Help stocking 60 gallon

[TracyKPA]

We are upgrading from a mature 30 gallon to a 60 gallon tank. We'll be increasing our Neon Tetra school to 10 and Cory cats to 8. We also have 7 Platys.

Any suggestions for additional fish to add?

 

[Byron]

It will help us if you could post your water parameters (GH, pH, maybe KH). Some fish have stronger preferences for soft or harder water.

Welcome to TFF.

Byron.

 

[TracyKPA]

Thanks, Byron!

GH is 2, pH 7.0

Also wanted to mention it's a long tank and we have a canister filter rated for 80 gallons. We'll also be running the existing tank filter for a few weeks but will eventually only be using the canister.

 

[TracyKPA]

Sorry, tried to edit my earlier post. Used different test strips - pH is still 7.0, KH is 80, GH is 60.

 

[Byron]

OK, I will assume the GH to be around 60 ppm (= 3 dGH), and KH 80 ppm (= 4 dKH). This is very soft water. Which immediately causes issues for the platies that must have more mineral, at minimum 10 dGH (= 179 ppm). The neons and cories are fine as they are soft water fish.

I would do something about the platies (I assume you already have them--can they go back to the store?) as they are not going to be in good health for very long. As for additional fish with the neons and cories (and increasing their groups is very good) look at most fish from South America (tetras, pencilfish, hatchetfish, and dwarf cichlids with some reservations) and/or SE Asia (rasbora, some of the gourami; danios and barbs but these are very active fish and need some selection).

On the filter, it is a misconception in the hobby that larger filters or more filters allow for more fish, but this is not the case generally. A larger filter can sometimes help with a problem, but if the aquarium is properly stocked the filter is not that big a deal. Live plants are not mentioned, but these would make it even less so.

By "properly stocked" is meant not only numbers, but compatible species. And this goes much farther than aggression. Neon tetra for example are shoaling fish, so a good sized group (your proposed 10) means less impact on the biology than only five or six. But being sedate fish, not active swimmers, they will have less impact with similar fish around them. Fish under stress impact the tank's biological system more than when this is not present, and compatible species with sufficient numbers and the proper environment (substrate, wood, rock, decor, plants, whatever may be "expected") factors into the equation.

Byron.

 

[TracyKPA]

Thanks, Byron. Yes, we can find the platies another home. Our current tank is lightly planted and the plan is for the larger tank to be same, with gravel as the substrate and a good amount of hidey hole type decorations. I prefer easy keepers and schooling fish...so right now I'm thinking about increasing the number of neons and cories even more, and adding a good number of pencilfish or rasboras. I do like many of the barbs - do you have any recommendations that would work with what I am currently planning (cherry barbs?)?

 

[Byron]

Thanks, Byron. Yes, we can find the platies another home. Our current tank is lightly planted and the plan is for the larger tank to be same, with gravel as the substrate and a good amount of hidey hole type decorations. I prefer easy keepers and schooling fish...so right now I'm thinking about increasing the number of neons and cories even more, and adding a good number of pencilfish or rasboras. I do like many of the barbs - do you have any recommendations that would work with what I am currently planning (cherry barbs?)?

I would get sand for the substrate, not gravel. Cories are better over sand, as it allows them to burrow into it and sift it through their gills for food, something gravel makes impossible. I have play sand in all my 8 tanks now, and only wish I had gone to it much sooner. Play sand is inexpensive, natural, safe, good for plants and all substrate-level fish...easy.

On the barbs, I would say no, given what else you intend. All barbs are active, which makes sedate fish nervous, and some can get rather feisty. Now, the cherry barb is probably the least active/feisty of barbs, but even so I would find more suitable fish from among the characins (tetras, pencilfish) that will be as lovely and even more so.

With your soft water you have an enormous range of options among South American species, many of which may well be wild caught. Pencilfish are a favourite of mine...Nannostomus marginatus, N. mortenthaleri, N. rubrocaudatus, N. eques (swims at an oblique angle), N. espei and N. digramus are a few of the very peaceful species (some others are fin nippers or a bit feisty with certain surface fish). N. mortenthaleri is a true gem, the Coral Red Pencilfish, more colourful than the very similar N. rubrocaudatus. Either of these in a group of 10-15, and you could also include a similarly-sized group of the very closely related N. marginatus. N. eques is interesting for its swimming posture.

I would also get some chunks of bogwood; all these fish like this present, and it does add organics to the water than are health aids. The dark brown Malaysian Driftwood is ideal because it it heavy and sinks immediately, is not bad for tannins, and comes in varying shapes being all natural. Some has crevices and tunnels that cories love to check out.

Byron.

 

[hobby5]

I can only second the recommendation of sand! If you set up a new tank change to sand please.

 

[Aquatony]

I have to back everyone else up on the sand.
It's more difficult to clean, to be sure, but well worth the added caution you must take when doing water changes and trying to keep the substrate clean. Besides, the Cories do a pretty good job of that, anyway. The only thing I really have to look out for is the obscene amounts of poop the Pleco churns out. LOL

I love watching the cories dig into the sand and sift it through their gills. It's such a natural process. My 5 cories that were in my mature 20 gallon went right to the 50 and started sifting the sand, even though they'd really only had gravel for their whole life. Good stuff!