Hey Everyone, I'm trying to build a community tank in Philly!

[Groundhog]

Hi everyone, I figured I'd jump on here to pick everyone's brains and learn a bit more about apistos.

I've got a few tanks, my oldest being a 40 gallon with a red eared slider I've had for over 30 years (plus some goldfish he's given up on trying to eat and hopefully some cherry shrimp, though they've been in hiding since the goldfish overstayed their welcome...but that's another story).

My second tank is a 10 gallon that I use as my quarantine, currently has some guppies and cherry shrimp just hanging out.

My main tank is a large community tank - 180 gallons with:

• 12 neon tetras (+2 fire greens that didn't swim into the sump)
• 7 Albino corys
• 6 Bronze corys
• 4 Clown Loaches
• 3 Panduro apistos (2 female, 1 male)
• 3 Giant danios
• 2 Bolivian rams
• 2 Anglefish
• 2 Bristlenose plecos
• 1 Golden gourami
• 1 Pearl gourami
• 1 Dwarf gourami

I'd love to add a few (1-2) more apistos to the tank. I believe I have enough caves/territories with separated sightlines. I've found it hard to locate apistos nearby, but in a dream world, I would love to add a triple red cacatuoides and maybe one other showstopper.

I've had my panduro's for a few months now and I love them. They fought a little at first (and tried to breed when in quarantine), but they seem to get along fine now. I'm not looking to breed, just have some really gorgeous and interesting guys to finish out the bottom of the tank. Would love to get everyone's thoughts on what could work.

 

[MacZ]

You already have 5 dwarf cichlids, 13 Corydoras and 4 Loaches (with the potential to grow to 30cm each). Leave it be. I'd rather think about reducing the number of species, while increasing the number of individuals for the species left.

That kind of fish-soup stocking is rather not advisable in general. I don't understand how people can lump fish together like this. (And I've been on Fishlore for three years, so I've seen things. Maybe you'd be better off going and asking for help there.)
It doesn't have to be a biotope with only fish from the same river/region/continent but this seems to be just an accumulation of fish according to the "rule of cool".

I'm not of help here. And I think some (not all) of the others here will likely be of similar opinions.
Good luck.

 

[Eddy. E.]

but in a dream world, I would love to add a triple red cacatuoides and maybe one other showstopper.

I don't want to denigrate you, but I think you should leave it to dreaming. What you have in mind is not a good idea. Your aquarium is already very strangely stocked.
I can't help thinking that you're choosing your species based on like and dislike. At least your composition doesn't show any structure. Sorry.