64L Stocking Idea

[P.S]

I am all ready to go with stocking my tank now and just want to ask what everyone thinks to my stocking idea. I just want to check the compatibility and whether it would be overstocked or not, please.

Corydoras triloneatus x 4
3 lined cory

Puntius titteya x 2
Cherry barb

Betta splendens x 1
Siamese fighter

Hyphessobrycon herbertaxelrodi x5
Black neon tetra

Melanotaenia praecox x 2
Neon/dwarf rainbow fish

Thanks in advance

 

[Alm0stAwesome]

I wouldn't get the barbs, they have a bit of a repuation for being rowdy and nippy. In a tank the size of yours it will likely be a problem especially with those tempting betta fins to nip.

You also need to have the rainbow fish, tetras and corys in groups of a bare minimum group of six. You don't have room to do this with all three.

I recommend this:

1 male betta
6 x corys
10 x tetra

The rainbowfish are too big for your tank.

Is your tank 64L long or tall? What are the dimensions? I ask because the footprint is important when it comes to corys.

 

[P.S]

Thanks for the quick reply. Barbs and rainbows have been crossed off the shopping list then, thanks

My tank is W60cm x D32cm x H37cm. Also regarding the tetras, would I be able to have say 5 black neon and 5 cardinal to make up the 10 or would they all have to be the same?

 

[twingogeekeo]

Sounds like you have a interpet fish box with them sizes.

Be carefull with some tetra and i know male bettas will go for brightly coloured tetra like neon/cardinal.

Not sure they would go for black tetra or no though.

And corys you have to get pandas there so so cute!

 

[Alm0stAwesome]

Well it's not ideal but if you really wanted to you could get away with it. See, fish like tetras are happiest in large groups of their own kind, the bigger the better, so a gorup of 5 cardinals won't be as happy as a group of 10. Also, in my experience, 1 large school looks better in a tank than 2 or 3 smaller schools. The effect of the group swimming around together is more dramatic/has more impact on the look of the tank.

I understand you wanting a larger variety of fish in your tank but I think you'll find that the behaviour of the fish is more interesting when they are in bigger groups

Would you be interested in considering rasboras instead of tetras? I only ask because my cardinals used to try and nip my betta's fins, I know lots of people have kept them together just fine but it didn't work for me and rasboras aren't as nippy as some of the tetra species out there. You've got to be quite careful with those betta fins! My favourite are the espei rasboras. They have a lovely colour and are a little smaller than the more common harlequin rasbora so fit well in smaller tanks. However, the harlequins would probably be OK in your tank too.

Edit: I've never heard of bettas going for colourful tetras myself, just the other way around lol!

 

[P.S]

Sounds like you have a interpet fish box with them sizes.

Yep, spot on

Be carefull with some tetra and i know male bettas will go for brightly coloured tetra like neon/cardinal.

Not sure they would go for black tetra or no though.

And corys you have to get pandas there so so cute!

Oh right, wasn't actually thinking of cardinal but couldn't remember the other ones I liked the look of. Found them now and they are Columbian tetra, so again not overly bright.

Will have a look at the panda cory now, cheers

 

[P.S]

Well it's not ideal but if you really wanted to you could get away with it. See, fish like tetras are happiest in large groups of their own kind, the bigger the better, so a gorup of 5 cardinals won't be as happy as a group of 10. Also, in my experience, 1 large school looks better in a tank than 2 or 3 smaller schools. The effect of the group swimming around together is more dramatic/has more impact on the look of the tank.

I understand you wanting a larger variety of fish in your tank but I think you'll find that the behaviour of the fish is more interesting when they are in bigger groups

OK thanks, I will just get a larger amount of the same then

Would you be interested in considering rasboras instead of tetras? I only ask because my cardinals used to try and nip my betta's fins, I know lots of people have kept them together just fine but it didn't work for me and rasboras aren't as nippy as some of the tetra species out there. You've got to be quite careful with those betta fins! My favourite are the espei rasboras. They have a lovely colour and are a little smaller than the more common harlequin rasbora so fit well in smaller tanks. However, the harlequins would probably be OK in your tank too.

Edit: I've never heard of bettas going for colourful tetras myself, just the other way around lol!

I already have 3 tetras so will need to carry on with those. I didn't know tetras were likely to nip at the betta though, the main reason for getting fish was coz my 5 year old boy wanted a "fighting fish" (and I admit I wanted to have some too after having them as a lad myself)

 

[fluttermoth]

I've never known a cherry barb nip anything. I'm sure they'd be quite safe with a betta.

 

[Alm0stAwesome]

It's just one of those "wait and see" things really! It may be absolutley fine! My cardinals were fine for about a month and then suddenly I started seeing them chasing the betta. So just keep a close eye on things, make sure you keep a close eye out for any little nip marks on his fins.

Don't worry just yet as you may never have a problem

Bettas are lovely fish and great for kids as they do like to interact with people, my betta likes to have face time with me lol so perfect for a child who wants to go stick his face against the glass

 

[P.S]

I've never known a cherry barb nip anything. I'm sure they'd be quite safe with a betta.

Uh Oh, now what do I do

 

[Alm0stAwesome]

Well it comes down to stocking in that case. You just don't have room for a school of barbs and a school of tetras

 

[P.S]

Bettas are lovely fish and great for kids as they do like to interact with people, my betta likes to have face time with me lol so perfect for a child who wants to go stick his face against the glass

is that yours in your avatar? If so it's a beautiful specimen I never see anything like that in the shops

Looks like it's tetras then as I've already started with them

 

[twingogeekeo]

I only know as its the same tank as i have

I cant comment on the columian tetra as ive never seen them in life to see how they act and what there like maybe someone here can help with that.

Panda corys you will fall in love with

Just be careful not do what i have and like so many diffenrt fish i kinda wish when i started fish keeping i didnt get carryied away as i feel ive got my tank just over its limit. Im tempted to talk to some local fish shops see if they will take some off my hands.

Its got

2x Dwarf Gourmai
5x Carninal Tetra
4x Black platy
3x Panda cory
3x Peppered cory
3x Albino cory
1x Goldring loach

There all doing fine and water stats are ok. But i do a water change twice a week.

My platys like to get down and dirty so i have a small 25L tank with platy fry in aswell mixed with cherry shrimp. So far theres 5 fry in it that are now a month old and at the weekend i found 6 new fry in the bigger tank

Ive got fish coming out my ears. Im trying to perswade my mum to get a take and ill give her my platys once her tank is cycled.

 

[P.S]

That's quite a collection you have there. I didn't want livebearers for that whole reason of having loads of fry lurking about

I know what you mwean about wanting loads of different breeds of fish too, wish I hadn't started looking too deeply now.

Another quick question regarding stocking, what is the situation regardng snails?

 

[twingogeekeo]

Livebearers are like any fish i say it you get a more female to mail ratio they will breed and you cant stop it. But also males can harrass a single female to death or attack each other worse case. But others will live in peace with eachother.

I bought 2 male Dwarf gouramis that 1 killed the other so put a female in now but my friend bought 2 males and there fine together.

Ive had guppys before that just nipped every fish in the tank so they quickly got off loaded to another friend who had just started fish keeping but had no fish.

Ive not kept snails. But are known to breed like troopers!

Ive read horror storys of tanks being in on dated with snails.