Stocking My 15.8 Gal (59.8L) Tank

[carmstrong]

Good Afternoon Fish Friends, 
 
I have the age old question that i'm sure everyone has asked once before.. 
 
How do I stock my tank and what do I stock it with?
 
I currently have a 15.8 gal 2ft long tank with a small bunch of Java Ferns growing and soon to be a piece of driftwood added. 
 
I am going through the cycling process (adding a biological agent tonight) and need some advice on which fish to add to the tank. 
 
The only limitation I have is I need community fish that will not harm my African Dwarf Frog (ADF) 
 
My local fish stores do not have anything fancy and have suggested the following for this tank. 
- Zebra Danios
- Guppies
- Scissor Tails Rasbora
- Platys 
- Mollys
- ADFs
- Cardinal Tetras
- Cherry Barb
etc..
 
So my question is, how do I pick?
 
Soo many say to stay away from the Danios, where some say to get them. 
 
Ive been on the AqAdvisor site and they list hundreds of avail fish for my tank.
 
I know this can become quite a debate, but i'm just looking for the common fish that are found almost everywhere to get me started.
 
Thank you in advance for all your help

 

[Mamashack]

Please try to be patient with the cycle for the safety of your future fish. You can't add fish during the fishless cycle or it won't be fishless and they will be harmed by the high amount of ammonia and eventually, nitrIte and nitrAte in the tank. A fishless cycle takes about 5 weeks from scratch - sometimes less if you can get some mature media from somewhere.
Old cartridges from a HOB filter will probably have only a few bacteria on them and their ammonia-reducing capability (which is chemical rather bacterial) will be spent so probably wouldn't contribute much to the process I'm afraid.
If you can beg some mature gravel or no more than a third of the filter medium from a mature tank that should speed up the cycle.
You'd definitely be better allowing the tank to go thro a full fishless cycle before adding fish otherwise you'll probably lose the whole lot again.

 

[carmstrong]

Please try to be patient with the cycle for the safety of your future fish. You can't add fish during the fishless cycle or it won't be fishless and they will be harmed by the high amount of ammonia and eventually, nitrIte and nitrAte in the tank. A fishless cycle takes about 5 weeks from scratch - sometimes less if you can get some mature media from somewhere.
Old cartridges from a HOB filter will probably have only a few bacteria on them and their ammonia-reducing capability (which is chemical rather bacterial) will be spent so probably wouldn't contribute much to the process I'm afraid.
If you can beg some mature gravel or no more than a third of the filter medium from a mature tank that should speed up the cycle.
You'd definitely be better allowing the tank to go thro a full fishless cycle before adding fish otherwise you'll probably lose the whole lot again.

 
Thank you Mamashack for this informative post, I am planning on waiting for a full cycle before adding any fish to the tank. 
 
I'm actually going to purchase a Bio material to aid the process for a week before adding anything live. 
 
I do not wish to use the Ammonia method. 
 
This post was to inquire for the future as to what avail or compatible fish are suggested for my tank size. 

 

[Ninjouzata]

How do you know your tank can process 3ppm of ammonia without adding ammonia and testing it? Really not trying to hound you but I don't want to see you going through what you just did again
 
The only suitable fish off that list are guppies, platies, cherry barbs, and cardinal tetras. That site is in the filter for a reason..it's rubbish.
It does not factor in everything that it should such as territory space (there are many other things but my mind is blanking!)
 
There are actually lots of options for this size tank but not all of them are easy to get. Honey gourami, celestial pearl danio/galaxy rasbora, mosquito rasbora, neon green rasbora, neon tetras, certain cories (pygmy, hastatus, habrosus), peacock gudgeons, dwarf puffers, betta sorority (all female bettas), hara jerdoni/asian stone catfish, spotted blue-eyes (pseudomugil gertrudae), delicate blue eyes (pseudomugil tenellus), certain killifish, certain apistogramma, rams.
 
Some also may be better for someone with more experience (betta sorority as you need to know their body language and heavily plant the tank and puffers as they need snails to help keep their beaks trimmed and heavily planted again to break up line of sight)
 
There are other fish that I'm sure I'm forgetting. When researching fish I highly suggest looking on seriouslyfish, it has lots of good info

 

[TrickySpot]

I'd start with platys and mollys.....you can mix and match and get a great colorful tank quite easily! 
 
I also like them because they are live bearers and so long as you having plants/hiding spots, your population will grow. I have a informal deal with my LFS that I can swap juvenile fish for the water polishing filter pads for my filter....a bonus as all the little expenses of fish keeping can add up quickly!
 
I have a feeling cardinal tetras are difficult to keep, I can't recall why right now, but neon tetras are very popular and can add a 'blue' to your tank that you can't get with mollys and platys. 
 
So perhaps a mix like:
 
Red Platys (I like the ones with black fins)
Black Sailfin Mollys (if you get nice specimens, they can have a great stripe along the top of their dorsal fin)
Saffron Mollys
Neon Tetras
Black Phantom Tetras
 
That would give you a great mix of black, silver, blue, red and yellow/orange! I am new to the phantoms though, I have 10 in a community tank and they seem perfectly fine, but just double check that they are fully compatible! I know they are territorial to each others (males), but mine just swim around in a lovely school with no fighting!
 
I'd avoid any large fish like the plague - sharks, plecos, some loaches, discus, angelfish etc, etc.....they are more difficult to keep, some need daily attention and most get too big for any reasonable aquarium. 
 
 
 
Have fun and good luck!

 

[Ninjouzata]

Mollies need a 30g so would not put them in this size tank. I do not recommend any stocking calculators since they don't take everything into account such as territory, behavior, activity levels etc.

 

[carmstrong]

How do you know your tank can process 3ppm of ammonia without adding ammonia and testing it? Really not trying to hound you but I don't want to see you going through what you just did again
 
The only suitable fish off that list are guppies, platies, cherry barbs, and cardinal tetras. That site is in the filter for a reason..it's rubbish.
It does not factor in everything that it should such as territory space (there are many other things but my mind is blanking!)
 
There are actually lots of options for this size tank but not all of them are easy to get. Honey gourami, celestial pearl danio/galaxy rasbora, mosquito rasbora, neon green rasbora, neon tetras, certain cories (pygmy, hastatus, habrosus), peacock gudgeons, dwarf puffers, betta sorority (all female bettas), hara jerdoni/asian stone catfish, spotted blue-eyes (pseudomugil gertrudae), delicate blue eyes (pseudomugil tenellus), certain killifish, certain apistogramma, rams.
 
Some also may be better for someone with more experience (betta sorority as you need to know their body language and heavily plant the tank and puffers as they need snails to help keep their beaks trimmed and heavily planted again to break up line of sight)
 
There are other fish that I'm sure I'm forgetting. When researching fish I highly suggest looking on seriouslyfish, it has lots of good info

I used the calculator on this website

I'm going to try and get me some CPDs somewhere. I'm researching where to get them now so in two weeks I can pick up a couple. Then a week after that pick up two more. I guessing they needs schools of 6 plus.

I will check out those stocking sites you all mentioned.
Thanks

 

[FTM22]

In my 15 gallon I have platies, a honey gourami, a couple snails, a guppy (he was oddly territorial and killed the other two so I didn't get him any others), and I'll soon have some shrimp. That setup has worked nicely for me. All the fish get along and are nice and colorful so in my opinion, livebearers are the way to go in your tank.

 

[sawickib]

Please get a liquid test kit and follow these steps to ensure you dont have another death catastrophe please. >>> http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?/topic/421488-cycling-your-new-fresh-water-tank-read-this-first/
 
Make sure if you get a schooling fish you get 6+ above all else, and make sure they can go into the tank.
 
I would second using a calculator for determining stocking levels and fish as well.
 
I woldnt pay to much attention to what trickeyspot recommends, the reason he thinks those fish are difficult is because if hes ever kept them they werent cared for properly, most if not all fish need daily care.
 
Ninj list is a good list to look at, so just please make sure your tank can process enough ammonia and then come to us with what you would like to stock the tank with. 

 

[TrickySpot]

I woldnt pay to much attention to what trickeyspot recommends, the reason he thinks those fish are difficult is because if hes ever kept them they werent cared for properly, most if not all fish need daily care.
 

 
Please keep your opinion of other forum users to yourself, once you have fixed your spelling and kept all those fish yourself....perhaps then you can offer sensible advise and be less ignorant.
 
"I'd avoid any large fish like the plague" - Can you please tell us which large fish you'd recommend for a 15.8 gallon tank?

 

[sawickib]

I think most people are entitled to their own opinion esp. if your giving bad advice out to people. I have kept sharks, plecos and angelfish which are all quite easy to care for, with the right size tank. I dont feel like being childish and arguing about this on tropical fish forum and needing to explain why idc about spelling here either. 
 
Idk if you noticed but your 10 gallon community tank is to small for the fish you are housing so please refrain from giving bad advice and then getting offended by it being refuted. 

Sorry for getting off topic carmstrong, i really do hope you can get your tank sorted out

 

[TrickySpot]

I think most people are entitled to their own opinion esp. if your giving bad advice out to people. I have kept sharks, plecos and angelfish which are all quite easy to care for, with the right size tank. I dont feel like being childish and arguing about this on tropical fish forum and needing to explain why idc about spelling here either. 
 
Idk if you noticed but your 10 gallon community tank is to small for the fish you are housing so please refrain from giving bad advice and then getting offended by it being refuted. 

Sorry for getting off topic carmstrong, i really do hope you can get your tank sorted out

 
I don't have a 10 gallon tank

 

[sawickib]

O i guess i read the "I have 10 in a community tank and they seem perfectly fine", but i would just like you to know, most fish are quite easy to care for given the proper environment and care. 

 

[TrickySpot]

O i guess i read the "I have 10 in a community tank and they seem perfectly fine", but i would just like you to know, most fish are quite easy to care for given the proper environment and care. 

 
Yes, given the proper tank size......but did we all start with 100 gallon tanks? All I want is to prevent is people buying endangered species for a tiny aquarium, I fell for it when I started and I had fatalities and I don't wan't anybody else to have that if they can stop it. 
 
Species like Discus need water changes every 2 days and like 28 + degrees C, something you'd probably like to know before you buy them because they look pretty! 
 
I think that everybody on this forum hopefully has their fish's well being close to heart, so yes, I may appear over cautious, but its not my ego talking, its my worry!

 

[sawickib]

I think anyone who goes onto this forum cares about their fish i totally agree with you on that, and in the beginning most people stray away from discus anyway because of the wallet you need haha, usually those who are interested in those lovey fish will  research them. 
 
I know i didnt start of with a 100 gallon tank, but i did work up to it! haha and i love it so much, but you dont need a big tank to take care of every fish, you just need the proper environment for the proper fish is all i was trying to state