Fish Stocking
- Thread starter jkb1977
- Start date
Shoaling species should be kept in shoals, not as singles. We can't really measure the "happiness" of the fish, but we can watch for "natural behaviors". Shoaling fish need numbers in order to exhibit natural behavior.
A tank with a wide variety of fish and no numbers makes the tank look more like a leftover tray where mom just wanted to empty the fridge, rather than a cohesive dinner.
A tank with a wide variety of fish and no numbers makes the tank look more like a leftover tray where mom just wanted to empty the fridge, rather than a cohesive dinner.
The point is that it just looks like a hodge-podge rather than any type of cohesive stocking plan, not to mention that they can't behave as they naturally would without the proper numbers. A lot of shoaling species act very differently when not kept in proper numbers. Some will get nippy (like tiger barbs), some will get reclusive, some will basically hide all day and maybe come out for food when it is available.
Also, mollys can get quite large - some up to 5 inches long. It might not be a good idea in such a small tank. Generally, they need at least 20 US gallons, but mostly more.
Have a look at this thread for some fish suitable for a 12 US gallon tank.
Also, mollys can get quite large - some up to 5 inches long. It might not be a good idea in such a small tank. Generally, they need at least 20 US gallons, but mostly more.
Have a look at this thread for some fish suitable for a 12 US gallon tank.
I'm not trying to be negative (so I hope that it didn't come across that way). I just want you to have success with your fish, and for the fish to have as good a life as possible. There is much more to this hobby than many beginners (myself included) think. Ultimately, you need to focus on three things before you ever worry about your fish.
1) Tank size - larger tanks are easier for beginners because a large volume of water gives you a bigger margin for error and more time to find problems before they become big issues. This will also give you the greatest flexibility in the fish that you can keep.
2) Tap water parameters, this will have a big influence on the fish you can keep.
3) Bacteria - believe it or not, your first pet when you are a fishkeeper is a large bacteria colony, capable of dealing with the ammonia, then the nitrite. Without these little guys, you will never have a healthy tank of fish.
Once you have a tank, you've figured out what your water conditions are, and have a properly cycled filter with all the nitrifying bacteria you need, THEN you can get fish. During the cycling process you will learn more about your water, how it reacts to nitrates (does the pH drop dramatically due to a build up of nitrates), how to properly complete a water change (the best way to bring water to your tank and dispose of the old), etc. During this time you can also start to scope out local fish stores (LFS) to find the one(s) near you that carry the fish you like, have clean tanks with healthy fish, and knowledgeable staff (that one can be hard, so make sure you always do your OWN research before trusting what you hear at the LFS). You can also research various fish to check for compatibility with your water conditions, as well as compatibility with each other.
Have a read through the Beginners Resource Thread, and be sure to read up on Fishless cycling. It really is the best way to go. Low stress, but people can get a little impatient. Fishkeeping involves patience, so we need to practice that anyway.
1) Tank size - larger tanks are easier for beginners because a large volume of water gives you a bigger margin for error and more time to find problems before they become big issues. This will also give you the greatest flexibility in the fish that you can keep.
2) Tap water parameters, this will have a big influence on the fish you can keep.
3) Bacteria - believe it or not, your first pet when you are a fishkeeper is a large bacteria colony, capable of dealing with the ammonia, then the nitrite. Without these little guys, you will never have a healthy tank of fish.
Once you have a tank, you've figured out what your water conditions are, and have a properly cycled filter with all the nitrifying bacteria you need, THEN you can get fish. During the cycling process you will learn more about your water, how it reacts to nitrates (does the pH drop dramatically due to a build up of nitrates), how to properly complete a water change (the best way to bring water to your tank and dispose of the old), etc. During this time you can also start to scope out local fish stores (LFS) to find the one(s) near you that carry the fish you like, have clean tanks with healthy fish, and knowledgeable staff (that one can be hard, so make sure you always do your OWN research before trusting what you hear at the LFS). You can also research various fish to check for compatibility with your water conditions, as well as compatibility with each other.
Have a read through the Beginners Resource Thread, and be sure to read up on Fishless cycling. It really is the best way to go. Low stress, but people can get a little impatient. Fishkeeping involves patience, so we need to practice that anyway.
I'm not trying to be negative (so I hope that it didn't come across that way). I just want you to have success with your fish, and for the fish to have as good a life as possible. There is much more to this hobby than many beginners (myself included) think. Ultimately, you need to focus on three things before you ever worry about your fish.
1) Tank size - larger tanks are easier for beginners because a large volume of water gives you a bigger margin for error and more time to find problems before they become big issues. This will also give you the greatest flexibility in the fish that you can keep.
2) Tap water parameters, this will have a big influence on the fish you can keep.
3) Bacteria - believe it or not, your first pet when you are a fishkeeper is a large bacteria colony, capable of dealing with the ammonia, then the nitrite. Without these little guys, you will never have a healthy tank of fish.
Once you have a tank, you've figured out what your water conditions are, and have a properly cycled filter with all the nitrifying bacteria you need, THEN you can get fish. During the cycling process you will learn more about your water, how it reacts to nitrates (does the pH drop dramatically due to a build up of nitrates), how to properly complete a water change (the best way to bring water to your tank and dispose of the old), etc. During this time you can also start to scope out local fish stores (LFS) to find the one(s) near you that carry the fish you like, have clean tanks with healthy fish, and knowledgeable staff (that one can be hard, so make sure you always do your OWN research before trusting what you hear at the LFS). You can also research various fish to check for compatibility with your water conditions, as well as compatibility with each other.
Have a read through the Beginners Resource Thread, and be sure to read up on Fishless cycling. It really is the best way to go. Low stress, but people can get a little impatient. Fishkeeping involves patience, so we need to practice that anyway.
1) Tank size - larger tanks are easier for beginners because a large volume of water gives you a bigger margin for error and more time to find problems before they become big issues. This will also give you the greatest flexibility in the fish that you can keep.
2) Tap water parameters, this will have a big influence on the fish you can keep.
3) Bacteria - believe it or not, your first pet when you are a fishkeeper is a large bacteria colony, capable of dealing with the ammonia, then the nitrite. Without these little guys, you will never have a healthy tank of fish.
Once you have a tank, you've figured out what your water conditions are, and have a properly cycled filter with all the nitrifying bacteria you need, THEN you can get fish. During the cycling process you will learn more about your water, how it reacts to nitrates (does the pH drop dramatically due to a build up of nitrates), how to properly complete a water change (the best way to bring water to your tank and dispose of the old), etc. During this time you can also start to scope out local fish stores (LFS) to find the one(s) near you that carry the fish you like, have clean tanks with healthy fish, and knowledgeable staff (that one can be hard, so make sure you always do your OWN research before trusting what you hear at the LFS). You can also research various fish to check for compatibility with your water conditions, as well as compatibility with each other.
Have a read through the Beginners Resource Thread, and be sure to read up on Fishless cycling. It really is the best way to go. Low stress, but people can get a little impatient. Fishkeeping involves patience, so we need to practice that anyway.
Absolutely, yes, that's just my preference, what I think looks best. Ultimately, it's up to you. However, as Eagle says, the shoaling varieties are definitely happier in a shoal. Platies and guppies aren't shoaling, so they would be fine in the numbers you suggested "happiness"-wise.
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