# Help a newbie stock a 36G!



## Kellie (Oct 8, 2012)

Hello everyone, new to the forum!

I used to be way into aquarium keeping but its been several years since I've owned an aquarium. My sweet boyfriend knowing I missed them agreed to buy me a "small aquarium." We went shopping for a 20G and ended up coming home with a 36G bow. My original plan was a planted tank with two small schools, been debating between a tetra school, couldn't decide between black neons, regular neons, or cardinals, then either silver hatchets or harlequin rasboras. Then a school of panda cory cats (if I could find them, Pepper corys if I couldn't). Then a small group of otos if needed for algae.

Now that I have this bigger then planned for tank I can't decide what I want to do with it! I know I have time because I need to cycle and all, still want to go with live plants, super hardy low light weed types, going to do my research and make a list and buy whatever the store has that fits my non-green thumb. I'm the type of person that likes to go into everything with a plan, so although my tank is a long way off from being able to be fully stocked my brain needs to know what I am going to put in it! 

Non-debatable is a school of cory cats, hopefully pandas, probably peppers because in the past locally the only place I ever found to buy pandas is no longer in business. 

I want 2-3 schools of small fish, largest I'd want is black phantom tetras but may opt for black neons. Silver hatchets sound like a good idea because they like the top of the tank but they aren't as visually appealing to me, so maybe a smaller school just to get some top action? Cardinals, neons, or harlequin rasboras to add some color in a nice size school, don't know where I want to go with the schools, between these fish how many schools and what type do you guys think would look great together?

I want one good centerpiece fish, not a fan of gouramis, just not my style. I never did any of the cichlids but I read up on rams and think one of those may be a great idea. Please let me know if this is indeed a good idea and if it will go with my other fish plans. Or if you have a suggestion for a different centerpiece loner fish please chime in! I've always gone for the more schooling or shoaling types, never really had a singular centerpiece community fish before, did a red tail shark once in a larger barb tank that was an amazing tank and a lot of fun, but I want to stay away from aggressive guys this time. 

Then if algae became a problem I'd get 3-4 otos but only if needed. I've used them in the past and they are so small and non intrusive they are the only algae eaters I like, I find the rest kind of ugly.

So basically what do you think is a good stocking plan for me? What would you do? If you can't tell by my rambling I'm super excited to be getting back into fish! I lost my last tanks in a messy breakup years ago and have missed them ever since. Previously I've had multiple tanks so never really had to settle for a one tank stocking plan. Please give me some opinions!

Thanks!
Kellie


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## Jasper (Oct 8, 2012)

I have the same situation, where i am going to start building a 75 gallon Tank, hopefully it will be finished in the next two months, but i have been thinking of stocking it with some shrimp , Blue Lyretail and Beira Killifish. However the B.Killifish species only lives for 3 -6 months before it reproduces and dies, *frown. Ill proberbly keep 10 Shrimp and 5 of each type of the others.


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