Stocking Ideas

[msasa19]

im pretty new to this so want to make sure that i get the right fish for my tank, its 90L and currently has 3 platies, fully cycled, i would also like advise on some plants that are easy to maintain! thanks!

 

[Flute]

Looking good! Great to know that you've cycled it too

If you tell us a bit more about the tank we can get a better idea of what stocking would work for your tank. What's your pH, water hardness (if you know it- if not, check your water suppliers website, sometimes they can give you that information), and temperature?

Easy to maintain plants would be things like java fern, java moss, anubias, crypts, etc. But if you pop on over to the Planted Section of the forum they'll be able to give you more in depth advice

 

[msasa19]

ph- 7.6
high ph- 8.0
we are in a hard water area, very limey water
temp-24.c

 

[msasa19]

my temp is now at about 21.C its going back tomorrow, its complete crape!!

 

[msasa19]

replaced the heater with a 200w, looks massive in the tank but its doing the job

sooooo ideas please im willing to try and swap a platy or 2 for females as these 3 are males and i want to breed and keeping these would mean i need at least 6 females, so may swap 2 males for 2 females.

 

[Blitz]

Maybe add some cories since you have sand? Just an idea. C:

 

[MBOU]

If you want to breed platies, what do you plan to do with the babies as you wont have space for them all on that tank and its unlikely a shop would even take them. Make sure you consider this before going ahead.

 

[the_lock_man]

I agree completely with MBOU. With your tank as it is, you'll probably find that you don't see much in the way of platy fry, because the majority of them would be eaten within minutes - livebearers are seriously bad parents.

However, you are talking about planting up, and this will give the fry somewhere to hide, and therefore not be eaten. Each female will be pumping out around 30 fry every 4-6 weeks. You wouldn't be able to move them on for at least 3 months, probably longer, assuming you can find somewhere to take them. Thing is, platies are so cheap for the shops to buy from their trusted sources, why would they take them from some moosh who walks in off the street with a bag full of babies?

Not trying to put you off, just trying to help you consider ALL the ramifications.

 

[msasa19]

hmm ok maybe i wont breed them then, so how many cories would i need for them to be happy?

 

[msasa19]

also need something like a cat fish or something to eat all the crud off the bottom?

 

[the_lock_man]

Cories need to be in a group of at least 6, really. They are a type of catfish, and will scavenge from the bottom, but they do need proper feeding as well.

If you are also looking a suckermouth catfish (plecs, and the like), make sure you research thoroughly, as many species grow very large. I personally know very little on that subject, so I can't answer anything further than that.

 

[msasa19]

i was gunna get a snail or 2, will they scavenge?

 

[the_lock_man]

They will scavenge left over food, but if you're looking for something that will eat fish-pooh, then sorry, there's nothing I know of that is a subsitute for a proper tank maintenance regime.