control, a royal pleco will fit in nicely. As the tank is stocked i will be setting up a ten gallon planted tank and the platys will be moved.

so the stocking list looks like this;

2 pearl gourami (possibly 1 if there are aggresion issues0
10 tiger barbs 8 regular and 2 green
6 checkerboard barbs
3 YO YO loaches
1 pictus cat
1 spotted raphael cat
1 royal pleco

The 150.

My neighbor, Bless her heart, is an animal lover. but she sometimes thinks with her heart and not her brain. When a friend of hers was getting rid of 2 oscars she agreed to take them. Not knowing they are not a good idea in a 29 gallon tank. I spoke to her about it and we have agreed to trade both of them to me for a red parrot. She has a red tiger with a beautiful pattern and an albino tiger. I'm not sure if I will keep both of them. But i intend to keep the red tiger for sure. they are both small enough that I believe i can still put in a tank mate or 2. I am leaning toward a venustas and a redshoulder peacock. it depends on wether or not i keep both oscars. I would also like to put in a striped raphael catfish.