# 45 gallon bowfront stocking



## peppy2013 (Feb 19, 2013)

Thinking of rehoming my current inhabitants (angel fish) and starting from scratch. Current decor is driftwood, fine gravel substrate, a few small clay pots and a whole whack of plants. My water straight out of the tap is very soft with a ph of about 6.5. It is an open top tank. What would you stock?


----------



## charles (Apr 21, 2010)

are you into smaller community fish? African? South American biotope? what is one fish you like to have and I can give you some suggestion around that fish.


----------



## peppy2013 (Feb 19, 2013)

would love a community/southie type  and my hubby absolutely loves cardinal tetras so I would love a school of them


----------



## charles (Apr 21, 2010)

in a 45g, you can do 1 or 2 groups of tetra... For example, for a SA biotope tank:

a)
1 group of cardinals of 48-60
6-12 dwarf cichlids like apistogramma, or rams or you can do 6 and 6
I was going to suggest hatchet for top water but if you have open top, then skip the hatchet.
12-24 corys of either 1 or 2 types.
1 angel fish to act as predatory so the tetra will school tight.
a fancy pleco or 2 or 3 or 4... whatever you like... even bristlenose will be good to clean aglae
Then you can add 3 tetra of the same type like bleeding heart, red phantom, even Columbian tetra to fill the tank up...

b)
24 cardinals
24 rummynose
6-12 dwarf cichlids like apistogramma, or rams or you can do 6 and 6
I was going to suggest hatchet for top water but if you have open top, then skip the hatchet.
12-24 corys of either 1 or 2 types.
1 angel fish to act as predatory so the tetra will school tight.
a fancy pleco or 2 or 3 or 4... whatever you like... even bristlenose will be good to clean aglae

c) all nano fish stock
48 cardinals
12 blue line tetra
12-24 red pencil
48 pygme corys
12 stand side corys
6-12 amano shrimp
6-12 otocinclus


----------



## peppy2013 (Feb 19, 2013)

Im thinking cardinals, some rams and corys. What temp would you suggest the tank being set at? and what cory(s) would you suggest that can handle warmer water? :bigsmile: looks like I will soon be sending Canadian Aquatics a shopping list lol


----------



## charles (Apr 21, 2010)

if you are getting two groups of cory, try two groups of different looking corys. For example, metae vs julii. Solid body vs spotting... Corys can handle warmer water. Lots of clients have discus water with corys. But I don't think you are keeping your water that warm. 76-78F is ideal.


----------



## Steve (Mar 27, 2013)

I've kept sterbai corys up to 90 degrees and they've been fine for a few months so far! They do move around quite a lot though so I'm sure you can keep most types of corys


----------

