Sorry Stocking Question Again!

[newtotropical]

I have a tetra Aquaart 60ltr currently i have the following:

6 x Zebra Danios
2 x Green Tiger Barbs
1 x Tiger Barb

how many Panda Corys would you say i could add?

What else if anything??

Im sure you all get fed up with this question but im new to this and want to get it right! The tank is cycled by the way!!
Many thanks

 

[newtotropical]

Anybody??

 

[muzzy]

Hi newtotropical

I think most if not all cory's fair better when in groups of at least 3 or 4 but thats providing you have enough room for them.

 

[newtotropical]

Muzzy, i realise that. Im asking how many i could have and for anyother stocking help really.

thanks

 

[muzzy]

lol sorry i miss-read.....

 

[newtotropical]

No worries mate!! im just trying t make sure i dont overstock as its very tempting with all the fish available.....

 

[thegnu]

hi,
thanks for replying to my first post. i will return the favour. one way of working stocking levels out is the one in of fish per gallon rule if the tank is under 6 months old, 1.5 inches after. your 60L tank holds 16 gallons a little less with a water displacement because of substrate and decorations. if your tank is over 6 months old i would say adding 4 panda's and your tank would be pretty much stocked

 

[newtotropical]

Hi thegnu, Thanks for that. I was hoping for 4 but just seems o lot of fish sat on the bottom if you see what i mean?


Also do you think 2 Albino & 2 Panda would be ok??

 

[Miss Wiggle]

I'd go with 5 as they'd be happier in the slightly bigger group and as they are out of the way of the other fish it shouldn't matter that it takes you a little bit over recommended stocking levels. it's still very easily manageable so long as you keep up with water changes and maintenance.

I'd stick with the panda's... albino's get bigger and cories will be happier in groups of they're own kind or at least others that closely resemble them. We once had about 9 cories of 3 different sorts all with similar markings, and they still stuck to they're own little groups most of them time, looking back it would have been better to get 9 of the same.

Also as others have said panda cories are sensitive, if your tanks not 6 months old then you need to wait a while before adding them.

 

[newtotropical]

Thank you flower!!! (getting older by the day!!! he he)

Can i add them 2 at a time? im worried about the load if i put 4/5 in at the same time??!!

 

[Miss Wiggle]

Thank you flower!!! (getting older by the day!!! he he)

Can i add them 2 at a time? im worried about the load if i put 4/5 in at the same time??!!

i'd put them all in at once, just monitor your levels over the few days after adding them and do small daily water changes if you get ammonia or nitrite spikes, if your tank's over 6 months old the extra load shouldn't have too much of an impact.

just had a thought of how you could maybe build up extra bacteria in preparation, however i've literally just thought of it now, no experience or anything so i might think of something else in half an hr which would mean it's a load of rubbish!

if over the 2/3 weeks before you added them you gradually increased your feeding then the fish would produce more waste, or uneaten food would create extra ammonia so your bacteria would start to increase to use this up. over the course of a couple of weeks you could gradually build up the extra bioload then when you added the new fish you'd drop back to normal levels of feeding and the filter would already be able to cope.

 

[newtotropical]

Yea, that could work..

 

[Miss Wiggle]

the theory seems sound, i'll think about it some more see if i can see any problems.... anyone else got any thoughts on doing that??

i think you'd still need to monitor your levels and would potentially have a mini cycle, but it'd mean it would happen with only the hard fish in the tank not with the sensitive ones.

 

[newtotropical]

It makes sense to me.....but what do i know ..bugger all if you listen to her in doors!!!!

 

[newtotropical]