# Getting a 36 gallon - stocking ideas?



## cousiniguana (Apr 3, 2014)

I am planning my first "big tank", to be completed in approximately 8m - 1year. I am still in the planning phase, but want some feedback on planned stocking. I plan for this to be a sand-bottom planted tank. I am also very limited with stocking choices because my only options are: a LFS over an hour away, Petsmart, and the internet (limited due to high shipping costs). Here's my initial stocking idea:

4 Guppies
6-7 schooling fish (neon tetras/lemon tetras/cherry barbs/glowlight tetras/rummynose tetra?)
4-5 Panda Cories
1 Dwarf Gourami
1 Pearl Gourami
single male or pair of german blue rams
2 nerite snails
1 Bristlenose Pleco?
1 CPO cray?

Any feedback? I'm pretty good at maintaining water quality in smaller tanks I keep. I was hoping the two gouramis would work in a bigger tank.


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## collinskev (Feb 20, 2016)

cousiniguana said:


> I am planning my first "big tank", to be completed in approximately 8m - 1year. I am still in the planning phase, but want some feedback on planned stocking. I plan for this to be a sand-bottom planted tank. I am also very limited with stocking choices because my only options are: a LFS over an hour away, Petsmart, and the internet (limited due to high shipping costs). Here's my initial stocking idea:
> 
> 4 Guppies
> 6-7 schooling fish (neon tetras/lemon tetras/cherry barbs/glowlight tetras/rummynose tetra?)
> ...


Couldn't tell you whether or not that's too many, but I do know that crayfish can be mean little things sometimes. Something to watch out for.

I have a few Panda corys, and they are awesome fish. Very interesting and fun to watch. I highly recommend getting some.


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## cousiniguana (Apr 3, 2014)

collinskev said:


> Couldn't tell you whether or not that's too many, but I do know that crayfish can be mean little things sometimes. Something to watch out for.
> 
> I have a few Panda corys, and they are awesome fish. Very interesting and fun to watch. I highly recommend getting some.


The CPO cray is a dwarf crayfish that generally stays under 2". More of a big shrimp really.


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## n25philly (Dec 5, 2013)

cousiniguana said:


> I am planning my first "big tank", to be completed in approximately 8m - 1year. I am still in the planning phase, but want some feedback on planned stocking. I plan for this to be a sand-bottom planted tank. I am also very limited with stocking choices because my only options are: a LFS over an hour away, Petsmart, and the internet (limited due to high shipping costs). Here's my initial stocking idea:
> 
> 4 Guppies
> 6-7 schooling fish (neon tetras/lemon tetras/cherry barbs/glowlight tetras/rummynose tetra?)
> ...


1) pick a gourami. Gouramis tend to not like each other. Personally I would go with the pearl gourami and they are peaceful and most dwarf gourami are aggressive pricks. If you want more that one gourami get a pair of pearls, they can be kept with their own kind.

2) I wouldn't do cory cats in a number less than 6. They will be happier and more active the more there are.

3) Pandas and blue rams are incompatible due to temperature. Pandas need to the temp in the mid to low 70s while if you get blue rams you would need to keep the temp at 80+. If you want the pands and rams see if you can get bolivian rams. They aren't as colorful, but they are more peaceful, much hardier/easy to keep. If you are going to get from petsmart, their blue rams are usually the overbred bad stock that tend to not do well once out of the store.

4) if you get a cpo make sure there are a couple of good caves/hiding spaces. When they molt they need a place to hide.

Everything else looks fine


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## cousiniguana (Apr 3, 2014)

n25philly said:


> 1) pick a gourami. Gouramis tend to not like each other. Personally I would go with the pearl gourami and they are peaceful and most dwarf gourami are aggressive pricks. If you want more that one gourami get a pair of pearls, they can be kept with their own kind.
> 
> 2) I wouldn't do cory cats in a number less than 6. They will be happier and more active the more there are.
> 
> ...


Maybe I can do Sterbai or hasbrosus cories as they like warmer water. Would a 36 gallon not be big enough for both gouramis to establish a territory? Would two male pearls be alright in that space? My petsmart doesn't even stock rams. Those fellas would come from online and US breeder. But I will look more into the bolivian rams.

Thank you.


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## cousiniguana (Apr 3, 2014)

n25philly - Have you kept both blue rams and bolivian rams? The internet has led me to believe they are even more sensitive than the blues. I have to admit that I am a little intimidated by them, but they are so beautiful. Can you suggest other good centerpiece community fish for this setup?


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## jeaninel (Aug 24, 2007)

Hi, I haven't kept the German blue rams but I do have Bolivians and they have been very hardy and easy to keep.

I would only do 1 male Pearl gourami. 2 males will most likely not get along in that size tank. Pearls are my favorite gourami and the males are beautiful.


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## Shidohari (Sep 21, 2008)

I agree, only one gourami per tank...HOWEVER i have had experience with Pearl gourami's and they CAN get aggressive if they don't care for other fish in the tank.

Rams of any kind, while some are hardier than others, they are alot more sensitive to bad water parameters...I would also check comparability with the gourami, as their potential temperaments at their worst may not mesh. If infighting starts between fish, it will spread and start to affect the temperament of the rest of the tank mates.

Corys do need to be in schools as the other poster said. I have gotten in trouble myself for trying to keep three panda cory cats (or those of similar size) in a ten gallon tank with other fish. The problem with my situation is they would eventually grow out to their full size causing a 'overstock' of the bio load in the tank. Panda cories get up to a minimum of 3 inches at full growth, but i've read some people having them grow bigger.

Avoid guppies as they also produce a high bio load. Schooling fish i would recommend harlequin rasboras, if you dump the guppies, you could possibly sneak in a school of 10. I suggest this because as gourami's are related to BETTA's anything that has a flashy fin such as say a male guppy, may attract it's aggression. Think of the result as similar to waving a red cape in front of a bull... Harlequin rasboras get up to two inches at full growth and are non aggressive being rated as emotional mood A/B at most LFS.

Sorry i'm speaking with personal experience...also have a BACKUP PLAN ready for the gourami, some gourami's don't like tank mates. Even pearls could decide they don't want to be in a community tank. Be sure to have a back up tank in the event that he/she decides they don't want to play nice. Maybe some of the other members here could suggest similar sized fish that would do well in that size of the tank if it was just one of that kind.

good luck with your tank. And sorry you don't live closer to more LFS.


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## cousiniguana (Apr 3, 2014)

The guppies are a must I'm afraid. They're already here and my girls chose them "all by themselves". I'll just have to eat the bioload of 4 guppies. Pandas won't work because of temperature. Maybe sterbai or hasbrosus cories. I might get 10 chili rasboras online. I'm very undecided on the primary school. But it looks like I'll be down to one male pearl. I am intimidated by the rams a bit, and that I may not be able to keep them alive. Anyone keep cockatoo cichlids?


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## Shidohari (Sep 21, 2008)

Good luck with the tank, and I totally understand your situation with the guppies as your children already picked them out. 

4 male guppies isn't that bad of a bioload in a 36 gallon tank, just make sure that all 4 guppies are MALES 

Good luck with the tank and I look forward to seeing updates regarding it's progress.


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## cousiniguana (Apr 3, 2014)

Thanks. We have a male guppy only household here. I will be taking a journey or two to the LFS for fish. The problem there is that I would have to introduce more than the recommended few fish at a time. Is there a way to compensate for that in an already cycled tank? Quickstart?


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## ThatFishThough (Jan 15, 2016)

Do away with the pleco, they need HUGE tanks.


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