Stocking A Fifty Gallon

[Meggie :)]

So I need to stock my new 50 gallon aquarium. It is four feet long and about eighteen inches wide...I have no idea how to stock it, how much is too overstocked, how much is understocked...I know that whatever I put up here probably won't be a good combination, but that's why I came here...I also won't let any breeding happen in this tank...they will be all males...this is what I have right now and it probably isn't good and imight change it along the way after I go to pets Inc and see their options:

Guppies x 8 Or 10
Mollies x 6
Endlers x 4
Panda cories x 6
Shrimp x idk how many yet
Cardinal tetra x 7
Dwarf gouramis x 4

Again, I know that this might not be a good combination, but i needed input because I don't want to ask my lfs for advice again

If anyone has any input on this or any suggestions for a colorful or active fish that I can put in my tank it would be very much appreciated!

Thanks,
Megan

 

[minnnt]

Guppies x 8 Or 10
Mollies x 6
Endlers x 4
Panda cories x 6
Shrimp x idk how many yet
Cardinal tetra x 7
Dwarf gouramis x 4

Guppies x 6
Platys x 6
Panda Cories x 12
Shrimp x 10
Cardinals x 15
Dwarf Gouramis x 2

Any better?

 

[Meggie :)]

Sure! Lol! Idk because I know nothing about stocking haha so is there no way I can have balloon mollies or endlers? And is there any other kind of fish you can suggest? I like the active ones with character

Could I drop the gouramis and do mollies and a few more guppies maybe?

And just wondering, why 12 cories? Is it because they are the only bottom dwelling fish I have listed?

 

[Sam-Baker]

Remember Male Gouramis will fight and be territorial towards other fish e.g Balloon Molly's may eat shrimp depending on the size(fin nipping and such) I keep some YOYO loach which are very nice looking and are incredibly active. escpecially at feeding times.

If you want to keep the Gouramis on the list i would suggest adding them at the end , after all the other fish have acclimatized and settled in including the shrimp, also by doing it this way the other fish should be near full size the gouramis should grow to live with them in harmony.

Patience is a virtue, dont get them all at once , stock the tank over a longer period and your tank will be better in the long term e.g cleaner and more stable in terms of water parameter and bacteria levels.

 

[Meggie :)]

Maybe I will hold off on the gouramis balloon mollies eat shrimp? I've had them for amost four years and that never happened...maybe I just got lucky all these years? What if I did this?

guppies: 8
Mollies: 4
Platies: 4
Panda cories: 10
Shrimp: 10
Cardinals: 12
Endlers: 4 (or maybe none at all)

Any other suggestions? The other day I saw a spotted green puffer...they get up to like 2.5 inches long or something...are those compatible or no? (just throwin that out there)

 

[XeroTolerance]

Nope. They are aggressive fish that should be kept in a tank of their own.

 

[Meggie :)]

Okay...just wondering could I do a few glass fish? Is my stocking okay so far or are there things i should change do you think?

 

[XeroTolerance]

Yeah you should be fine. Try adding around 4 or 5 of them in my opinion.

 

[minnnt]

I would go with Endlers OR Guppies. Too alike for my liking. The reason i didn't add Mollies to the list was because the Platy's can have better colouration and stay smaller. Balloon Mollies are nice though also and don't get as big. Have a look at Honey Gourami's also instead of dwarf Gourami's. You could get 1 male and 2 females. Your tank will be a fair size so 12 panda's would look great as they're a smaller variety and you have no other bottom dwellers listed other than the Shrimps. Also Cory's are a sociable species so seeing them in a bigger group would be more beneficial for you and the fish.

 

[Meggie :)]

So is this good do you think then?

Guppies x 8
Balloon mollies x 4
Platies x 4
Panda cories x 12
Shrimp x 10
Cardinals x 12
Glass fish x 4

Or is this too overstocked you think?

 

[Sam-Baker]

Yeah you should be fine. Try adding around 4 or 5 of them in my opinion.

I have had ballons and definately sailfin mollys eat shrimp before but again introduce them first and youll be fine, the glass catfish is a good idea, they look amazing especially in high intensity lighting. You have a good stock plan and it is good that you are looking at such a good mix of fish how ever as above comment states those puffers are highly agressive and should only be kept in a species specific tank or as i keep them in a agrresive community with my large severums , giant gourami named george lol and my oscars.

 

[XeroTolerance]

I would go with Endlers OR Guppies. Too alike for my liking. The reason i didn't add Mollies to the list was because the Platy's can have better colouration and stay smaller. Ballon Mollies are nice though also and don't get as big. Have a look at Honey Gourami's also instead of dwarf Gourami's. You could get 1 male and 2 females. Your tank will be a fair size so 12 panda's would look great as they're a smaller variety and you have no other bottom dwellers listed other than the Shrimps. Also Cory's are a sociable species so seeing them in a bigger group would be more beneficial for you and the fish.

I think that's a good idea. The thing is Gourami's have a disease that kills them. Only 22% of them have it though. They are hardy but the disease kills them over time. In other situations it kills them instantly from the stress of you taking it home.

 

[Meggie :)]

Thanks so much for helping me with my stock! I am going to have two ten gallons as well, one for housing females and one for breeding and housing a few pregnant females and fry until they are old enough to sex how many non pregnant female guppies, mollies, and platies can I keep in my ten gallon?

 

[XeroTolerance]

In one ten gallon I would put

7 or 8 Female Guppies MAX.

I'm not sure about the mollies and plates though.

 

[minnnt]

10 Gallon is a little small for Mollies imo. Platy's maybe pushing it too. How will you know they're not pregnant though?