More Stocking Questions!

[Betta_Shark5678]

Hello again!

So I've decided against putting my betta into my future 55 gallon tank, and I'm going to get corydoras instead of ghost catfish. So the current stocking plan is:
1 Golden Gourami
6 Corys
6 Guppies, and
6 Platies

Now I'd like to know if I can add a few Kuhli Loaches, and some Blue ramshorn snails to that. So my questions:
Would that be over stocking?
Do those fish I listed get along with Kuhlis?
I read that Kuhlis aren't schooling fish but "enjoy others of their species", so how many should I have?
Do Blue ramshorn snails breed fast like other snails?
Will the gourami, and/or kuhlis eat them if they do get out of hand?
Will my fish eat all the snails before they start to breed?

I'm sorry I have so many questions, I just don't want to mess anything up! By the way, I don't even have the tank yet, I'm just reallyy excited about it

Thanks!

 

[onidrase]

Kuhlis should be kept in groups of 6 or more, just like schooling fish. You'll never see then otherwise. Your tank will still have plenty of room. However, golden, blue, and opaline gouramis are all very aggressive. I'd suggest moonlight gouramis or pearl gouramis instead. Loaches tend to eat snails, but I can't see my kuhlis, despite being full grown, eating one much bigger than a pin head. They have pretty small mouths.

 

[OldMan47]

Unless you prevent them hiding, you may not see many kuhlis anyway. They seem to hide too well. You will need to run your temperature in the low 70s, 19 to 22C, unless you happen to like Sterbai cories. Most of the other common species of Corydoras really like their water rather cool. The guppies and platies will be just fine at those temperatures but I have never tried to keep a golden gourami. I don't know their temperature requirements.

 

[onidrase]

Unless you prevent them hiding, you may not see many kuhlis anyway. They seem to hide too well. You will need to run your temperature in the low 70s, 19 to 22C, unless you happen to like Sterbai cories. Most of the other common species of Corydoras really like their water rather cool. The guppies and platies will be just fine at those temperatures but I have never tried to keep a golden gourami. I don't know their temperature requirements.

my 5 kuhlis are the most boisterous fish in the tank. Theyre plenty active if given time. But I don't think they would appreciate the cold.

 

[Betta_Shark5678]

Thanks! My friend has a kuhli and they are amazing I was thinking about getting a panda, a spotted, an albino, a "red laser" (if I can find one somewhere other than aquabid!), a peru black (again if I can find one!), and a peppered cory. I'm taking my friend's golden gourami, it comes with the tank, other wise I wouldn't even consider a gourami. As far as I've found gouramis will be fine in lower 70 degree water. That stocking should be okay then? I'll try not to find anymore types of fish I really like, I've already had to take one of my favorites off the list!

 

[onidrase]

I'd get same species with cories as opposed to a mixed bag. They'll feel more comfortable that way.

You could also add a school of zebra danios or Rosy barbs to add a bit more movement to the tank.

 

[OldMan47]

I must agree with onidrase. A single Cory species is always best unless you have tons of room. If you get a single of a species it basically sits still and swims just enough to clean the bottom now and then. If you get multiples of a singles species, they are very playful fish that school well together. I do have a tank with 13 C hastatus and 6 C panda. They end up as two groups of fish playing in the tank. It is one of my favorite tanks and holds only one other fish in it.

 

[Ruskull]

The size of your tank is plenty big enough for 2 groups of Corys if you really want 2 different types. Just make sure you get at least 6 of each & stay away from the bigger ones like the Emeralds.

Is the Gold Gourami a male or a female? If it's a female you can breath a sigh of relief, if it's a male he might be very aggressive towards other fish like Platys.

 

[Betta_Shark5678]

I wasn't sure about having different types of corys, thank you for clearing that up. I will probably end up with pandas, and if I had enough room with all those other fish peppereds (i don't know if any of you saw my post about my sister's cory, but that's the reason I've decided on corys, and hers is a peppered, but I like other kinds better, so if I could get two groups that would be awesome!) though if only have enough room for one group I'll probably be nice and get peppered so I can take hers off her hands.

Ruskull, about the gourami, I asked my friend whether it was male or female when she offered me the tank (been wanting guppies for a while!) hoping she'd say female, unfortunately, it's a male. That's why I decided not to put my female betta in there. I will be keeping a close eye on him!

 

[onidrase]

Definitely make sure he's not in the tank while you add new fish. Take him out until 30 minutes after the new fish are in the tank. It'll help him think the newcomers aren't intruders.

 

[Betta_Shark5678]

I read that when you're adding new fish to a tank where you already have territorial fish you should move some decorations around so they don't recognize their territory, and then they aren't as aggressive with the new fish, is that true?

 

[onidrase]

I read that when you're adding new fish to a tank where you already have territorial fish you should move some decorations around so they don't recognize their territory, and then they aren't as aggressive with the new fish, is that true?

in my experience they are still aggressive if they are still in the tank while you move the decor around, but if you take them out while adding new fish they'll think they're in a different part of the river, redecorating only adds to the illusion

I read that when you're adding new fish to a tank where you already have territorial fish you should move some decorations around so they don't recognize their territory, and then they aren't as aggressive with the new fish, is that true?

in my experience they are still aggressive if they are still in the tank while you move the decor around, but if you take them out while adding new fish they'll think they're in a different part of the river, redecorating only adds to the illusion

 

[Betta_Shark5678]

Okay, thanks. I was wondering if it was true, though when I did it with my bettas they a little confused seeming at first then two of them started fighting, and one swam away, so I wasn't sure.

 

[Ruskull]

I read that when you're adding new fish to a tank where you already have territorial fish you should move some decorations around so they don't recognize their territory, and then they aren't as aggressive with the new fish, is that true?

I was just going to recommend that. Moving the stuff around a bit will make the dominant fish think he's in a new home that just happens to have these other fish in it. That's the theory anyway......

Not all males are as nasty as the Gold Gourami male I had either, they can vary quite a bit.

 

[Betta_Shark5678]

According to my friend he has never attacked any other fish (except for chasing his golden gourami tankmate around, but he didn't chase any of the other kinds of gourami), so he may be just fine, but I've also heard they can get aggressive when moved.

I was panicked because I don't have anywhere to put the gourami except in the big tank, and I was worried about cycling, then I realized that if I just get some water from the tank before it's emptied to move then I should be fine (theoredically that is...). I will by then have a test kit so I will be making sure that the water is okay before re-adding the gourami. I've never cycled my little betta tanks before (I didn't understand it then), and never had problems, but that doesn't mean I never will.