Imput On Stocking?

[AshleyNZ]

Hi everyone.
I have a 17 gallon aquarium, and I am looking for stocking options! I am after non-aggressive, peaceful, community fish. My pH is 7.8 after sitting for 24 hours. Using white vinegar the pH is 6.6 (may not be correct), but I am yet to see if that fluctuates over the next week. I am thinking of a few male guppies for the top, a honey gourami for the centrepiece...maybe some neon tetra also?
I am wanting a bottom-dweller also. Please consider I am from New Zealand so I may not have access to what all of you guys have
Fish suited for both pH options (6.6 and 7.5) are what I am after. The tank will be planted, and will have silica sand as the substrate. Many thanks.
 

 

[ag-au]

With sand I think fast growing stem plants would work. I have sand substrate and only have had luck with the non-root plants so far. I have an anubias nana, amazon compacta and some creeping jenny. I had some Giant red leaf repens, that one didn't do well even with full spectrum 10hrs/day. I didn't fert, either though. That may have been why. (Repens is stem but requires a lot of light which is bad for the slow growers I have.)
As for fish, bottom dwellers like loaches would do well with that substrate! Not sure if that's banned. But with that size small cories would work, or a group of oto provided you get the oto when the tank is established! But guppies, neons and the gourami would probably be close to stocked depending on how many each. 17g is nice, but it still isn't huge in my opinion. I had a 29 with 3 male guppies, 4 female guppies, 7 cories and 2 platy and that was a nightmare. I've learned so far with fish keeping the more simple, the easier. Especially with stocking. Personally, I'd skip the guppies, get the gourami and tetra and some catfishes. You never know, your gourami might be testy, and then the guppies are right above him. At least the tetra stay together. Guppies are fun, but I won't get them again. Hope that helps! Just my thoughts!

 

[Barb-barian]

With smaller aquariums its best to stick with one or two types of fish because many of the smaller fish are schooling.  This means they do better with the more friends around them.  With the plants and frequent water changes you can push the inch per gallon rule a little.  As for actual suggestions I'm a big fan of the neon tetra they look great swimming in among the plants.  You could try a female betta with some tetra.  They are a lot less aggressive then males.  If you go corys I would stick to the smaller ones they like having floor space to explore and your tank is a tall so it wont have a lot of floor space.  Best of luck and let us know what you decide.

 

[AshleyNZ]

I do not think I can get female betta, only males. Ag-au, half of what you mentioned I cannot get here. Java fern and Java moss are what im thinking of getting, as I will not get fertilizers. I have decided not to get guppies (because they'll breed like mad...but I could sell them)
I want 1 honey gourami, around 6 neon tetra... the only corys I can have are pandas and they're around $17 each. That's not happening.
The bottom floor space is small because it's a bowfront, 60cm x 30cm (at the widest point). But I would like a couple of corys, like maybe four? Then maybe another small fish I could have? Still planning
I will do a journal when the time comes. It's a long way of yet.

Also we do have otos, but they are also $17 each... I'd only get around 4 if I did manage to order some in.