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Stocking Options?


KiwiGal77

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While my tank is cycling with the first 2 platys, I'm trying to decide how I want to stock it. I'm mainly after variety - colour and shape/types, but I also like to see small schools of fish. It's only a 45L tank, so quite challenging to get that variety without overstocking.

My original plan was:

3 platys

7 cochu blue tetras

Then when feeding pellets this morning I was thinking how cute some corys would be scurrying along the bottom of the tank, so now considering:

4 platys

1 blue dwarf gourami

3 corys

What other peaceful and cheaper combination options can people think of?

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Add your information into this and see how you do: http://www.aqadvisor.com/AqAdvisor.php? ... AddFilter&

It's a great site for working out basic stocking and compatibility for your tank and filter size.

Awesome site, thank you!

According to that, both those options are sitting at approx 95% capacity. Good to know I'm on the right track for stocking levels :)

Can't decide if I want to see more fish swimming all around the tank (option 1), or a bit more variety but possibly a quieter looking tank (options 2). Hmm, decisions...

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Oh ok, thanks for letting me know. I thought from what I had read it was minimum of 3 for corys and 6 for tetras? Lots of people seem to keep them in those numbers, but I don't want unhappy fish :)

Well that means option 2 won't work. What else could I do?

Plenty of people do keep very small schools, and they can often live quite happily, however you'll see more natural behaviour in a bigger group. We had 6 panda cories, and I was really surprised when they started breeding how much more interesting they were to watch in a bigger group - the difference in behaviour between 6 cories and 15-20 is quite striking, in my experience.

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Hi, I have 3 sterbai corys & a bunch of guppies in a 45l tank. The cories were quite shy initially, but once I got the plants growing really thickly with only a few bare areas of gravel, and put in a couple of hollow ornaments that they can shelter inside, they got quite active and much bolder. I see them all the time weaving in and out of the plants and 'chasing' single file from one end of the tank to the other (I half wonder if that is the start of breeding behaviour?) Personally, I think that if you have your tank well planted and get one of the smaller species (panda, sterbai or similar) that should be OK.

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Thanks everyone :)

Will look into the pygmy corys, a school of 5 of them would be very cute and according to AqAdvisor is similar bio-load to 3 three-lined corys (which are my fave look-wise).

It looks like I can actually get away with the below:

2 platy

7 blue tetra

5 pygmy or 3 three-lined cory

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Hmm, so after doing a bit more reading it would seem the cochu blue tetras are actually complete prats, well known for harassing, fin nipping and even killing other fish and probably not suitable for a 45 litre tank.

Maybe I should swap them for green neon tetras to get my blue/silver schooling fix?

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There seems to be quite a reflection from the sides of the tank, something one of my platys isn't overly impressed with lol.

Have done a bit more research and spoken to the people at the LFS, and this is what we came up with:

1 honey gourami as the feature fish

6 neons as the school

3 julii cory

Means I will have to say goodbye to my two little platys :( They've been good first fish and done a good job at cycling my tank!

Before I go ahead and get the neons this weekend to start building up the community, I just wanted to make sure people thought the above would work? Any issues with those 3 species being together? I know ideally I would have 10 neons and 6 corys, but I just haven't got the room without being really over-stocked, and I've been assured they will be happy in those numbers.

Thanks!

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I think your choice of fish and stocking numbers should be ok, although I definitely agree with SanityChelle that bigger schools are always better, and result in happier fish and more natural behaviour. However, if I were you, I'd keep the platys for now, and get the cories next. Why? Because the cories will be hardier than the neons, and the tank will be quite interesting to watch with just 3 cories and a couple of platys. Let the tank get properly established, and get all the initial "teething troubles" sorted out, then get the rest of the fish later. After a couple of months, you may well find that you rethink what fish you want - I know I did! I initially wanted a colourful tank, but I didn't give much thought to the different personalities of different fish - aside from choosing peaceful species, I pretty much thought they would all be the same. So I was really surprised that our panda cories quickly became my favourites - they're like little puppies, the way they chase all over the tank and then huddle up together to rest! In a small tank, they swim all over the whole tank - they won't just stay on the bottom. And then they started to breed...So our tank now is very different from what we initially planned! I guess what I'm trying to say is that I think you're best to create your tank slowly and, while it's a good idea to have it planned, don't be surprised if you plans change as your tank evolves.

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Thanks nzcookie :)

I thought of the three the corys were the most fragile, then the honey gourami then the neons? I knew they were all pretty fragile and sensitive to new tanks, which is why I got the platys first. Don't think I can afford the corys at the moment, and would want to get 3 at the same time. Platys been in there two weeks now, when I checked levels last week ammonia was at .25, the other two were at 0. Will test again this weekend before getting the new fish, whichever ones it may be.

I know what you mean about changing your mind.. My friend originally suggested corys but I dismissed them for not being "fish-like" enough, but the more time I see them the more I fall in love with them. So they're now a definite, so cute! Like you I currently want a colourful tank, but also want the individual species to be different in behaviour too to make it interesting.

I'm already looking on TM for a larger tank, unfortunately just haven't got the room for anything. But it's definitely on the wish list! Although I don't think a bigger tank would help the decision process, just more possibilities :slfg:

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IMO you need far more than 3 cories :( Cories are shoaling fish - these guys may been seen in groups of hundreds in the wild. They require large groups in order to feel safe, show natural behaviours etc. Smaller groups tend to be timid, stressed and are more prone to disease - not preferable!

Here's a good article on shoals: http://www.practicalfishkeeping.co.uk/c ... p?sid=6577

Personally in tanks below 55L I recommend around 2 species for the tank. They can have quite the bioload (especially large enough shoals) and so I'd say go for 2 species for a few months, see how you handle it and then perhaps add a third.

Cochu's blue tetras are known for fin nipping (something that also reduces in large shoals) and may be a wee bit too big for the tank. I have some "nano" fish listed here - http://fishwise.co.nz/index.php/article ... ble%20Nano Fish (scroll down to the 55L and over for some middle dwelling shoalers).

There are a variety of small shoaling top dwelling species available for smaller aquariums. Their care tends to be similar, often needing: low to moderate flow, dense planting, low lighting, soft water and large numbers. Their temperature ranges can vary depending on their locality, as some may come from shallow streams or cooler lakes and deeper waters. A lot of these species are shy and easily out competed for food, meaning they need a good sized shoal and peaceful tankmates. Many of these species are also jumpers, and may require a tight fitting lid. These fish tend to be smaller Danios, Rasbora and Tetras coming from South America and Southeast Asia but there are many different shoaling fish around the world!

Some species may include (in no particular order):

Emerald Eye Rasbora (Brevibora dosriocellata), Chilli Rasbora (Boraras brigittae), Dwarf Rasbora (Boraras maculatus), Celestial Pearl Danio or Galaxy Rasbora (Celestichthys or Microrasbora erythromicron), Clown Rasbora (Rasbora kalochroma), Sawbwa Rasbora or Asian Rummynose Tetra (Sawbwa resplendens), Lambchop Rasbora (Trigonostigma espei), Glowlight Rasbora or Slender Wedge Rasbora (Trigonostigma hengeli), Harlequin Rasbora (Trigonostigma heteromorpha), Neon Blue Rasbora (Sundadanio axelrodi), Dwarf Danio (Danio nigrofasciatus), Ember Tetra (Hyphessobrycon amandae), Green Neon Tetra (Paracheirodon simulans)

*Bolded means readily available/common

There's a bit on Honey gourami below that if it's of any interest :)

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