25 Gallon Stocking Ideas ?

[AngelfishGirl]

Hey there, I am currently halfway through cycling my tank and am now thinking about what to make it home to. I originally thought about doing a tetra tank when I realized why do what other I know do. So I thought about this:
3 male guppies
5 halequin rasboras
3 dalmation or black mollys
and 1 or 2 bottom dwellers ( can't decide which )

Does this sound alright? This is my first tank and I really want a nice peaceful one

 

[Wills]

Are you doing the fishless cycle with the ammonia? How long have you been running it for.

In a 25 gallon tank that is pretty conserved stocking list really I think you would quite easily be able to do

6 Guppies (M)
3 Platies (M) (smaller and less prone to aggression than mollies and you can often get the same colouring)
8 Harlequin Rasboras

then for bottom dwellers
8 Corydora Catfish - either bronze, panda, skunk, albino etc
or
8 Dwarf Chain Loaches

Wills

 

[Cossie333]

maybe a shoal of 15-20 x-ray tetra and a bottom dweller like 8 zebra loach or polkadot loach

 

[AngelfishGirl]

Currently theres i feeder goldfish thats suppling * the ammonia. The tank has been going for just over 1 month now. I'm waiting for the nitrites to go away. Currently no ammonia and nitrates @ 5 ppm. Platys eh, any that stay under 2 or 3 inches? The more colorful the better yes! Cossie333 don't loaches prefer sand or softer substrate? Unfortunately I have marine blue gravel in the tank. But down the line I hope to get another tank ( when I learn more of course

 

[waterdrop]

That's a really nice one that Wills put up there. I like the thought of that combo for a stocking list. Platies are really, really easier than mollies - it would probably make your life much more simple.

~~waterdrop~~

 

[AngelfishGirl]

I was given a heater that is already pre-set to 78 degrees, and was reading that thats the highest temp. platys can take, is that true? My cuz has platys and she says theyre great. I don't want any mating so can all those males live happily together without fighting happening?

 

[waterdrop]

I don't think you'd get any trouble from male platies and male guppies. WD

 

[Wills]

Currently theres i feeder goldfish thats suppling * the ammonia.

This is a pretty old school method of cycling a tank, first its pretty cruel to the goldfish but that aside exposing any fish to high ammonia and/or nitrite gives the risk of that fish developing a disease and this can then even if the fish dies the disease could still live on in the tank, in the gravel on plants or in the filter and then when you come to add your pet fish you could have some issues with the disease latter. Just for future reference theres an article in the beginners resource section on fishless cycling which gets past this problem by just adding pure ammonia rather than using fish poop for it

Also I just to say I agree with waterdrop, livebearers are not that aggressive so dont think a mix of males will be an issue.

Wills

 

[AngelfishGirl]

Fantastic, so male guppies, male platys and a couple corys, if I decide not go with the rasboras what else would be peaceful? I was thinking maybe barbs but don't know much about them. Would they fin nip the others? I really want lots of color, would I be better sticking with all guppies and platys ? SO many questions and thoughts

 

[Wills]

You would be able to have some kind of schooling fish in there, in all types of schooling fish you get some nippy ones like in the barbs you get tigers and in tetras you get serpae etc.

Simple tetras like rummy nose or platinum would work pretty well. With the rasboras I would stick with your kind of harlequins there are a few species that look a bit different to one an other like you get standard harlequin as well as copper and pork chop etc different scientific names as well. You also get your micro rasbora like chilli rasbora and sparrow rasbora which would work pretty well. I think Cherry barbs would be okay in your tank as well.

Wills