Stocking / Compatibility Question

[Michelle.2008]

Hello All!
In honour of "Bob" (my largest clown loach) I've opted to bump up from my 60 gallon to a 125 gallon (72" long by 18" deep by 22" tall). I currently have 3 clowns (still small-ish at 4 inches or so), 5 Kubotai, 10 Sidthimunki, 5 glass catfish, and 15 neon tetras. Water parameters are all good. PC lighting, 1 AC 110 HOB filter and an eheim pro 2 canister filter. Lots of mopani and hidey holes.
Question is...I can get some larger clowns (roughly the same size as the ones I have now) and am wanting to add some more to the 3 I have now.
Assuming I'm going to add 5 - 10 more sids and 6 or so otos, how many more clowns would you recommend? And if so, would I be able to have some more Kubotai's to add to that school or would I be overstocked?
I've read here the tank should be 24" front to back but I just honestly don't have the space to house any more tank than I'm already getting. Will I just be making more unhappy clowns if I add a couple more to this larger tank?
Does my filtration sound adequate, or should I look at adding another HOB?

Thanks for all the help,

Michelle

[helen nightingale]

hello, and welcome to loaches online.

sorry i cant really comment about your stocking levels, i will have to leave that to people with more experience and people that keep clowns.

i would definately add more filtration, so as well as better filtration, you will also get more water movement. i have a smaller tank than you have, and i think i have more filtration. the more the better with loaches.

[Diana]

Filtration will probably be enough if you stay on top of cleaning the filters. I would sure add more water movement, though.
I have a Koralia #4 (1200 gph) at one end of my 125 (same tank as you have) and an Aquaclear power head, old number is 802 at the other end. (Sponge over the inlet) The AC is aimed toward the front of the tank from high up on the West end, so the water is flowng East along the front. The Koralia is lower on the East end, and next to the back of the tank so the water flow is aimed toward the West.

The 125 is a very good tank for Clowns. I have 3 the size yours are in that tank, myself. Adding more of similar size will likely work. Clowns will have a little tussle to figure out who's the boss and most likely settle down.
Sids and Neons will be a little on the small side with adult clowns, I have heard of Clowns eating smaller fish, though I do not know how common it is.
More of all the schooling fish would be great.
If I was stocking a 125 with these species:
5-6 clowns (Will ultimately use about half the bio load but @ 4-5" are OK with more fish)
5-6 Kubotai
20 Sidthimunki (Ultimate Goal: Move them back to the 60 and make a community of smaller fish)
12 glass catfish
30 neon tetras (Also will get moved back tot he 60)
I am actually not fond of Neons in this tank. Clowns prefer a much higher water temperature than Neons. I would look into any of the warmer water tetras: Bleeding Hearts, Congos, Rummynose, Cardinals and others.

[Michelle.2008]

Oh no! I wasn't planning on keeping the 60 gallon and have already found it a new home.
Has anyone here kept sids with clowns successfully? I love the sids and don't want to part with them. Maybe another tank down the road as the clowns grow will have to be the answer. If so, what would be the minimum tank size for a school of 15 sids? The tank would be based around them.
Looks like I'm in for a little more research...and more tanks (which is always a wonderful thing!)

Thanks for the help so far...it's much appreciated.

[Diana]

Well, I am putting sids in a different sort of set up:
(2) tanks of 29 gallons each, connected with a 2" diameter pipe and a pump. The fish can go from one tank to the other. The sids are regular commuters.

[Michelle.2008]

That sounds very cool.
Any pictures on here of what it looks like?