# Stocking list for 180



## Mckean13 (Nov 9, 2015)

Hey I'm cycling a 180 gallon tank right now. I was thinking roughly along the lines of this list:
1 Plecostomus
1 Redtail shark
3 peacock cichlid
3 yellow labs cichlid
4 bosemani rainbowfish
3 clown loaches
2 Yellow peacock cichlid
1 Maingano cichlid
1 Cobalt blue zebra cichlid
3 bala shark
(All male)

How does this look, what compatibility issues are there? Thanks!


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## emc7 (Jul 23, 2005)

Ack. No, if you go mbuna, do an all malawi tank. Don't but loaches in there.


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## e048 (Dec 23, 2010)

Sounds like a massacre waiting to happen

Go straight up cichlids with some plecos and synodontus catfishes if you want cichlids

You could go largish community with rainbows some severums or discus and go for a more biotope tank


If I was in your situation I would go salt water


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## lohachata (Jan 27, 2006)

let's see....if you are going to keep species from the rift valley lakes then i would suggest the following..

no plecos...
no redtail shark.
no rainbows.
no clown loaches.
no bala sharks..

these species come from different waters that are considerable different than the rift lake species..


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## toddnbecka (Jun 30, 2006)

You can stock either peacocks or mbuna, but they don't usually mix well. Mbuna, aside from yellow Lab's, are too active/aggressive for the peacocks. Bala sharks simply grow too large even for a 180, even if they were compatible with the cichlids. The redtail shark would probably be alright, not direct competition for the cichlids, and tough enough to hold his own territory. Clown loaches aren't suitable, better to go with Synodontis multi's or lucipinnis/petricola. Pleco's are hit-or-miss, sometimes they can find enough cover, sometimes they get killed, not a good risk. Some rainbows will do well in hard/alkaline water, not sure about bosemani, but in general they're not too likely to get trashed by the cichlids. I've kept praecox rainbows with them before, the rainbows mainly beat up on each other.


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## TheOldSalt (Jan 28, 2005)

Normally I would worry about what happens when all of those fish start getting big, but with that mix, many of them will die long before that happens. LOL!

Okay, a little more seriously, by now you should have gotten the hint that this mix is a bad idea. You can make most of it work, though, with a few changes.

Lose the Cobalt & Yellow Labs. Yes, they're cool, but their needs are incompatible with the needs of the others.
The Peacocks will either die young or survive to only kill everything else.
The Pleco... if you REALLY like them, then ok, but they are just big poop machines if you ask me.


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## Mckean13 (Nov 9, 2015)

Ok so revised 180 gallon stocking list: 
8 boesemani rainbowfish
2 pairs of angelfish
5 Clown loaches
German blue ram pair
Blood parrot cichlid
Cockatoo cichlid

How does this one look?
What problems might there be?


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## Mckean13 (Nov 9, 2015)

Ok so revised 180 gallon stocking list: 8 boesemani rainbowfish
2 pairs of angelfish
5 Clown loaches
German blue ram pair
Blood parrot cichlid
Cockatoo cichlid

I know the bosemani rainbows and the angelfish have different oreffered Ph levels, so I might not include them, but what other problems may there be? Thanks!


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## lohachata (Jan 27, 2006)

i am not a fan of cross bred species like the blood parrots.as time passes they will suffer and die well before their time.
outside of that you should be just fine.


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## TheOldSalt (Jan 28, 2005)

Agreed. there's just no excuse for Blood Parrots.
Everything else is fine.


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## Mckean13 (Nov 9, 2015)

Blue ram
4 angelfish
Rainbow shark
Cockatoo cichlid
Flag tail 
Blood parrot 

This is the stock for the 200 gallon I'm cycling right now. 

Anyone have an idea for a centerpiece fish or schooling fish that would fit this stock? Thanks so much!


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## Elliott225 (Jan 9, 2014)

The blood parrots IMHO, are a docile species (if you can call them that) are they are easily bullied. They are even bullied by smaller fish. They have trouble eating as they can't open their mouths very wide. They need food that doesn't sink to fast. I have 3 in a 75g with a single Silver Dollar and they are growing nicely. They can't breed as they are infertile (I read they are all infertile that are sold in shops), but they do lay eggs. They are also like African cichlids and love to rearrange the tank. I've had them now for about 2 years and they are the size of tennis balls.


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## Mckean13 (Nov 9, 2015)

Cycling a 200 gallon A.t.m, how does this look as far as overstocking and compatability? German Blue ram 4 male angelfish Cockatoo cichlid Flag tail prochilidous 6 rainbowfish (likely reds) 7 rummynose tetras Tea cup sting ray Black ghost knifefish Pearl gourami 5 Rosaline sharks
Reply


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## TheOldSalt (Jan 28, 2005)

Whoa... the stingray has got to go. Everything else is fine, but rays are best kept by themselves.


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## toddnbecka (Jun 30, 2006)

Even a teacup needs a larger tank than 200 gallon, and they do need to be kept alone or with other rays.


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## Mckean13 (Nov 9, 2015)

Okay that was my biggest question. Do you recommend any bottom feeders/ swimmers?


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## TheOldSalt (Jan 28, 2005)

You almost can't go wrong with Corydoras cats.


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