Ideas For Stocking Tank

[Little_Nemo]

The fish on my list are as follows;

- Sparkling Gourami
- Pygmy Cory
- Crystal Red Shrimp
- Oto

I've done my best to research smallish fish - due to my tank being slightly over 35ltr. I've also looked at getting few species as possible as I'd sooner have the quantity for schooling purposes. I really dont want to get fish such as Tetras, and guppies as my brother has them, and quite frequently his tetra die due to disease. And as for his guppies - he is inundated with them (millions of babies)! And besides I wanted to be different.

So far I've found;

Sparkling Gourami
Its adult size is about 3/4cm
Its a peaceful fish
Not a schooling fish but you can usually keep several together
Like lots of planting
A combination of dry and fresh/live foods
Optimum temp is 24-26'C

Pygmy Cory
Its adult size is about 3/4cm
Its a peaceful fish
They are a schooling fish
A varied diet of flake, live & frozen
Optimum temp abour 26'C

Crystal Red Shrimp
They grow upto about 2.5cm
Planted tank is best
Varied diet and ideal to have moss in tank for a 'ready snack'
Optimum temp 22-25'C

Oto
Generally small in size
Otos like company 3+
Heavily planted
Diet of algae wafers & other plant foods
Optimum temp 25'C
Does not disturb tankmates

The only thing I'm struggling with is the group numbers - how many I'd need of each to make them feel comfortable and secure.

 

[lilfishie]

you want as many Pygmy's as you can, i have 16 in a 15gal and they are always out and about, they like chilling in Cabomba


if your going to mid/heavily plant it i see ro reason why you couldn't go:

2-3 Gourami
8-10 Pygmy's
5-6 Shrimp (only saying a few as they will breed)
3-4 Ottos

 

[Little_Nemo]

you want as many Pygmy's as you can, i have 16 in a 15gal and they are always out and about, they like chilling in Cabomba


if your going to mid/heavily plant it i see ro reason why you couldn't go:

2-3 Gourami
8-10 Pygmy's
5-6 Shrimp (only saying a few as they will breed)
3-4 Ottos

It will be planted with quite a variety of plants easy to maintain of course, and cabomba was definately on my list of plants to get

Just wondering would it be worth researching for a 'centre piece' like fish? You know the ones you can only have 1 of or something. Just so it adds that extra 'wow' factor I did think of Betta's but i've not done my research on them yet.

 

[lilfishie]

bettas and gourami are generally not a good mix, you could drop the gourami and have a really fancy male betta instead

 

[mrscullen5373]

There are lots of different nano fish to choose from!

Here are some of my favourites:

Scarlet Badis (Dario Dario)

Celestial Pearl danio (Galaxy Rasbora)

Emerald Rasbora (if you can find them, they are brilliant fish!)

Threadfin Rainbowfish

Chilli rasbora or Mosquito rasbora

Endlers

Dwarf Scissortail Rasbora

Ember Tetra

There are several very cute and pretty little loaches out there but again they can be quite rare :

Rosy Loach - http/www.loaches.com/species-index/tuberoschistura-arakanensis

Vietnamese Multi Banded Zebra Loach - http/www.loaches.com/species-index/yunnanilus-cruciatus

 

[Little_Nemo]

There are lots of different nano fish to choose from!

Here are some of my favourites:

Scarlet Badis (Dario Dario)

Celestial Pearl danio (Galaxy Rasbora)

Emerald Rasbora (if you can find them, they are brilliant fish!)

Threadfin Rainbowfish

Chilli rasbora or Mosquito rasbora

Endlers

Dwarf Scissortail Rasbora

Ember Tetra

There are several very cute and pretty little loaches out there but again they can be quite rare :

Rosy Loach - http/www.loaches.com/species-index/tuberoschistura-arakanensis

Vietnamese Multi Banded Zebra Loach - http/www.loaches.com/species-index/yunnanilus-cruciatus

Awh fab, thanks I've only heard of a couple of those kinds of fish now I have lots of consideration, and I guess more research hehe!

bettas and gourami are generally not a good mix, you could drop the gourami and have a really fancy male betta instead

Like I said I hadnt done any research yet, so thanks for letting me know
Although I know my brother had a blue and red coloured one quite a long long time ago - and I dont think he got on well with them. Soo I'm not sure, I do have (I think) a while before my tank finishes its cycle, so still plenty of time to sit and ponder things