55g stocking sanity check

[BarnabyBriggs]

This is the exact type of reply I was looking for, thank you.

S. eupterus is a river syno and suited to lower pH compared to the lake species, the recommended pH range is 6.2-7.5 rather than the 8.0+ that characterizes its Tanganyikan cousins (multipunctatus, grandiops, polli etc.). Splitting by water movement might be a better way to ensure all fish are comfortable - maybe one mid-flow tank (~7-8x tank volume/h) with the syno + cories, and a "high-flow" tank (>12x volume/h) for the plecos + rainbow shark (which likewise prefers rapids to more stationary water)? pH would be in the 6.5-7.0 range for both, which fits all species involved.
If you're looking for more information on aquarium setups, you might find this helpful: https://ozwin-casino.org/.If so, the 55 would remain as the mid-flow option, while I can set up something along the lines of a 40g to accommodate the plecos and the shark.

I'm glad the reply was helpful! Your plan to split the tanks by water movement sounds like a great approach, ensuring each species has the right environment. The pH range and flow rates you’ve suggested seem perfect for creating comfortable conditions for all the fish involved.

 

[Conchonius]

And that is the exact kind of reply I wasn't looking for, Mr. Bot. Nice hidden casino ad you've got there.

In any case, I have some bad news. I noticed the rainbow shark breathing heavily and got some extra aeration, but lost it the day after. It seems that it did not recover from the fungus as well as I had thought.

A shame - I liked that shark. I should've split off some fish to lower the bioload sooner. Fortunately the others seem fine, but I did a 50% WC and will keep a close eye on things.

As for future plans, I ordered a 300L water storage unit (akin to the Rubbermaid stock tanks that aren't readily available here) that I'll remove the kuhlis, raphael and the L201 into, which will leave me with 12 cories, 3 plecos, and the syno. This should be a low enough bioload to host these fish with volume to spare, and they're all mid-pH, low-TDS river species, so their water compatibility shouldn't be an issue.

Also got a Fluval FX4 on the cheap, which should improve circulation for the plecos.