180 gallon stocking opinions.

[91five0]

Getting ready to stock my 180 gallon tank with a cpr 3000 sump. Looking for opinions on stocking.100% For sure stock are 10-12 discus, 75-100 cardinal tetra. This is where I need help should I stock a school of corys maybe 10 or more, a few pairs of rams or apistos and a hand full of amano shrimp. Or should I nix the corys, and stock more amano shrimp and stock x number of apistos or rams?

[dagray]

I guess corys can be hit or miss as you want a variety that likes the temperature the discus like (there are some specie of cory in the same water), but some corys don't like the high temps (salt and pepper corys and panda corys for example).

[oliverk]

I guess corys can be hit or miss as you want a variety that likes the temperature the discus like (there are some specie of cory in the same water), but some corys don't like the high temps (salt and pepper corys and panda corys for example).

My panda corys are doing just fine as far as temps go, had a number of breedings before they discus arrived, seems that discus like smaller panda cory snacks. That said I find them great for my planted wooded community tank, discus and a small school of cardinal tetras and snails round out the inhabitants.

At the end of the day it is your choice of course, I like just a few things represented well rather than a lot of things with only a couple of examples. My taste would be just the three - a bottom cleaner, another small schooling fish, and discus. I lean toward two maybe three of the same type of discus, but fish that look somewhat similar in patterns and coloration rather than a riot of colors and patterns - this hopefully will make them seem a little different yet related - there is that depth thing again psudeo form. Sigh

Depending on the size of your schools and filter it seems like you might be able to trade for more discus. My 120 call it 100 -110 after gravel wood and plants, could support 12-14 maybe fifteen discus am at 10 now with no problems and my well regarded supplier sponsor thinks I could support this many more, and you have a lot more water. Therefore, with your tank I'd be thinking of a few more discus than the 10-12 you are talking.