64l tank stocking list help please

[tiggerifictiggers]

Hi, I have a 64l tank and was wondering if the following stocking list would be ok:

1 x Siamese fighter
5 x neon tetras / cardinals
3 x otos

Thanks in advance

 

[Ch4rlie]

Hello and welcome to the forum

Now, I'm going to be the bearer of bad news here.

I would not stock any neons or cardinals in a newly set up tank. For a number of reasons really, the neon tetras do not tend to do very well in new set ups, pretty prone to getting diseases easily, they do much better in larger groups in a larger established tank despite their small size, they are fairly active little fish. Stunning little fish display in a large group in a big tank thats set up with lots of plants etc.

Neon Tetra

Otos, again, they need an established tank to fare well. Especially need the bacterial film or algae to feed on, they can be difficult to feed, especially wild caught otos really. And a 64 litre tank is a little on the small side for a nice group of at least 6 really but its possible as long as is a well established tank.

Otocinclus

The Betta splenden is best kept singly in their own tank as they can be territorial / aggressive to tankmates. In fact they do best in tanks of their own of between 5 - 10 gallons (20 - 40 litres) with perhaps some snails and shrimps if they tolerate them (a gamble as shrimps are seen as food..... )

The most important thing to know BEFORE getting any fish is to know if your water is soft or hard, meaning knowing what your local water hardness levels are, which can be found online on your local water authority water quaility website.
For example, neons and otos are soft water fish and won't do well in hard water and other fish such as some species of rasboras and rainbowfish are hard water fish and won't fare well in soft water long term so its fairly important you find this out beforehand.

AND lastly, this may be obvious but have to ask, is the tank cycled? meaning have you set up the tank to be ready with the good bacterias thats needed to deal with the ammonia bioloads that any livestock will produce 24/7, ammonia is toxic to livestock so bacteria is needed to diminish the ammonia levels in a very brief nutshell explaination.

A lot more info and how to cycle a aqaurium can be found here - Cycling Your New Fresh Water Tank: Read This First!

 

[tiggerifictiggers]

Thank you so much for your reply. I'd rather have someone be the bearer of bad news than have unhappy fish! I've kept malawis a long time ago in a huge tank and really miss fish so going for a much smaller set up.

The otos and tetras were going to be the last fish added after the betta had been established for a while but I will rethink the whole set up

As a guide though the number of fish and sizes above would it be ok for a 64l tank? Introduced slowly of course? Had thought if otos weren't suitable then I'd go with panda cories (they'd look lovely against the black Caribsea sand!)

 

[NickAu]

Hi

As a guide though the number of fish and sizes above would it be ok for a 64l tank?

Strictly as a guide to stocking levels.
I have 4 Female Bettas, 5 Kuhli Loaches, 1 small mystery snail, a bunch of Red Cherry shrimp and Malaysian trumpet snails in a 65L heavily planted tank.

You should be able to find if you have hard or soft water by visiting your water suppliers web site.

 

[Ch4rlie]

Are you still in the same house when you had these Malawi fish?

Just that Malawi is usually very hard water set up.

Otos, tetras and cories are all soft water fish.

I'd strongly recommend you to have a look online for your local water authority and see what the water hardness is so you can be sure to get the right fish species which will thrive in correct water hardness conditions.

 

[Byron]

As a guide though the number of fish and sizes above would it be ok for a 64l tank? Introduced slowly of course? Had thought if otos weren't suitable then I'd go with panda cories (they'd look lovely against the black Caribsea sand!)

Until we have the water parameters for your source water, it is best not to get too far along. But I can respond to the above by saying that Betta are not community fish. Aside from the Betta possibly taking a dislike to other fish--and colourful fish tend to be almost guaranteed to be attacked--there is also the reverse where the smaller fish tend to find nipping the Betta's fins a delightful exercise. Don't risk them.

Check your temperatures. Both neons and panda cories like it on the cooler side, in the low to mid 70's (21-24 C) so that is OK. Panda cory do like some water current, whereas neons do not, and in a small tank it can be difficult to strike a balance. But as long as it is not too strong a current, should be workable.

But we might have some much better species to suggest, when we know the parameters. Small tanks, and a 64 liter (15 gallon) is small to the fish, are best with small-sized species, with more of them.

Byron.