Upping My Stock

[Fintastic!]

I'd like to add more fishies to my current stock but I'm unsure which would be happiest in my tank. I'd love some advice please!
My tank is a Juwel Rio 180 litre. My ph is 8.2. My water is very hard naturally though we use a water softener. Temp currently set at 24.

Tank dwellers at the moment are:
1 male molly.
9 platys (3 adults and 6 that are 2-3 months old) I plan on giving 3 or 4 of the babies to the lfs as I don't want to be overrun with platys.
3 albino and 3 bronze corys.
2 peppered corys.

I'm unsure whether to up the peppers to 6 or to change them for other corys. What do you think?

I'd like one or two really nice feature fish and a shoal of something.
Can many more fish live happily in my tank?
Thanks in advance guys!!!!

 

[Fintastic!]

 

[soybean]

Change the peppered for at least one more of each of the others. Peppereds actually prefer slightly cooler temps.

As you don't have a shoal of something like tetras or rasboras that might be a good route.

What about half a dozen black and/or red phantom tetras? Interesting displays between the males and peaceful towards other tank mates.

 

[Wills]

Hi whats the male molly like? Some can be aggressive so just wanted to work out what he is like. If your unsure of the cories I wouldnt add any more and maybe add more to your bronze and albino group

As for feature fish dwarf cichlids or gourami would be great Even some mid sized cichlids would work like Keyhole, Krobia or Cupids - Blue Acaras would also be nice or any of the smaller Acara species.

Wills

 

[snake007]

Hi whats the male molly like? Some can be aggressive so just wanted to work out what he is like. If your unsure of the cories I wouldnt add any more and maybe add more to your bronze and albino group

As for feature fish dwarf cichlids or gourami would be great Even some mid sized cichlids would work like Keyhole, Krobia or Cupids - Blue Acaras would also be nice or any of the smaller Acara species.

Wills

Ive heard blue acaras can be aggressive and will eat most community fish, is this so?

 

[Fintastic!]

Hmmmm. Interesting. Must admit I'll have to google most of those. The molly is the boss, though since I've moved them from a smaller tank he seems to have chilled. I tried a dwarf gourami once but the poor thing died from the disease they seem prone to.
What about a sparkling one or something?
You have me thinking with the peppers. I've grown fond of them but I see your point.
Keep 'em comin'!
I'll get googling....

 

[Wills]

Ive heard blue acaras can be aggressive and will eat most community fish, is this so?

Blue Acaras are cichlids at the end of the day so will always be a little aggressive but they are not predators and wont actively hunt fish out to eat or harm them.


To the OP -

Dwarf Gourami can be quite sickly fish so make sure you get them from a good shop and avoid the obvious like disease riddled shops and dead fish in tanks as they. Also dont buy cheap find a shop that really cares about the quality of their fish and you should be okay.

A group of Sparkling Gourami is always nice for the surface So sounds like a good plan

Wills

 

[soybean]

Honey gouramis?

 

[Fintastic!]

I've checked some of your recommendations out and I love the look of the Blue Acara though the small chance of aggression has me wondering....
Phantom Red Tetras look really nice too.
So too do the Sparkling and Honey Gourami's.
If I go the Tetra route, does it matter how I mix them gender-wise, or colour-wise for that matter?
Also with Sparkling Gourami's, would you advise on one or a number?
Thanks guys!

 

[soybean]

Black and red phantoms can be mixed, and while gender isn't too important, more females than males is generally better.

Sparkling and honey Gouramis can be in a small group. Not sure on sparkling, but honeys are good 1m:2f.

 

[Fintastic!]

Thanks Soybean. I'll take time to ponder as one of my peppers has a little cut on his face so I'll wait 'til all is healed to maybe return them. Pity, they really are lovely little things with lovely colouring.

 

[Fintastic!]

Had a nose round an lfs I don't usually nose in and they have some nice fish. They have some lovely black phantom tetras and lovely dwarf cichlids. They have some sort of discus that looks interesting but I'm guessing he's outta my league?
They had an interesting group of little fish all swimming in unison around the tank. I can't remember what they're called! I'd like that sort of activity. Any ideas?
Sadly they also had around 12 zebra danios in a small cube of a tank. Why do I keep seeing this? Poor little fellas darting around madly...

 

[soybean]

Discus def not an option for this tank.

Tetras and rasboras tend to swim around in groups when threatened or unsure, so it's difficult to pick out a fish that will do this all the time. But they generally stay loosely near to each other.

Danios are pretty hardy and always recommended for beginners, so theyre in and out of the shop pretty quickly, few people realise they're buying an active fish.

 

[Fintastic!]

Yeah the black phantoms could be a go. I'll take my time deciding, choosing is such fun! Hard to walk out of the shop when you see something eye-catching! I had zebra danios before and they were the bosses of the tank though I knew no better and had them in a 10 gal hex.
From reading around here I assume I definately rule out a betta?
As a centre piece I mean.

 

[soybean]

Yeah I wouldn't bother with a betta myself in that tank.