Mid Size Community Tank Stocking Recipes Guide
These mid size community tank stocking recipes are battle-tested plans we use at Gensou Aquascaping, 5 Everton Park, for Singapore hobbyists stocking 30 to 75 gallon tanks. Each recipe is balanced for bioload, temperament, and PUB tap water, and avoids the rookie mistake of overstocking in our warm 28-30 degC ambient.
Recipe 1: Classic Tetra Community (55 or 75 gal)
15 rummynose tetras, 12 cardinal tetras, 8 harlequin rasbora, 6 panda corydoras, 2 bristlenose pleco, 1 apistogramma cacatuoides pair, 10 amano shrimp. Soft water, pH 6.5-7.2, temperature 26-27 degC. Peaceful, colourful, works superbly in a planted layout. See our planted setup guide.
Recipe 2: African Cichlid Community (75 gal)
4 yellow lab, 4 Cynotilapia Acei, 3 Melanochromis auratus, 3 Labeotropheus fuelleborni, 2 Synodontis multipunctatus. Aragonite substrate, high pH 8.0-8.4, rockwork territories. For full substrate and rock plans see our cichlid setup guide.
Sex Ratios Matter
Run 1M:2-3F on each Mbuna species to disperse male aggression. Single males of peaceful “dither” species like Synodontis catfish are fine.
Recipe 3: Southeast Asia Biotope (55 gal)
12 harlequin rasbora, 8 cherry barbs, 6 kuhli loach, 4 pearl gourami, 2 honey gourami, 10 Malaysian trumpet snails. Soft acidic water pH 6.0-6.8, tannin-stained with driftwood and almond leaves, dim lighting. Captures a Malaysian peat swamp feel and suits heat-tolerant stocking. Temperature 27-28 degC works natively.
Recipe 4: Discus Show Tank (75 gal)
6 discus (3.5-4 inch), 20 cardinal tetras, 10 sterbai corydoras, 2 farlowella catfish. Very warm 28-30 degC (Singapore-friendly without heater), soft water pH 6.2-6.8, 50% weekly water changes. High filtration (dual Eheim 2217 or Oase Biomaster 350) and sterile aquascape. Premium hobby level; livestock alone runs $900-$1,500.
Recipe 5: Planted Community with Centrepiece (55 or 75 gal)
1 pair Bolivian rams, 15 ember tetras, 12 green neon tetras, 10 Otocinclus, 8 sterbai corydoras, 20 amano shrimp, 1 Siamese algae eater. Pairs perfectly with Rotala and Cryptocoryne aquascape. pH 6.8-7.2, temperature 26-27 degC. The “works for everyone” recipe for planted builds.
Recipe 6: Nano Jewel Community (30 gal)
12 chili rasbora, 10 pygmy corydoras, 1 betta splendens (female or peaceful male), 1 red cherry shrimp colony of 25+, 5 nerite snails. Works well as a heat-stable desk tank in Singapore, no heater required.
Bioload Maths
The “1 inch per gallon” rule is outdated. Use a bioload scoring approach: small tetras = 1 point, medium community fish = 3, large fish = 6, cichlids = 5-8. A 75 gal handles about 80-100 bioload points with a canister rated 1,500 L/hr. Our filter sizing guide dials this in.
Temperature Compatibility in Singapore
Skip species that need under 24 degC (koi, goldfish, white cloud minnows) in non-aircon flats. Stick to rasbora, tetra, apisto, gourami, Mbuna, Hap, and discus lines which tolerate 26-30 degC natively. Save your heater budget for aircon-regulated rooms. See the heater watts guide.
Acclimation and Quarantine
Drip acclimate 45 minutes minimum for new livestock. Run a bare 10-15 gallon quarantine for 2 weeks for wild-caught or premium fish to prevent ich and velvet wipeouts in your display tank.
Floor Load Reminder
A 75 gal fully stocked is 340 kg and exceeds HDB 150 kg/sqm. Review placement in our HDB load rating guide before committing to any recipe on this page.
Singapore Sourcing Summary
C328 Clementi stocks cardinal tetras $1.50-$2.50, harlequin rasbora $1.20-$1.80, bristlenose $12-$22. Y618 Serangoon North carries apistogramma $28-$55, Bolivian ram pairs $45-$75, rare tetras $3-$6. Green Chapter Jurong West sells tropical community packs and biotope-style Cryptocoryne $8-$18. Iwarna Aquafarm imports discus $120-$350 and show-grade Mbuna $40-$120. Nature Aquarium Gallery Thomson Road stocks quarantined discus and rare tetras $35-$380. Polyart supplies driftwood and leaf litter $6-$22. Carousell breeder CRS, endler, and shrimp colonies $45-$180 per colony. Shopee imports almond leaves and Indian almond bundles $8-$18.
Related Reading
emilynakatani
Still Have Questions About Your Tank?
Drop by Gensou Aquascaping — most walk-in questions get answered in under 10 minutes by someone who has set up hundreds of tanks.
5 Everton Park #01-34B, Singapore 080005 · Open daily 11am – 8pm
