Okay, Fishy Changes!

[Herpetology!]

After the Krib ate our small baby rummynose tetra a friend took him for us in exchange for an aquatic plant...I know, we got ripped off. I also stocked up on a few tetra and got an otto cause our pleco is lazy and loves our driftwood. The shark isn't as bad anymore and he is best buddies with the loach, they spoon in the loaches burrow! The shark I still haven't figured out the species yet, but a trusted source with 20 years or more of experience guarentees it will stay about 1.5 inches long.
Okay, so now we have

2 honey dwarf gourami
1 white-fin blue shark
1 yo yo loach
5 rummynose tetra (picked up 2 more)
1 Xray tetra (Who literally schools with the rummys, he did in the store and he sticks to them in the tank like glue!)
3 bloodfin tetra (off and on schooling with each other and rummys)
3 black skirt tetra (who DON'T SCHOOL, despite what everyone says)
1 rubbernose pleco
1 ottocinclus
2 german rams


I won't add any more unless I add a single rummynose tetra.

 

[voo]

Otto's are happier in groups of 3+
Tetra's will school when they're in a larger group of 5 or more. Usually the bigger the better.

What size is your tank? Also, dont add too many new fish at once, let the bacteria build up on the filter before adding anymore.

 

[dwarfgourami]

3 black skirt tetra (who DON'T SCHOOL, despite what everyone says)

I still don't think you quite understand this concept. It's not about swimming together all the time looking pretty in the tank; it's about feeling safe and unstressed because you know you are protected by the presence of your fellows.

About the shark, since you have access to a trusted source with 20 years experience, why don't you ask this trusted source for the Latin name? If they really are that knowledgeable, that should be the first piece of information they'll provide. And that will help a lot.

 

[ImperfectFaerie]

Don't you already have a thread on your tank stocking?? Seems like you should be updating that one rather than starting a whole new one.

 

[Herpetology!]

I just thought that one got too crowded with posts. Jeez. It's a 31 gallon.

"I still don't think you quite understand this concept. It's not about swimming together all the time looking pretty in the tank; it's about feeling safe and unstressed because you know you are protected by the presence of your fellows."

-I've never seen blackskirts school. The only reason it looks like they school in large numbers is cause there's no room for them to do their own thing when you have a bunch in a tank, seriously. The only times they ever get together is when one happens to swim next to another one and then they go their seperate ways. The bloodfins school with the rummynose alot now.

"About the shark, since you have access to a trusted source with 20 years experience, why don't you ask this trusted source for the Latin name? If they really are that knowledgeable, that should be the first piece of information they'll provide. And that will help a lot."

-My source is a guy who knows NOTHING about science all EVERYTHING about husbandry. He has zero education formally and learned everything from his days in the pet trade. He's very talented but can't provide a scientific name off hand.

 

[ImperfectFaerie]

Why don't you ask a question that you really want the answer to then? It seems everything you ask you already know way more than we could tell you, and arn't open to opinions/experiences of others. Just a suggestion.

 

[dwarfgourami]

As for experience in the pet trade, this can be very good, but unless the man has kept the fish himself over a period of its natural lifespan, there is a risk that his experience is limited. In the pet trade, typically, fish are seen for a short time while they are juveniles. I have met many highly experienced shop keepers who have no idea what the fish they sell will be like as adults. On the other hand, if your man has a lot of experience from keeping this species himself at home and you are sure that there is no chance that his fish could have suffered stunting, then that is another matter; by all means trust him. Find out under what name he orders this fish though, as that may prove helpful.