List of candidates for selection!

[Ami]

Ok, the first fish I put in the tank were 10 neon juvie neons. I know, I know, but they got eaten last time so I'm giving them another go.

I've done some research and have a list of other fish that I'd like to put in the tank, but need some help in choosing combos. Here's my list and the numbers I'd put in of each one, once I've made up my mind:

• Cape Lopez Lyretail - pair
• Coolie Loach - pair
• Dwarf (Pygmy) Chain Loach - group of 6
• Cherry Barb - pair
• Ram - pair (eventually once I found a couple that get on!)
• Kribensis - pair
• Dwarf Gourami - pair
• Dwarf Pencil - group of 6
• 3 Lined Pencil - group of 6
• Golden Pencil - group of 6
• Platy - group of 6

I would like another group to go in the middle/top of the tank, a pair for that area, a group for the lower regions and a pair for that area. Problem with choosing is that the majority are middle/top!

The reasons behind these choices are that the majority look neat, will go in a community tank, some (ie the Golden Pencil) are fairly hardy and some beacuse they're easy to breed and that would add interest.

I actually bought the DK Aquarium Owners Manual to help me get that far! Interestingly, it has a suggested stocking for a beginners softwater tank (100x30x30cm/36x12x12" - 90l/20g) of 4 Dwarf Chain Loaches, 6 Diamond Tetra, 6 Golden Pencilfish, 4 Dwarf Otos, 2 Rams and 10 Cardinal Tetras. That's like 173cm of fish and strikes me as serious overstocking!

Sorry for the long post guys but I would appreciate help choosing. my hubby calls me 'little miss indecisive' so I might never choose if you don't help!

Ami

 

[Nauplii]

Heyya Ami, I've always had problem chosing my fish, speically when there's so many to choose from, so don't make a mistake i did and go for fish you may regret getting and wish you'd gotten soemthing else.

Anyways, ok fish wise... IME unless you tank is fairly peaceful with hardly any fish at all, Khuli loaches will hide alot of the time and prefer to be kept in groups. I f you wanted something for the lower region id suggest buying maybe 8 or so cories, like the cory or the pgymy or even both, IMO they look really good in bigger tanks in bigger shoals. . These all stay at about an inch to inch and a half and they do a good job of clearing up the bottom...
Ok...

Em.. Any of the pencilfish would go with the gouramis and i think that combo would go cool... but thats in my opinion to be honest.

Hope you choose wateva you truely want
Vixen

 

[sylvia]

This is the 24 gallon right?

Do you want my opinion?
Get a pair of rams (just get a male and female, they'll pair up in time), a group of 4 chain loaches, a trio of platies and a single male dwarf gourami. With the neons as well, that should be nicely balanced with the rams and loaches on/near the bottom, the neons in the middle, the platies nearer the top and middle and the gourami at the surface. It also should be just about rightly stocked though you need to keep up with maintainance. If you want to avoid fragile fish, replace the rams with a pair of cherry barbs and the dwarf gourami with either a male thick-lipped gourami or a male banded gourami (colisa labiosa and c. fasciata respectively). BTW, where I've said 'trio' I mean 1 male with 2 females.

Now I'll tell you what I have against the other chocies - Killies are prone to being bullied and I'm not their biggest fan. I especialy don't like them in communities. I don't know why, I just feel they don't belong. The pencil fish are shy and timid and can easily be bullied, in contrast kribs are the bullies - especialy if they breed (actualy breeding rams can also be a danger to tankmates but less so - especialy if you plant heavily). Kuhlie loaches are great IMO but like to be in groups and, due to their larger size, just don't seem worth it in this particular instance. They also tend to spend a lot of time in hiding.

So yeah... that's my take on it. Oh and rest assured that you aren't alone about not being decisive - I'm also like that when it comes to my own descisions.

Good luck with whatever it is you end up choosing.

 

[Annastasia]

Just something to add...

Be careful with Platies. If you have one male and 2 females, or 2 males and 6 females you are going to have tons and tons of fry. They all need homes, and to be cared for, and fed, and they need often water changes, etc. I've written a post on this, which can be found here: http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showto...=0&#entry834122

Best of luck with whatever you choose!

 

[Ami]

Yep, 24g UK and 28.8 US.

I had been leaning along the lines of the chain loaches, the gouramis, the golden pencils (i think they'd look neat together too!) and the rams, but that's way too many inches of fish if you go on the US 1" per gallon rule.

I've only ever seen the red & blue captive breed versions of the dwarf gouramis. They look pretty neat, but maybe too muich red/blue, what with the neons n all? Plus, I've heard tell that they're quite sensitive. Have you guys any experience with them? I think the thick lipped gourami's supposed to be much hardier though.

Oh, I also thought they needed to be kept in pairs so I don't think it would be fair to have one only?

Sylvia, you've kinda put me off the killies now! Sounds like they're not really suited to the other fish I'm considering. I'd thought pencils would be fine though so that's a shame.

Also, with the cherry barbs, I haven't kept barbs before but know they can be aggressive. I chose these guys as they seemed more friendly when I was researching. Is that your exprience?

Anastasia, I know about the problems with platys, but didn't know they could store sperm for so long until I read your post! Eek! I was considering them becuase they're cheerful fish and would add something a little different to the tank - I've always just kept types of neons - tried platys inititally but horrendously overstocked not knowing any better and lost them all immediately. Possibly not my proudest moment.

Vixen, I hadn't even thought of corys, although I think someone suggested them to be on another thread. The pygmy corys are pretty cute and nice n little at 1". Oh no, something else to consider! Aargh

 

[fishwatcher]

I have a trio (1m, 1fm) of cherry barbs. I had a pair at first, but the male constantly hounded the fm. So I got him another one to help relieve the first fm. They are great looking fish, not bothered by others even larger ones like the dwarf gourami. I do like my DG, but they are a little weak. He's worth the trouble though, so if you like them, I'd try it at least once. I also like the Honey Gouramis. I have trio of them as well. They are cute little fish.
I'd go with a pair of rams, the trio of cherries, either a dwarf gourami or a trio of honeys, and 5-6 pygmy cories.
That's just me, though, so take it with a grain of salt.

 

[Ami]

That's an interesting selection FishWatcher.

So that's,
3 honeys (approx 15cm/6")
3 cherry barbs (approx 15cm/6")
2 rams (approx 15cm/6" - often smaller)
6 pygmy corrys (18cm/7.2" - sometimes smaller)

What with the neons, that's a total of 99cm/39.6" of fish! The PFK website stocking calculator gives me 55cm/22" in the first 6 months expanding to a maximum of 110cm/44" after that, so I guess that's okay.


Sounds like a plan! Thanks for all your advice guys.

 

[Ami]

Oops! Almost forgot.

What would the reccomended stocking order be? I'm presuming the corys next as they won't eat the neons, but what then?

 

[fishwatcher]

You can add them in pretty much any order, but I would probably add the rams last, since they are the largest. I think of it this way... if any of the fish may be territorial, then you want to add them towards the end, that way they don't think they own the whole tank before the other guys get added. It'll cut down on any aggression towards each other. I would do it this way: cory cats, cherry barbs, trio of honeys, rams. I would have added the neons at the very end myself simply because they are a little more sensitive to immature water, but since you have them already just be careful and what the water parameters close. I'd also space about a week between each addition. That'll give them all time to settle in.
Hope you have great luck with them all!

 

[Ami]

Fishwatcher - the tank was cycled and I'm paranoid about checking it at the mo, so the neons are doing fine, tnx for your concern.


Looking at possibility of sparkling gouramis instead of honey's but will let you all know my final choices!

Will add corys next.

Thanks for all your help,

Ami

 

[fishwatcher]

Sounnds great! Either of those will be great little fish!
Post some pix when you're all done, I'd love to see it.
BTW you're more than welcome... just glad I could be of help.