Could I/should I Add More Cories?

[xamy_valox]

Hi there,
I have a 125 litre planted tank which since upgrading from my 75 litre I am absolutely in love with.
At the moment I have 3 panda cories, 3 trilli cories and 1 leucomela (Ive said it a few times but i did have another of these and sadly it died and i cannot for the life of me find another)
I would really like to bring my numbers of cories up, and wanted to add another 2 trillis and 2 pandas (the leucomela hangs out with the trillis and has more or less become one of them) however i don't know if this is going to make me overstocked.

Here is my current stocking:
3 Dwarf Gourami's
2 German Blue Rams
6 Neon Tetras
5 Harlequin Rasboras
6 Kerri Tetras
4 Platinum Tetras
6 Cherry Barbs
And then my 7 current cories

When you put it down like that it sounds like loads, but looking in the tank it doesn't look crowded what so ever.
My fish are all fine and healthy and my water levels are perfect, I do weekly water changes of 20-30% and feed every other day.
Although I have had the tank just over a month, it was given to me by my brother with his already cycled media which had previously been running for 3 years! So the tank is more than mature.

Thanks, Amy.

 

[coldcazzie]

Should you? Yes, ideally, they would do better in larger shoals.

Could you? Hmmm... it'd be pushing it. Can you swap some of the cories for a bigger shoal of one species? Or is that something that you're unwilling to do?

What filter is it? Is it the Juwel internal?

 

[soybean]

I think a lot of your fish need to be in larger groups. 6 is the bare minimum for a shoal. Space is the issue. You could up your numbers of some shoals by removing some of the others and replacing them, or preferably removing them altogether. 4 platinum tetras, for example - these look stunning in a huge group in a planted tank, but 4 must be pretty hidden in your tank.

Ideally the cory numbers would be higher but it would be a squeeze. Lowering the numbers of the little fish in too-small shoals might help.

 

[xamy_valox]

Yeah I was thinking that would be the answer and yes your right soybean, my platinums are lost. I am thinking of outing the Kerri tetras as they arent very nice in colour or temperament!!
A lot of the numbering is down to deaths or the fact I only had a 75 litre before. So if I outed the Kerry's and added 2 more platinums, would that stand me in better stead?
And Coldcazzie, I can see your point but in all fairness all my cories do tend to stick together although different species and I think it would break my heart to have to chose between them!!! And no it's a Fluval plus 3 filter internal.

 

[soybean]

Personally I'd lose the kerris (emperor?) AND platinum tetras. Removing just four tetras doesn't make room for four more corys, really.

 

[xamy_valox]

=[ I love my platinums though!!! I think I may sit and think about it before rushing into buying more cories. And yeah the kerri's are emporers, they looked nice in my friends tank but mine aren't as colourful and are chasing everybody else, especially my harlequins.

 

[soybean]

I think you should keep the cory numbers as they are. No, it's not ideal, but it's not like they're alone apart from the one you can't find friends for.

I don't like emperor tetras either. Remove these and add a couple more plats, then enjoy the tank

 

[xamy_valox]

Yeah I think if I do that it will all come together. You know when you sit and look at it and think hmmm what's missing, I think because I love the cories so much I just decided I needed more haha, when in fact your probably right and at least if I buy more and get rid of the others they might shoal better.
Thanks soybean!!

 

[soybean]

Y'welcome! And if anything it's an excuse to start saving for another bigger one

 

[James9114]

i personally think u'd be fine adding say 4 more cories, just do abit bigger water changes to keep nitrates down, i used to have much more than that in a 125litre and never had problems jus kept my water changes up once a week.