Stocking Question

[Esoe]

Hi,

Thanks for all the earlier advice re: fishless cycling - I now have 3 Guppies swimming happily around and they've not died yet! (72 hours and counting!)
Now I am thinking of what else to add in - my dream has always been neon tetra's - but I've been persuaded (quite happily!) to go with cardinals as they're slightly hardier and you don't lose anything in looks.

SO - onto specifics.
It's a 60L tank and using the gallon stocking method I can have about 16" fish, using the water surface area method I can have 20" of fish - so I am working on somewhere around those numbers.

My reading suggests that the Guppies could get to 2" each and they're considered top (ish) feeders.
Tetra's are considered middle feeders from what I read and apparently can grow to 2" - so I was thinking of 5 of these knowing they like their community.
Which leaves me with 2-4" for something else.
There are quite a few options, but I didn't know if I "needed" to have any bottom feeders? or whether you don't need to always have all three?

So what options do you suggest for my remaining 4" - and have I worked it out correctly??!

Many thanks.

 

[eaglesaquarium]

Bottom feeders aren't necessary. The same goes for other levels (mid or top). Most of the bottom feeders you could go with are shoalers (corydoras for example). I group of 6 pygmy or dwarf corys are always nice, but that might overstock you too much. If you are looking for some life on the bottom, you might want to check out shrimp. (Red cherrys, specifically would be nice). They add very little to the bioload, and are excellent scavengers. Plus, its cool to say you have shrimp!

 

[Wills]

Yeah you dont have to have activity on all levels really its upto you - I would say your stocking ideas are about right for the tank

Just to say though there are some tetras that stay small and could get you a larger school which is always a plus with tetras - Green Neon Tetras and Ember Tetras are often considered nano tetras and are a brilliant little schooling fish both in their own right

You could also look at the Galaxy Rasbora which would do well in the lower temps that livebearers often like - though captive bred guppies do well in most temps.

Wills

 

[Esoe]

Thanks for this.

I re-read some information and I think the cardinal Tetra's are smaller than I had though initially(I now have them at 1.25")
So my stocking is:

3 * Guppy
6 * Cardinal Tetra
6 * Pygmy Cory

This leaves me with maybe 2" left to play with in the future - but should give me a nice tank to lose myself in!!

 

[welshfish1]

I second shrimp they are really fascinating to watch or even an apple snail I think they give a tank that little something extra to look at

 

[Esoe]

Having now stocked the aquarium, I have:

3 * Mollies (I thought I'd been given Guppy's - but have since been corrected!!)
6 * Cardinal Tetra's
3 * Guppy's (and I think their tails are LOVELY!)

So do I get a snail, shrimp or something else?! I fancy something that would stand out. From what I've read most shrimps like to be kept together - does the cherry cope on its own? (I love the colour!) - I've also read that with the snail you need to leave a gap at the top of the aquarium and I'm not sure how that would look......!

Here's a (not great!) photo of it at the moment.