I need your opinions!!! :)

Guanchy

Guanchy

Medium Fish
#1
Jul 17, 2013
93
0
0
New York
#1
Im currently cycling my 15G tank, im doing s fishless cycle! so far is doing pretty good. Im leaving on vacation on sunday for two weeks so thats why i decided to do the fishless cycle because i didnt want to leave the fish alone or have someone take care of them.

I really like cichlids but my tank is too small for them, so i decided to go with Guppies ive had them before and i really like them a lot.
I know they are livebearers and are always having babies but thats not a problem for me because my LFS would take the fry and give me credits to buy what i need from the store.

so i want to know what do you guys recommend to put in the tank with them? i dont want just guppies. I want them to be the main fish in my tank but im thinking of adding other stuff, maybe like shrimps ( idk which type of shrimps would be good tho). maybe a few scavengers. I also like corydoras a lot but idk if they will do good in a high PH, because i know guppies like a high PH
 

Newman

Newman

Elite Fish
#2
Sep 22, 2009
4,668
0
0
Northern NJ
#2
you could try a group of 5 panda or peppered corys. those usually are lenient in terms of tank paramaters. back when i had pandas they were fine and happy and even breeding in my rock hard tap water. pH was around 7.6 -8 from what i remember. I like panda cories so much I'm probably going to get them again.

as always red cherry shrimp are always good in such tanks where the fish are too small to eat them.
you might want a BN pleco for glass cleaning, then again you might not. use AqAdvisor to help you with figuring out stocking numbers.
 

exhumed07

exhumed07

Superstar Fish
#4
Apr 30, 2006
1,774
0
36
Illinois
#4
panda garra, glass catfish, bushynose pleco, apistogramma, hillstream loaches are pretty cool, dojo or kuhli loaches, of course cory cats as newman said. and there are many many different kinds to fit your style. those are just a few that i could think of off the top of my head that would do well in a 15 gallon tank.
 

Guanchy

Guanchy

Medium Fish
#5
Jul 17, 2013
93
0
0
New York
#5
exhumed07 said:
panda garra, glass catfish, bushynose pleco, apistogramma, hillstream loaches are pretty cool, dojo or kuhli loaches, of course cory cats as newman said. and there are many many different kinds to fit your style. those are just a few that i could think of off the top of my head that would do well in a 15 gallon tank.
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awesome, i think im going to go with a school of corys! ive had them before and they are awesome! i like them a lot, the only thing is that the times i got them, they would be very active at the store and once i put them in my tank they would barely
move -_- maybe because my tank wasn't cycled and the water was bad for them idk

i like activie fish! thats why i like guppies a lot, they never stop!!! lol
 

Newman

Newman

Elite Fish
#6
Sep 22, 2009
4,668
0
0
Northern NJ
#6
Cories are also very active when you feed the tank. make sure they get about two caves in the tank too. just to get out of the light and into some shade. i think that will make them feel more comfortable and they should come out more.
 

Guanchy

Guanchy

Medium Fish
#8
Jul 17, 2013
93
0
0
New York
#8
Newman said:
Cories are also very active when you feed the tank. make sure they get about two caves in the tank too. just to get out of the light and into some shade. i think that will make them feel more comfortable and they should come out more.
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definitely getting some cories! love those little guys !

exhumed07 said:
live plants help as well. I've noticed just in general that my tropical fish do much better in my planted tank then they ever did in an unplanted tank.
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i love live plants, i might get some i just need to do some research on them.
 

exhumed07

exhumed07

Superstar Fish
#9
Apr 30, 2006
1,774
0
36
Illinois
#9
I suggest looking into a dirted tank. once the tank is cycled the bb is on the filter and rocks and other decor. take them out and put them into a bucket with tank water to keep them moist. that will keep the bb alive. add about an inch of ORGANIC potting soil or garden soil. make sure it's 100% organic. i used a brand called happy frog, mirical grow organic is also recommended. but moisten the dirt to get rid of most air pockets and then layer with about an inch to 2 inches of gravel to cap it and keep the dirt in place. then plant they plants, add water back into the tank and you are good to go. i've been growing some plants in my 30 as an experiment with low lighting in dirt. the plants aint growing real fast but they are growing under 1 t8 bulb in dirt. to be safe though a dual t5 or dual t5ho would be best. to get more in depth information go to dustins fish tanks on youtube. thats where a couple of us have gotten the info on dirted tanks and those of us who have tried absolutly love it.
 

Guanchy

Guanchy

Medium Fish
#11
Jul 17, 2013
93
0
0
New York
#11
exhumed07 said:
I suggest looking into a dirted tank. once the tank is cycled the bb is on the filter and rocks and other decor. take them out and put them into a bucket with tank water to keep them moist. that will keep the bb alive. add about an inch of ORGANIC potting soil or garden soil. make sure it's 100% organic. i used a brand called happy frog, mirical grow organic is also recommended. but moisten the dirt to get rid of most air pockets and then layer with about an inch to 2 inches of gravel to cap it and keep the dirt in place. then plant they plants, add water back into the tank and you are good to go. i've been growing some plants in my 30 as an experiment with low lighting in dirt. the plants aint growing real fast but they are growing under 1 t8 bulb in dirt. to be safe though a dual t5 or dual t5ho would be best. to get more in depth information go to dustins fish tanks on youtube. thats where a couple of us have gotten the info on dirted tanks and those of us who have tried absolutly love it.
Click to expand...

I have sand in my tank right now, would that be good for the plants?
i really dont wanna go to all the process of taking all that sand out, and then putting dirt and then putting the sand back. Its not that im lazy but im scared that im gonna mess up the cycle lol

upside-down catfish said:
Does your local fish store have any pygmy corydoras?
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i have to ask when i go, that place is huge they have so many Salt and Freshwater fish, its crazy!
 

Newman

Newman

Elite Fish
#14
Sep 22, 2009
4,668
0
0
Northern NJ
#14
oh I'm not breeding them haha, i'm not that good. their fry are probably tiny and harder to raise than some of the more common cories. I just have a group of 6 that i could part with if anybody needs some.
 

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