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I'm wondering if the 72 gal in my sig is overstocked. I recently decided to get discus and I'm fairly new with stocking larger fish. It has been setup for about four years and has a penguin 400, eheim pro 2, compact florescent 130W light, and two heaters. There is also a 3.5 foot peice of driftwood going diagonally across the tank. It's lightly planted and I'm currently working on planting the tank. The common pleco is going to go and I might get 2 more bristlenose and maybe 3 more panda or peppered corys. I also might change the gravel with eco-complete(the one for plants) in the near future. Any suggestions, comments, or concerns?

What does that mean, Bob? "Till the cows come home." Where have the cows been?

Step 1 : Rehouse the Common Plec. That will remove a LOT of bioloading concerns at a stroke.

Step 2 : Once that is done, you should also find homes for your lone Black Skirt (preferably with someone who already has a group of them to give him some playmates of his own species), and the 3 Peppered Corys. Replace the 3 Peppered Corys with 5 more Pandas, because your Pandas will be a LOT happier in a group of 8 or so of their own kind. In fact, you could, once the Common Plec is gone, make that 12 Pandas and enjoy their endless fun and frolics!

Step 3 : Add 6 Otocinclus to help with the algae.

Step 4 : Bring your Rummy Noses up to 10 individuals if you want to keep the Rummies. If not, rehouse the Rummies with someone else who already has some, and boost your Cardinals to 20.

Step 5 : Rehouse the Danios too. That will free up more space. With the Danios rehoused, you could run with 16 Cardinals and 12 Rummies as your shoaling fishes, along with the Otocinclus and the extra Pandas. Possibly even 16 of each.

Step 6 : Do NOT get any more Discus. Otherwise you'll be pushing the envelope dangerously.

Once that little lot is implemented, you should have a stunning setup - a miniature version of the one they used to have at Liverpool Museum before the refit - in which they had 30 Discus and 200 each of Cardinals and Rummies. Mind you, that WAS in a 2,000 gallon tank ...


Panda Catfish fan and keeper/breeder since Christmas 2002

I think I somewhat have a plan now. I am getting rid of the common pleco this week. I will prolly go with 16 cardinals and maybe 12 or 16 rummies, I have to talk to a local fish store owner to see if he can get them. I will get some more pandas for sure. Instead of the ottos, would two bristlenoses, possibly starlights, work with my existing one?

As for the 4 zebra danios, 3 peppered corys, and black skirt I think I'm going to move them into my 29 gallon(1 male betta and 3 zebra danios) and add 5 more black skirts and 3 ottos.

What does that mean, Bob? "Till the cows come home." Where have the cows been?

In a tank as large as a 72, I don't see a problem with more than one Brisstlenose provided the numbers are balanced out to avoid bioload excesses. You could try and obtain a male/female pair, and see if tey'll spawn.


Panda Catfish fan and keeper/breeder since Christmas 2002