How Many More Fish?

[lakeshore]

So far I have a 20 Gallon tall tank with 5 long finned zebra Danios in it. They have been having the run of the tank all to themselves.
In another couple of weeks, I would like to get a few more fish to complete the tank.

I was thinking the following:
4 Cory cats
1 small pleco
4-6 Platys (blue, mickey mouse, etc.)

Is this too much for the tank. Again I would introduce a few more fish, then wait, introduce a few more, wait, and maybe in a few months be up to my finished plan.

 

[tnhowery]

It looks ok but if you get a small common pleco it will quickly be a 12+ inch monster. Go with 6 corydoras as they like to be in groups of at least 6.

 

[Fate2006]

I'd say a school of 6 corries, a small bristle nosed plec, the 6 platys and mabye even 5 more zebras (the bigger the group the healthier and happier they are)

 

[lakeshore]

WOW, that many fish, sounds great. I will probably go out and get the six platys in a week or two!!
Great advice, thanks

 

[dwarfgourami]

I'd say a school of 6 corries, a small bristle nosed plec, the 6 platys and mabye even 5 more zebras (the bigger the group the healthier and happier they are)

Sorry, Fate, but that sounds VERY overstocked to me. IMO the danios+ 5 cories OR 5 platies will fill that tank. This is where the inch/gallon rule comes in useful, to demonstrate the sort of scale of overstocking we're talking about. Your suggested stocking would work out at about 50 inches in a 20 gallon tank! Anyway, it's not just about inches. Platies produce a fair amount of waste for their size and bristlenoses produce a LOT of waste. Corys on the other hand require a clean, non-bacterious substrate.
I have just been forced to move my female bristlenose into a 19 gallon already containing 3 corys, 1 platy and 2 juvie bristlies- and I am nervous about this arrangement, because of the sensitive barbles of the corys. I'm going to be gravel vac'ing twice a week from now on.

 

[SamUK]

I'd say a school of 6 corries, a small bristle nosed plec, the 6 platys and mabye even 5 more zebras (the bigger the group the healthier and happier they are)

Sorry, Fate, but that sounds VERY overstocked to me. IMO the danios+ 5 cories OR 5 platies will fill that tank. This is where the inch/gallon rule comes in useful, to demonstrate the sort of scale of overstocking we're talking about. Your suggested stocking would work out at about 50 inches in a 20 gallon tank! Anyway, it's not just about inches. Platies produce a fair amount of waste for their size and bristlenoses produce a LOT of waste. Corys on the other hand require a clean, non-bacterious substrate.
I have just been forced to move my female bristlenose into a 19 gallon already containing 3 corys, 1 platy and 2 juvie bristlies- and I am nervous about this arrangement, because of the sensitive barbles of the corys. I'm going to be gravel vac'ing twice a week from now on.

i agree.


this is about the perfect sized tank for the inch of fish per gallon rule cos your dealing with fish that stay small.

 

[lakeshore]

so considering the fish that I mentioned. how far can I go before I overstress the environment and the fish.
I definately want to get the platys. The corys and the pleco can go either way.

Please let me know

 

[Tokis-Phoenix]

What are the dimensions of the tank (length, width, height)? Knowing the gallons is important, but the dimensions of the actual tank can also play a big factor in stocking it especially when it comes to very active fish like danio's or bottom dwelling fish like corys .
If you go for platys, i'd advise either having an all-female group or 1male per 2-3females.

 

[lakeshore]

Tank is 24 wide 18 tall and 12 deep

typical 20 gallon tall tank.

I intent on getting all female or all male platys just to prevent breeding

 

[Tokis-Phoenix]

Tank is 24 wide 18 tall and 12 deep

typical 20 gallon tall tank.

I intent on getting all female or all male platys just to prevent breeding

Getting an all-female group of platys won't nesarsarily stop them from producing lots of fry as females can store sperm in them for up to 7 pregnancys, so they only need to be in contact with a male once (which chances are, will have happened in either the supplier to the lfs tanks or the lfs's tanks themselves) to produce a lot of fry- they will of course though run dry eventually.

An all-male group of platys though won't nesarsarily solve all of your problems though, male platys don't naturally live without females around and it is difficult to stock all-male groups successfully in the long term.
Most peope need at least 5 males to help disperse the agression, but even then it doesn't always stop particular males being very agressive and intolerant of others. The males will also try to mate each other a lot as an action of dominance over the others in their pecking orders...Overal you can find a lot of stress in all-male groups; some people get them to work very well when stocking all-male groups of mollys, guppys, platys etc, but its certainly not a risk-free stocking plan.

You will get these problems with a lot of livebearers, some solutions involve investing in a particular type of fish that has a reputation for eating fry/baby fish, while others find a lfs that will take in unwanted fry, while others simply cull/euthanise the unwanted fry etc.

 

[lakeshore]

Thanks. I just came back from the LFS and bought a mixed bag of platys, all females (5), but then upon closer inspection four females and one male (damn).
Oh well, my next plan is to wait a few weeks and get 5 corys, and perhaps a bristlenose or regular pleco to finish off the tank!!

Hopefully that is not too much for this tank (20 Gal tall) (24 x 18 x 12)

Any last advice opinions would be greatly appreciated.