37 gl tank, how many fish I can put in!!!! 9 fishes now but the tank looks empty!!!

[Berksou]

Dear all,

I am new to the hobby and very excited! I bought a 37 gl aquarium along with 3 silver dollars, 5 cory catfish and 1 flame dwarf gourami. I have been reading and testing my water for almost 3 weeks! Very interesting chemistry, I am still though waiting for my tank to fully cycle as I still have some ammonia.

My questions is: once my cycle finishes, I would like to add more activity to the tank. I am thinking to add 5 guppies and 3 snails to the group. Do you think this is too much for the tank size? The fish I have now are not very active

 

[Essjay]

Before answering we need to know if you have soft or hard water.

If you have soft water, I would get more cories of the same species and a shoal of soft water fish rather than hard water guppies.



I would also return the silver dollars. They need to be in a group of at least 5 in a tank at least 6 feet long. They are big fish which will soon outgrow a 37 gallon tank.

Metynnis hypsauchen (Silver Dollar) — Seriously Fish

www.seriouslyfish.com

 

[Berksou]

Thank you Essjay for the reply!
Our tap water is very soft and the alkalinity (KH) is almost zero. I tried recently to add some crushed coral with the existing gravel, and hopefully this will stabilize my ph.

Do the silver dollars take time to grow? I cannot return them now but one of our local stores told me after a year (when they grow) bring them back for trade. I am not sure what to do....

Also, do you have suggestions for active fishes that can live in my water, maybe mollies or platties?

What about the gourami I feel it is lonly

 

[Essjay]

The gourami is OK on his own - though a number of dwarf gouramis are infected with an incurable disease, so keep an eye on him just in case.

Mollies and platies are hard water fish which will not do well in your soft water. But there are many species of tetra which are colourful and lively; too many to list. Other members will have suggestions of fish they have kept. You need to wait until the tank is fully cycled so there is time to decide.

I'm afraid I don't know how fast silver dollars grow as I've never had a tank big enough to keep them. Someone will know though.
But if a store sold these fish to you knowing the size of the tank, they were mis-sold and should take them back on those grounds. However, if they didn't know the tank size, they can't be blamed for selling them to you.

 

[Berksou]

Thank you again! I thought adding crushed coral will solve the softness problem of my water, isn't the case?

Also I want to buy an angelfish since its beautiful, can I keep a single angelfish in the tank with other species? since I don't want to crowd my tank and also because they fight according to my Reading.

So as per your suggestion, I will target a tank with this configuration:

Group of cories (5) and snails (3)
Group of tetras (5-10)
One gourami
One angelfish

 

[Rocky998]

Thank you again! I thought adding crushed coral will solve the softness problem of my water, isn't the case?

Also I want to buy an angelfish since its beautiful, can I keep a single angelfish in the tank with other species? since I don't want to crowd my tank and also because they fight according to my Reading.

So as per your suggestion, I will target a tank with this configuration:

Group of cories (5) and snails (3)
Group of tetras (5-10)
One gourami
One angelfish

I would leave the angelfish out and the DWARF gourami... You can do a gourami that is still very beautiful called the pearl gourami. They dont come with a nasty disease either, Ive also heard how peaceful they are

 

[Essjay]

I thought adding crushed coral will solve the softness problem of my water, isn't the case?

There is no problem with your soft water. You need soft water for cories, tetras, angels and gouramis. Please don't try to make the water harder. If you make it hard enough for guppies, platies and mollies it would be too hard for the soft water fish.

The two groups are not compatible, it is either cories, tetras, gouramis etc OR guppies, platies and mollies.


The tank is not really suitable for angelfish. They should really be kept in a group in a much larger tank than you have.

 

[StripySnailGirl04]

Dear all,

I am new to the hobby and very excited! I bought a 37 gl aquarium along with 3 silver dollars, 5 cory catfish and 1 flame dwarf gourami. I have been reading and testing my water for almost 3 weeks! Very interesting chemistry, I am still though waiting for my tank to fully cycle as I still have some ammonia.

My questions is: once my cycle finishes, I would like to add more activity to the tank. I am thinking to add 5 guppies and 3 snails to the group. Do you think this is too much for the tank size? The fish I have now are not very active

I would get snails. They are algae vacuum cleaners and are ULTRA CUTE! Or maybe that is just me. I argue on a daily basis with my friend as to whether snails are cuter than budgies.
But then, your water is too soft for them...

 

[StripySnailGirl04]

Could we have pics of your tank? I would love to see it.

 

[Rocky998]

I would get snails. They are algae vacuum cleaners and are ULTRA CUTE! Or maybe that is just me. I argue on a daily basis with my friend as to whether snails are cuter than budgies.
But then, your water is too soft for them...

Specify that its not pest snails, otherwise people will think: "I dont what she is thinking but those snails that are everywhere in my tank look pretty ugly"

 

[StripySnailGirl04]

Specify that its not pest snails, otherwise people will think: "I dont what she is thinking but those snails that are everywhere in my tank look pretty ugly"

Why is it that every time I recommend, the first thing that you associate are pest snails?

 

[StripySnailGirl04]

Dead pest snail for sale! Anyone interested?

 

[Rocky998]

Why is it that every time I recommend, the first thing that you associate are pest snails?

Well not everyone knows about nerites or mystery snails.... And btw, I do agree with your friend, budgies are cuter than any snail.

 

[StripySnailGirl04]

Well not everyone knows about nerites or mystery snails.... And btw, I do agree with your friend, budgies are cuter than any snail.

HOW DARE YOU

 

[StripySnailGirl04]

HOW DARE YOU

My budgies miraculously sleeping together after a day of arguing.