Overstocking

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Hi everyone, i am new to this forum and also to fish keeping but i must say im loving it already ok, so i have a question and would love to hear your opinions. Iv recently bought a 46 gallon (Just over 200 litre) bow fronted aquarium. The measurements are 36 inch long, 16 wide and 20 high. It's cycled and iv had the water checked for ammonia and so on and all readings were 0. I am using an interpet pf4 internal filter and 2 air stones, doing weekly 20 - 30% water changes and feeding flakes and cat fish pellets every other day as well as dried worms for the fish and algae wafers for the plec twice a week. Also in the tank are a few plants ( 3 plastic, rest are real) and 3 pieces of driftwood (1 large and 2 small). Currently in the tank are 4 torpedo barbs, 4 kribensis, 3 peppered corys, 1 bristlenose pleco and 2 apoline gouramis (at least i think that's what there are... They look a lot like pearl gouramis). Do you think the tank is overstocked? If not then what fish could i add? The biggest of mine at the moment is probably the gouramis at around 4 inches and then the plec at around 3 inches. The rest of the fish are smaller. I have enough bottom feeders so i would now like some fish that are of a decent size, colourful and stay mid to top of the tank. I also want to keep aggression down to a minimum. Any suggestions will be appreciated. Thanks

 

[kizno1]

The stocking doesnt look to bad to me, Although the Barbs could really do with a 4' tank 3' is a little on the small side. Do you know what sex your Kribs are? once you get 2 pair it woud be best to sell the other 2. Sme of the shoal numbers could do with upping but i think theres still quite a bit of room.
Something like
2 Kribs (once they pair)
8 Corys (they prefer to be in big groups)
1 BN plec
2 Gouramis
10 Marble hatchets
10 Tetra or Rasbora, i would go for Cardinal tetra.

 

[Caprichoso]

Your tank is not overstocked . How about adding a school of Cardinal Tetras? You could also add a couple of Emperor Tetras too(they don't need to school). Male and female would be nice. All look brilliant when mature

 

[matt_storey]

Sorry to highjack but it saves another stocking thread, how does a 120g tank with the following sound stock wise...

1x Gold Sev
1x Ellioti
1x Angel
2x Jade Eyes
4x Bolivian Rams
1x Synodontis Nigrita
1x Ruby Shark
4x Clown Loachs
6x Peppered Corys

 

[dbanner]

Wasn't sure about the kribs before i got them. I seen them at the store and they were selling them singly or in groups of 4 at a reduced price. I wasn't told any different even though i did enquire about thm in 3 different stores... Again with the torpedos, i got them because i was told they would be ok in my tank and then did some research and realised that wasn't so iv never really looked into tetras before but i have seen a lot of people mention them in forums... I was thinking of getting some more corys. At the end of the day im just looking to get a nice looking peaceful setup. No dramas lol unfortunately a bigger tank is not an option as iv not got the space so iv Jus gotta make the most of what iv got...

 

[kizno1]

Sorry to highjack but it saves another stocking thread, how does a 120g tank with the following sound stock wise...

1x Gold Sev
1x Ellioti
1x Angel
2x Jade Eyes
4x Bolivian Rams
1x Synodontis Nigrita
1x Ruby Shark
4x Clown Loachs
6x Peppered Corys

Looks good to me although i would be tempted to get another 4-5 Angelfish so they have a nice group. I would also up the Corys to 8-10. I would also add some dithers like 10 Lemon tetra or Headstanders. Personally i would rehome the Clown loaches they just get to big and ideally need to be in a group of 6+ which would leave you with to many bottom dwellers IMO.

Wasn't sure about the kribs before i got them. I seen them at the store and they were selling them singly or in groups of 4 at a reduced price. I wasn't told any different even though i did enquire about thm in 3 different stores... Again with the torpedos, i got them because i was told they would be ok in my tank and then did some research and realised that wasn't so iv never really looked into tetras before but i have seen a lot of people mention them in forums... I was thinking of getting some more corys. At the end of the day im just looking to get a nice looking peaceful setup. No dramas lol unfortunately a bigger tank is not an option as iv not got the space so iv Jus gotta make the most of what iv got...

Out of all the fish the Kribs will be the most likely to cause problems IMO but aslong as you work the stock around them there shoudlnt be any touble. Keep them as 4 for now then once you get a pair form sell/get rid of the other 2 or they are likely to get bullied very badly. Some might say the Barbs will work but getting quite big and how active they are i wouldnt want them in less than a 4' tank. I would see if you can sell the Barbs and get a big shoal of Tetra instead. The Corys will really appriciate the extra company, it would be best to get all of the same type because different types dont normally shoal but if you do really want different types get atleast 4 of each type. The stocking i sugested above should be fine and there shouldnt be any problems with it.

 

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And no im not sure about the sex of the kribs all i know is 2 of them r bigger with more purple on their bellys... That's probably won't help though...

 

[kizno1]

That help alot actually, The ones with purple bellies will be the females. I would just leave them to it and let them naturally pair as they can be picky sometimes.

 

[dbanner]

Il take in the advice iv just had a quick look at the cardinals, emperors and marble hatchets. Could u please tell me how big each of these get in inches roughly... And is it right in saying they are mid level fish?? Thanks

 

[kizno1]

Cardinals - 2" Mid dwellers
Emperors - 2" Mid dwellers
Marble hatchets - Just under 2" Surface dweller, Will really like floating plants like Amazon frogbit to hide in.
I personally would either pick the Cardinals or Emprors i wouldnt have both although a shouls of 5 of each would work 1 big shoal looks a lot better and will be better with the fish. The Hatchets will be fine with either as they stay at different levels of the tank so it wont look cramped.

 

[dbanner]

Thanks a lot for the info so Juat to recap, wait for 2 kribs to pair up then take the other 2 back or sell... Ideally take back or sell the torpedos and id be good to get 10 cardinal tetras and 10 hatchets with my stock list. Sorry for all the questions, Jus want to make sure i get it right the 1st time

 

[kizno1]

Yeah that sounds spot on to me. The Krib shouldnt take long to pair and the signs will be 2 sticking together maybe displaying and going in and out of caves (if you have any?) and also them chasing the other 2 Kribs and the other fish in the tank. Yeah the Cardinals and tetra should be fine although i wouldnt add all 20 at once maybe take the barbs back and swap them for 6 cardnials then a week later another 4 then 6 Hatchets then another 4 if that makes sense? Dont worry about asking questions its better to ask a load now than needing to when you have massive problems if you get the stocking wrong.

 

[dbanner]

Yeah i know what you mean about adding them slowly. sounds good 2 me. Should have a decent display then. I also have another tank which at the moment im using as a cold water. It's a 20 gal rectangle with a fluval u2 filter and a few plants and orniments. At the mo its stocked with 3 Odessas, 3 rosy barbs and 1 female paradise.... I also have a spare 100 watt heater i Cud add to the tank so instead off selling the other 2 kribs could i move them 2 this tank instead?

 

[kizno1]

Yeah should look great when done. Any pictures of the tank?
That could work if its another pair or 2 females but if its 2 males in a 20G they might have a few fights, not sure how well they would get on with the Paradise fish either but they do stay in different levels of the water so they shouldnt be to bad.

 

[dbanner]

Iv got pics on my phone but not my laptop so dont think i can upload suppose i could always carry my pics across from phone to laptop 1st looking at the kribs i think i may have 2 males and 2 female?? Going by what you said earlier about the females having purple bellies...