How to stock my tank

[TradeWinds]

Planning out what fish I eventually want in my tank, and just wanted some other opinions. Right now I have four black neons, but will probably get another one. I was thinking of these options for my 10 gallon:

1) Five black neon tetras, 2-3 cories (either the false julli or bronze cories I think I'll go with)

2) Five black neons, 3-5 other tetras

3) Five black neons, a gourami or two

4) Five black neons, two cherry barbs (if I can find them, don't think my local Petco carries them)

So what do you think?

TradeWinds

 

[Henry22]

I'd said option one because they would occupy the bottom of the tank whereas the rest of the fish would swim in the middle to upper areas of the tank. Since you already have tetras i wouldnt get a diffrent kind unless you wanted to do just a tetra tank.

 

[Balloon Fish]

CHOICE NUMBER 1!
I think choice number 1 is probably the best like henry already said, you would have fish in the middle and fish at the bottom but if you get other kinds of tetras you just have more tetras that act the same way and nothing special in the tank. As for the gourami, aren't those usually agressive? maybe one wouldn't hurt but i personally dont like gouramis that much and i dont like barbs that much either cause they are agressive and move too much .

 

[FroggyFox]

I'd pick choice number one also, 3 cories...and add to that an apple/mystery snail or an otocinclus for a cleanup crew.

 

[TradeWinds]

Thanks for letting me know what you guys think. I'm going over to Petco in a few hours as one of my tetras died this afternoon, so I'm going to have them test my water to see how my cycling is going and buy two more black neons to bring the number up to five.

FroggyFox
I'd pick choice number one also, 3 cories...and add to that an apple/mystery snail or an otocinclus for a cleanup crew.

Okay. I was under the impression that cories would eat anything that fell to the bottom. Do you think it would still be wise for me to get an otto even if I don't have any visible algae growth? I'm worried that without any algae he'd just end up competing with the cories for food that fell to the bottom and die. I've not even had my tank for a week though, so maybe I'm just being naieve assuming algae won't grow.

Again thanks, you guys are all very helpful. *thumbsup2

EDIT: And another question I thought of. I read that tetras may eat spinach after you freeze it. What's the proper way to do this? Freeze a leaf and just stick it in the tank after tearing it into little bits? I'm currently feeding my tetras tropical fish flakes and bloodworms as treats.

 

[FishGeek]

You really dont want to add fish while you are cycling. And I think Froggy ment in the near future. Its no fun adding all your fish at once. Break it up a little, cause once you finish you will want to get a bigger (or just another) tank.

 

[FroggyFox]

guppy is right....I know you're not planning on adding any of these fish until you're finished cycling, least thats what you said. And no, you shouldn't add an otto until your tank has had a chance to establish itself. Cory's need to be fed, they dont JUST eat what falls to the bottom...and same with any other bottom feeder. Most peole drop in bottom feeder tablets or algae disks every couple of days or every day depending on how many you have. Since ottos eat veggie matter and cory's are omnivorous I dont think they'll outcompete each other for food.

As for the spinach...any fish that likes veggies will eat leafy foods like spinach/lettuce, or slices of cucumber weighted down or in a veggie clip. You dont need to freeze it first.

 

[TradeWinds]

I was going to get a black neon to replace the one that died. Is that a bad idea? My thinking was to keep the waste level of the fish at the same level that I started off with.

'winds

 

[NoDeltaH2O]

I'd like to break out and cast a vote for 1 + 3 (tetras, gourami, and cories, but only ONE gourami). Tetras hang around the middle of the tank and the gourami would cruise the top looking for bubble-nesting material.

 

[Lotus]

I would wait until the cycle is finished before you increase your neons, then wait a few more weeks until you add the cories (I guess that means I vote for #1)

 

[shimmercat]

I'd like to break out and cast a vote for 1 + 3 (tetras, gourami, and cories, but only ONE gourami). Tetras hang around the middle of the tank and the gourami would cruise the top looking for bubble-nesting material.

I would like to second this idea. This is very similar to what I'm doing, actually.

 

[FroggyFox]

I think if they were a smaller tetra I may agree...but in a 10G tank?? Thats really pushing the stocking to add another 'big' fish in there IMO.

 

[TradeWinds]

I think I'm going to just lump all my noob questions into this thread to avoid a bunch of new threads in the forum. So without further delay, my lastest question: I just got a master test kit, and I found I have a pH of 8.2-8-4 (I'd heard before San Diego water was a little alkaline, but was surprised it was this much. Maybe I'll test some tap water on tomorrow). According to fishprofiles.com the black neon's upper range is 7.5. How will this affect my fish? Is it something I should worry about?

Next question: I'm using Amquel water conditioner, which besides removing chlorine and chloramine claims to render ammonia harmless while not interfering with the biological cyle. I've done some research (yes, I have the correct ammonia test where it won't result in a false positive when using Amquel) and from what I read it seems I should stop using it once done cycling my tank, though indeed the Amquel won't mess with the biological cycle. I'm going to keep on using it during cycling, as FroggyFox told me ammonia is more harmful at higher temperatures (the tank's at about 83 last time I checked because of the damn heat, the heater's not even on), so hopefully that'll help with that. I plan on switching to a conditioner that doesn't do anything to ammonia after my tank has cycled but before I add any other fish. Anybody have any opinions/experiences with this?

As to stocking I think I'm going to go with the black neons and three cories. Maybe an otto if I feel I need it. IMO, I felt that was pushing it to begin with so I think the Gourami's out if I go with the cories. But I'll prolly get a betta in a seperate little three gallon tank that I have lying around from my first pathetic attempt at starting a tank, then realizing it was far too small.

thanks for listening to a noob ramble on,
'winds

 

[FroggyFox]

Everything sounds like a good plan to me You've been doing your homework! awesome.

As for the pH, dont worry about it. Your fish get used to pretty much any pH that you put them in...and will thrive best if it is stable. If your pH is unstable (either naturally or because you add things in to try and change it) your fish's health will start suffering. If you want to be sure...just take a look at your pH today...test again every day for the next few, test right after a water change, test your tapwater, and just chart the results. Within about .2 is fine...if its any more difference than that you might want to read up on some ways to stabilize it.

 

[jediinthedark]

See if you can find either, BioSpira or a handful of gravel (an ornament or filtermedia) from an established tank. Put that in your tank and you'll cycle a lot faster then you will from scratch.
I don't think that the PH is going to kill any fish as long as they get aclimated to it. Certain "rare" type fish may not like it though, but for what you described I think it will be fine.
I wouldn't add anymore fish until your cycle has completed. Then feel free to add the Otto and maybe a 2-3 shrimp. They don't do much to the bioload.