Help/opinions please

[Lupi]

Hi All. Hoping you can help me out a bit through my learning curve!

I recently started up a ten gallon freshwater aquarium. Current residents are two peppered cory catfish, a black khuli loach, and three red minor tetra's. Originally started with a couple different tetra's, but found out I should have done some homework first and gone with the same type. So exchanged two of the others to get the group of three red minors in there now. Which leads to my questions.

After making the exchange I did some more reading and found out that these guys can sometime be known for nipping at other fishes fins. I haven't noticed any damage yet, but have noticed that at least one of the minors does make the occasional dive bombing run at the corys. Haven't had enough time to observe if this is progressing and getting worse or not. If it's going to escalate into problems I'll see if I can make another exchange.

If I have to make another exchange any thoughts on what to go with? I was thinking platty's but have no idea what I'd do with any offspring. If I go that route any thoughts? And can platty's be mixed or are they similar to the tetra's and need to put the same type together?

 

[Kiara1125]

First off, please get at least 2 more kuhli loaches. They like to be in groups of 3+. You might want to watch the serapae (red minor) tetras carefully. Platies can be mixed, but they breed like crazy. I preferably, love my kuhlis. They're so active and they have great personalities. I have 3 blacks and 3 bandeds in my 10g.

 

[Thyra]

I would suggest getting a couple more red minor tetras. I think they have to be in groups of 4 - 6 and then they will play with each other. I have not had any problems in the two community tanks I have with them even with angels and bettas in the same tanks.

 

[Lupi]

Thanks for the answers.

Question on the platy's. I've been reading a bit and found some differing opinions as to the grouping. Most suggest a 1 male to 2 or 3 females as being best, but then some say a group of all males is OK so long as there is no females. Other say a group of all females will be OK too, but odds are pretty high of getting a pregnant one as they can go for six months without needing a male again...so defeats the purpose of single sex grouping.

Thoughts on that? I don't have anything particularly against fry, I just don't have another tank set up to handle them.

 

[Kiara1125]

You don't need another tank. The fry will find a way to survive. It's survival of the fittest if you leave them to themselves. Some Rid Minors can because more aggressive in a larger group, rather than playful. If you want to have Platy fry, then get 1 male and 3 females. Or you can get 3 pregnant females, so you don't have a male constantly harassing them, but you still get fry.

 

[Fuzz16]

i would return the corys honestly, a 10g isnt much for them. a small group of 3-5 kuhlis will be fine, as long as they have a log or rock, or some type of decor to hide under.

My fiance like the serpaes, and i have never had them due to the fin nipping. He picked up 10 and lo and behold, my female bettas fins are destroyed along with the guppies. so i would stick with fish that dont have long or flowy fins for them to nip.

platys are not as prolific breeders as guppys, so you wont have to worry about a ton of babies, but there will be some that make it to adult hood

 

[Kiara1125]

I have both Platies and Guppies. IMO, Platies are worse. xD

My Kuhlis like terra cotta pots. They also like to clump in a huge mass under my java moss. I'm just watching them like....you're gonna kill it.......

 

[Lupi]

Thanks for the input all. When I got home from work I noticed a small nip on one of the cory fins....so back to the store the minors went and exchanged for three platies. I got a red wag and two micky mouse platies.

 

[Fuzz16]

i am def a platy fan, they have some nice visible colors where guppys only males are pretty and swords and mollies are sometimes nippy also. congrats on getting the platys

 

[Lupi]

Thanks. All still going good and everyone seems to be getting along well now. Looks like third time's gonna be the charm.