My Stocking List?

liamb · Oct 1, 2011

well i plan on buying a new tank within the next week or so which will be around 40 litres and im planning on stocking with a variety of fish, how would these fish go together-
guppies
neon lyretail guppies
copper harlequin
platties
mollies
red tailed shark
siamese fighting fish
and some panda corys and albino corys

how many numbers would be best in each of these and what male to female ratio and also will these cross breed

Hunterprey · Oct 1, 2011

The RedTailShark will get too big for the tank, and will become aggressive to your other fish. Siamese fighter may or may not work, I've kept mine with male guppies fine, but some Siamese Fighting Fish have different temperament.

BigbruiserAl · Oct 1, 2011

red tailed shark 100% no go in that tank mate

catfish4ever · Oct 1, 2011

Red tail shark = :byebye:

soybean · Oct 1, 2011

Mollies also get too large for 40 litres.

It's also usually a bad idea to keep siamese fighters with guppies, and depending on the fighters personality they may not tolerate living with any other fish at all. They are best kept alone.

If keeping male and female guppies, you need 1m to 2/3f. They will breed and you will end up with a lot of fry if you have enough cover for them. In that size tank I suggest male guppies only. Around 5-6 in a tank that size, depending on other stocking.

Same applies to platys in terms of males to females and breeding. But they are larger and fuller bodied - I suggest 3-4 all males or all females, again depending on other stocking.

Guppies and platys won't interbreed but the two types of guppy would. The only difference is tail-shape.

If you want to keep corys it's better to have sand not gravel, and they must be in groups of 6+ of one species (you can't add eg 3 panda and 3 albino and expect them to mix). I'm not sure your tank is quite large enough - can you give the dimensions please?

Also if this is your first tank, do you know about cycling the filter? The link below in my sig has lots of info on this. The tank needs to be cycled before you even consider adding any fish. You will need ordinary household ammonia and a water test kit before you do anything else.

the_lock_man · Oct 1, 2011

As already said, the shark is a definite no-no. Mollies are probably a bit too big as well. Guppies could go either way - if you have a small number of males they may fight - but then if you put enough in a 40l to minimise the fighting, then you'll be overtocked. I would say no to the cories again because they need to be in a large group, and that would max you out. Platies would be ok, but again no more than 3/4, and males only so you get no babies. Can't comment upon the Copper Harlequins.

You definitely couldn't have some of each of those species, that's just too many.

I have a 35l tank, in which I have a SFF, 2 Hillstream Loaches, 3 Limia Tridens and 2 Amano Shrimp - (now this isn't ideal as the SFF and the loaches require totally different setups, but this stocking was somewhat forced upon me due to circumstances, so I have a compromise in the envrionment) - but I think I'm quite heavily stocked in this tank.

You will have a little more room, but not much.

Perhaps you could prioritise your list, to help get some better suggestions?

fidjet2 · Oct 1, 2011

Not sure about this but maybe a 1 dwarf gourami....?
the males have beautiful colouration...you would have to ask other members on this one though

liamb · Oct 2, 2011

i will stay away from the shark then. the tank is 60x30x30 i think just 1 of them aquael tropical setups. i havent got the tank yet but thats what i will probably be buying. think i might get the bigger 1 though as just been looking on ebay and seen some lovely fish i like. will also just stick to the panda corys then as my mother is geting the same tank so she can get the albinos. also might add some shrimps in if thats possible? theres alot of fish iv seen that i like but these are the main ones that iv decided on again and roughly the numbers-
shrimp, 5
vampire crab, 1
guppys, 5
corys, 5
some kind of tetra, 6
clown kilifish 2

N0body Of The Goat · Oct 2, 2011

liamb said:
i will stay away from the shark then. the tank is 60x30x30 i think just 1 of them aquael tropical setups. i havent got the tank yet but thats what i will probably be buying. think i might get the bigger 1 though as just been looking on ebay and seen some lovely fish i like. will also just stick to the panda corys then as my mother is geting the same tank so she can get the albinos. also might add some shrimps in if thats possible? theres alot of fish iv seen that i like but these are the main ones that iv decided on again and roughly the numbers-
shrimp, 5
vampire crab, 1
guppys, 5
corys, 5
some kind of tetra, 6
clown kilifish 2

With that list you need to be buying a bigger tank than a 60x30x30 (~54l), more in the 100-125l ballpark minimum. Don't Vampire Crabs need access to land?