Newbie, Stocking

[egore81]

Hello
Im new to the tropical fish world. I have wanted one for years and final decided to do it. I have just got a 48 litre tank to start off to see how I get on but expect to expand in the future. 
My tank has cycled and has 3 glowlight tetra and some snails in at the moment and 1 plant and some decorations.
My main question at the moment is stockin as I have had conflicting info from pet stores and online. would the follow be ok stocking wise and would the breeds be ok together.
 
3 Glowlight tetras
3 neon tetras
2 guppies
either 2 mollies or swordtails or maybe dwarf gourami
 
The pet store says I can have more than this but I am unsure.
Any help would be appreciated
Thanks

 

[Gvilleguy]

Hi - welcome to the fish forums!!  You will get varying opinions when it comes to stocking questions.  So this is just my opinion:
 
Especially for newer tanks I usually recommend the "1 inch of adult fish per gallon of tank water".  So you would be somewhere in the 12 inches of adult fish range, give or take a couple inches.
 
1. Glowlights and Neons are great, but they do not school together.  I had 8 glowlights and 6 neons, and they remained separate.  I thought they might mingle.  I say that because your glowlights will be happier, and have more natural behavior, in a group of 6.  So rather than having two timid groups of 3 glows and 3 neons, you could have a more natural group of 6 glows, and skip the neons.
 
2. Guppies would be a great choice to have with either glows or neons.  
 
3. Mollies, on paper, prefer slightly brackish water, I believe.  
 
4. Swordtails might be a little big for 48 litres. Don't they reach 3 inches?
 
I think you would want to stay closer to a stock level of:
6 Glows (or 3 Glows / 3 Neons)
2 Guppies
 
Then let your tank mature and see how things go with that bioload.

 

[RCA]

to the wonderful yet addictive world of fish keeping, glad you have taken the plunge

 
 
I agree with Gvilleguy ala go with 6 Glowlights as they will be happier, and I would stay away from the Mollies for the reasons stated.
Look at Endler Guppies as these are generally smaller.  You also may wish to stick with just males so you do not have too many fry, unless you wish to explore this area of fish keeping.
 
Platies would be smaller than the Swordtails, but are also live bearers.  I tend to stay away from live bearers now but they are a fun starter fish.
 
What filter do you have in the aquarium?  If it is a good filter with the ability to turn over more than the volume of the aquarium this can assist with stocking levels.
Do you have live plants in the aquarium?  These can also assist with balancing your underwater world.
Where are you located - if you could put the country in your profile it assists with advising you on any equipment etc.
 
Personally I am a Siamese Fighter fan, so I would get a lovely Crown Tail or Plakat Fighter. 
Stay away from Veil Tails if you can.  If you like them and want more info., check out the Betta Splendens Forum.

 

[Gvilleguy]

Oh - betta is a good suggestion if you don't want guppies.  I have a crowntail in a 6.6 gallon and he is a fun fish.  I have housed him with other community fish (only fish without flowing fins) in the past and he got along fine with them.  

 

[RCA]

Cheers, not that I am biased at all.  Oh and thanks, I meant to mention that re:guppies, but got carried away with my Betta, they are indeed fun

 
In my LFS they sometimes put the Bettas with Guppies and they seem OK, which surprised me.  That said Bettas have their own personalities and what works for one does not always work for another, as I have found out.  Love them all though...

 

[egore81]

Thanks for your feedback. I am from the UK. The filter that came with my tank is a interpet PF1. I assume this is sufficient? do you know if there is much benefit in having the venturi feature on? I prefer it not to be on as it is noisy and creates a lot of bubbles which spoils the view a little.
I have 1 plant in the tank, a densa i believe
 
I really do like the fighters although I was told to stay away from them if I was going to have guppies.
 
What do you mean brackish water? if I had mollies is it better to add salt?
I think I am going to have to have a bigger tank in the future as I am wanting more than the tank can handle I think.
i would like to have some neons but from what you have said and what I have read I think its going to be best to go for 6 glows.
Does anyone know what the dwarfs are like? I read that they are prone to disease?
 
Thanks again for your help this looks like a great forum and one I shall use a lot

 

[NorthEastFisherman]

Not saying its a good idea but i have a female veiltail betta with tiger barbs and guppies. The reason theyre all together is because ive watched each one of them and theyre all really shy fish so they wont attack eachother. And so far theyve been in the same tank for about a week now and not one issue is to be seen.

 

[Gvilleguy]

I am in the US and have had bad luck with Dwarf Gouramis.  Over 3 years I have tried 4 - 5 of them on different occasions, and every one would last a number of weeks, and then I would find them dead overnight.  No sign of outward disease.
 
Yes, Mollies live in brackish, salty water in the wild.  Your non-brackish tank mates might not like dealing with salt.  

 

[egore81]

Thats great thanks, im thinking its best to stay away from the dwarfs and although I would like some mollies I dont want the other fish to suffer for it.
do you think the following would be ok in 48l tank
 
3 glowlights
2 guppies 
2 cories or platies
1 betta or 2 swordtails (or are these too big for the tank)
 
is this too much?
is the pf1 filter sufficient? this is what came with the tank

 

[Gvilleguy]

I think that would be okay for a stock plan, except I would not put guppies with a betta. It's up to the personality of the betta as to whether or not he would bother them.  I don't know enough about the filter to comment.