New Tank // Stocking Suggestions
- Thread starter Greg_DS
- Start date
A few comments to make.
You don't want to be adding any more fish until the filter is fully cycled - that means 0ppm ammonia and 0ppm nitrite at all times. That will take quite some while, with a fish-in cycle. To put more fish in to the tank will merely add to the load on the few bacteria you have. You don't want to be poisoning your fish!
Leopard and Zebra Danios are the same species, as are Albino Danios, they are just different colour morphs. They are a shoaling species, but it's perfectly acceptable to mix and match - I had 2 of each morph in a small shoal at one point - they don't "see" any difference. They aren't an aggressive species, certainly not in the same way as, say, Malawi Cichlids are, although I have read that they can be a bit prone to nipping when in low numbers. I never experienced that with my shoal, indeed I didn't experience it when I only had 3 of them (in my newbie days). They do need lots of room to zoom about in, and to chase each other in, (which they love doing) and this can be disconcerting to the more sedentary Siamese Fighting Fish, but I think this largely depends on the temperament of the individual SFF.
On the other hand, Tiger Barbs are quite a nippy species. I've personally never had them, because I've not wanted to risk them.
Platies will get on with anything else that's peaceful, they'll just happily swim around ignoring everything else and producing babies. Again, all the different colour variations are just colour morphs, not different species, and will happily breed with each other. In a community tank, with little plant cover, you will find that the fry will be eaten, both by the platies themselves and the other fish. When I had a group of platies, I never even saw a fry, although the female was constantly pregnant. If you do go for mixed species, it's best to have a ratio of at least 1m:2f, or better 1m:3f, so that the females get a rest from the male's attentions - another newbie mistake I made! If you don't want any fry to be eaten, don't get any females at all.
Corydoras Catfish are bottom feeders that seem to be fine with newer tanks, need to be in decent numbers (6+) and with a sand substrate, but I reiterate what I said at the start - don't add any more fish until your filter is completely cycled - however frustrated you and your family get, it's better in the long term.
You don't want to be adding any more fish until the filter is fully cycled - that means 0ppm ammonia and 0ppm nitrite at all times. That will take quite some while, with a fish-in cycle. To put more fish in to the tank will merely add to the load on the few bacteria you have. You don't want to be poisoning your fish!
Leopard and Zebra Danios are the same species, as are Albino Danios, they are just different colour morphs. They are a shoaling species, but it's perfectly acceptable to mix and match - I had 2 of each morph in a small shoal at one point - they don't "see" any difference. They aren't an aggressive species, certainly not in the same way as, say, Malawi Cichlids are, although I have read that they can be a bit prone to nipping when in low numbers. I never experienced that with my shoal, indeed I didn't experience it when I only had 3 of them (in my newbie days). They do need lots of room to zoom about in, and to chase each other in, (which they love doing) and this can be disconcerting to the more sedentary Siamese Fighting Fish, but I think this largely depends on the temperament of the individual SFF.
On the other hand, Tiger Barbs are quite a nippy species. I've personally never had them, because I've not wanted to risk them.
Platies will get on with anything else that's peaceful, they'll just happily swim around ignoring everything else and producing babies. Again, all the different colour variations are just colour morphs, not different species, and will happily breed with each other. In a community tank, with little plant cover, you will find that the fry will be eaten, both by the platies themselves and the other fish. When I had a group of platies, I never even saw a fry, although the female was constantly pregnant. If you do go for mixed species, it's best to have a ratio of at least 1m:2f, or better 1m:3f, so that the females get a rest from the male's attentions - another newbie mistake I made! If you don't want any fry to be eaten, don't get any females at all.
Corydoras Catfish are bottom feeders that seem to be fine with newer tanks, need to be in decent numbers (6+) and with a sand substrate, but I reiterate what I said at the start - don't add any more fish until your filter is completely cycled - however frustrated you and your family get, it's better in the long term.
OP
OP
Greg_DS
Fish Fanatic
Thanks for all that, will heed your advice. My little Danio's seem very happy anyway, wasn't that keen on them when I bought them but they have grown on me, charming little things darting about, I'll let them enjoy the tank to there selves until it's cycled. 
Quick question for anybody who knows them, I have one thats much slimmer and seems to have bigger fins for its body ratio, I assume its the opposite sex but is it the male or female??
Quick question for anybody who knows them, I have one thats much slimmer and seems to have bigger fins for its body ratio, I assume its the opposite sex but is it the male or female??
skinbad
Fish Fanatic
Coming from Pets at Home, its most likely just a long finned variety, they look different, but as with zebra / leopard, are just a line bred morph of the original Zebra.
As far as stocking goes, have you considered doing a locality themed tank? i.e all fish from the same continent etc?
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