I Need Help Asap Please! Fish Compatibility With Serpae Tetras?

[imat]

So I have a 55 gallon tank. We have recently started stocking it and have not had much luck with the local fish stores giving us "good/correct" information with compatibility.

Here is what I currently have in my tank.

6 oto catfish (love these guys! )
11 neon tetras
8 black neon tetras
7 red serpae minor tetras (didn't know they were serpae and semi-aggressive when I purchased them. I could take them back but they are pretty cool and school better than any of my other fish so I would prefer not to)
2 Molly fish

I was told all of these would be fine together by multiple pet store people but I am not believing them and need reassurance.

Will the 2 Molly fish be ok? I think they are pretty and there is plenty of hiding (rocks and plants) in my tank.

I was thinking about getting a couple Cory catfish. Will they be compatible with the oto catfish?
What else is compatible?
Advice needed!!
I am frustrated because I am told one thing and then later am told the complete opposite by someone else.
Like the red serpae minor tetras. I was misinformed when I bought them and was told they were not aggressive. I find out they are semi-aggressive but do better in a school. So I buy more along with other fish I have been told by the store that they are compatible...... To be told that eventually my red serpae minor tetras are going to become aggressive and kill all my other fish.
Help please.

 

[TallTree01]

Sounds fine to me. If the serpaes become a problem get a couple more.
The mollies may be targets, take them back if they Evoke the serpaes wrath.
You can get 5-6 cories if you want

 

[Wills]

Hi Don't worry too much, Serpae Tetras can be nippy fish but they are not predatory or really capable of killing other small fish - though constant nipping can cause problems.
 
The general advice with nippy fish like this is to keep them in a big school which keeps them concentrated on each other as the hierarchy will be contested between each other rather than the other fish.
 
The other reason not to worry is that you dont have any long finned fish which will always help.
 
The only slight issue I can see is the Mollies, they should be ok but they are open water fish. If you were stocking from scratch I would have maybe suggested a more lower level focused centre piece fish like some kind of dwarf cichlid that will stay on the lower levels like Apistos (though not one with flamboyant fins but something like Panduro would work), Laetacara, Bolivian Rams maybe. 
 
But yeah... I think the best thing to do is to get the Serpaes upto about 15 and rather than add an other species like the Cories why not get more ottos? Cories can sometimes be a target from Serpaes but not always. I also worry adding a full new school might be too much.
 
So maybe a stocking like
 
2 Mollies
11 Neon Tetras
8 Black Neon Tetras
15 Serpae Tetras
12 Oto Catfish
 
You would then be looking a fully stocked tank so good water change regimes and a good filter
Hope thats helped
Wills

 

[imat]

This does help, thanks.  I think I will keep the serpae tetras then.  Do i need to worry about them trying to kill the neon tetras too?  I have seen them chase them a few times.  I have noticed a serpae nipping at the molly once or twice but for the most part leaves it alone.  Concern?  I could take the mollies back but they are so pretty

what about a tank divider??? is that a posibility if the fin nipping is an issue?

 

[TallTree01]

Hmm, you're really best off keeping the tank as it is tbh, I can't imagine serpaes spdoing any real damage to neons, if they do though, you may have to get rid of either group or get a divider.

 

[imat]

well I have been watching the tank most of the day.  I am getting rid of the serpaes.  They have even starting nipping my oto cats.  So, I am returning them while I can.  I am basically going to rethink how to restock my entire tank.  Any fish I have, I could take back if they are not compatible.  I will post a new topic with my thoughts on what to putin the tank