New Tank Advice

[HeatherW]

A family friend is giving me a 40 gallon to add to my existing 20 gallon!

Currently I have 5 platies, 4 swortails, and a pleco.

I've thought through some options for stocking and I need opinions.

Option A:
40 gallon:
current pleco (he will grow)
current 4 swords (they need more room)

20 gallon:
new group of corydoras or snails
current 5 platies

If I wanted to add black mollies, which tank would be better suited?
Or should I put mollies in the 20 and the platies and swords together in the 40?

Option B:
40 gallon:
current pleco
current platies, 5
current swortails, 4
3-4 new mollies (1m and 2-3 F)

20 gallon:
a group of corydoras or a snail (which better with fry?)
birthing and raising tank

So what do you think?
Two species(ish) tanks (A) or a raising tank (B)?
And of the 3 species (platy, sword, molly) which have more similar water ideals?

I do have both homes and LFS for fry.
I also have a 2 gallon with filter and heater.

So any advice as I expand the empire?

Heather

 

[phoenixfire]

well lets begin...swordtails become very large fish...one i have looks like a monster...so i would upgrade them to the 40 gal...put the pleco in it...the platies to if u want...and even the mollies...for the 20...u can put both corys and a snail...neither will bother the fry...if anything the fry will bother the snail...i dont believe the corys will eat the fry...lol if i missed anything tell me...cause that was a lot of options...

p.s. if ur gunna put fry in the 20...dont get any fish that will eat it basically everything lol...but i dont believe the corys will bother them like i said

 

[Annastasia]

I suggest you read this post as it will give you something to think about with Mollies.

Anyway, I would definitely upgrade the Swordies, and the Pleco. So of your options, B. Do the 40 gallon, but skip the Mollies. And then use the 20 gallon for fry, which will be useful with all the Livebearers, and then I'd go for Cories. A bit more interesting then snails in my opinion, and they won't over-run the tank.