This shouldn't work but it does.

[Carolann]

When I first set up my tank it was a total newbie tank as a kind person pointed out to me 2 of these 2 of those , you get the idea.
Time goes on and a few of the original fish have swam off to fishy heaven, but a good few of my favourites remained i.e. my beautiful opalescent angel who by now is quite large and i still have both of the ever arguing 3spot gouramis , and both of the crabs and a good few of the tetras i started with.
Then it happened . I went to get some new plants and some more food and ,.......well ....i just happened to notice 2 gorgeous golden marble angels , oh and did i mention the 2 red tail sharks that looked lonely. Yes I know Carlynz Bl**dy idiot , well the 2 sharks are being kept in check by Angel who rules the tank and also they are frightened of the 2, 3 spot who still hurtle round like things possessed.
I had thought about letting you know this shopping trip a while ago but have been waiting for the right moment. Have had them for about 3 months now.
I have got my tin hat on.

[Carylnz]

I think we have all experienced the impulse buy at some point (often more than once!)
Good thing you have your tin hat on as the good times can end abruptly, without warning, with carnage all around
Two red tail black sharks will never stay friendly unless they are in a very large tank with plenty of hiding places and out of line of sight. As they age their behaviour will likely change for the worse. Usually at the 18 mth - 2 yr mark.
Of course next thing will be the marble angels turning out to be a breeding pair and laying eggs then defending them from anything within 3ft
Good luck!

[Carolann]

Now why did I think you might be along with kind words of wisdom yes I know a tank full of agro just waiting to happen. Who knows I might have the only gay sharks in the fishy world.

[Carolann]

Quick update 1 month after posting all still ok in the crazy tank.
Carlynz did you mention something about breeding pairs of angel fish , I did have a couple of days watching one of the marble angels who seemed to have got a bit fatter and the beautiful white angel did get a bit defensive, I have put a piece of slate into the tank " Just in case" it happens again. The 2 sharks are still mesmerised by the 3 spot gouramis and so far hanvnt eaten any of the small fish.

[Carylnz]

I mentioned that a pair of breeding angels can cause havoc in a community tank as they defend a 3ft radius around their eggs

[4eye]

That's what happened to me and my tank...I changed the types of stock I kept and was all honky dory till they got bigger, 2 gourami,3 angels, 1 com plec, 2 Chinese loaches,2 silver sharks, I had a couple of corys from the "old stock", and a blue lobster named krusty,things were not too bad at first but it turned chaotic very quicly, the gourami chased each other constantly, same with the loaches,the big plec(11.5 inch) that i rescued bossed the whole tank,two if the three angels paired....layed eggs all over the filter, the pair bullied the 3rd angel,couldn't rehome it so it died, the tank was not calm, nowhere near relaxing to watch but it was Fasinating watching krusty, trying to move the stones, then he got big (8")enough he could pick up the stones, the cory went missing, a gourami disappeared, woke up to an angel with half a face, it was a truly horrible period of my fish keeping.

Now with the plec (15-20yrs old) gone to the bowl in the sky with one of the loaches(9yrs oldish),rehomed the sharks/gourami&angel, krusty died while I was on holiday I had a prett much empty 200ltr tank, I kept live bearers that bread like rabbits and consumed the tank totally over stocking it, now I just keep tetra. Tetra = happy (not everyone's cuppa as the are "easy fish/starter fish", but I'm happy with them and that's all that matters!

[Carylnz]

but I'm happy with them and that's all that matters!

That's right! I like a large school of tetras too

[4eye]

but I'm happy with them and that's all that matters!

That's right! I like a large school of tetras too

i have thought of doing 2 scool of tetra but i keep getting swayed by having variety in the tank......one day i will resist my urge and do it.....but for now i stay weak

[Carylnz]

Two gives you interesting contrast

[4eye]

Ah yes.... but which two to choose Such decisions are far too difficult for me

[Carylnz]

Rummies at least! They are cool.

[4eye]

Ooooooo.....yeah, rummies & maybe cardinals or penguin or maybe rums up top and corys on the bottom!!! Or... Or... Or......aaraaaaahhhhhhhhh

It's no good......I can't make even a hypothetical decision with 50% of it already done for me!

[Carylnz]

Rummies and cardinals look good. Add a few corys to the bottom as well.

[4eye]

I'm sold!!! Now....lets talk about numbers...does 15 cards 15 rums and 5 corys( trilineatus)sound right in 4ft 200ish ltr tank!?

Oh and apologies to carolann for totally hijacking your thread!

[zyla]

Saw some gorgeous albino rummy nose tetras in my lfs a couple of months ago but couldn't get them as was finishing off cycling my 180l tank and then spent weeks with the owner trying to work out wth was weird with my water (all chemistry thats normally tested was fine, we finally concluded it was possibly some heavy metal, so slowly swapped over to bought water and also have some stuff in my filter to make sure it's all neutralised safely).

Obviously in this time the lovely tetras were sold, and I'm still waiting for them to get some more back in which are as beautifully coloured as the first lot I saw... having to be SO restrained everytime I go in, as I'm wanting 2 or 3 schools of different tetras, and I always see fish I like, but I'm trying to be good and wait.

Uhm.. long story short - I agree, schools of tetras can be really cool