Looking for advice...

[christianblu]

I am a complete beginner but have been reading up and gaining a lot of insight into fish, environments, plants and the kinds of filtration and lighting i should be aiming to get, mainly from reading posts from this forum. Many thanks
I am cycling my tank and am about a week in at the moment. Setup with 3 tetras (blackwidow), 3 Platies (red wag).
I have come up with a first draft of my stock and my thoughts were...

5x Tetras (blackwidow) (+2) (fallen for them, the ones i have now are full of personality),
3x Platy (red wag),
??x leopard cory,
??x ghost shrip,
1x Betta (double, blue)

Oh my tank is 28g, footprint 33.5" x 12". Am i close to stock or do i have room for more, will it be crowded?

Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Christian.

 

[UP UP AND GUPPY]

My Thoughts

5x Tetras (blackwidow) (+2) (fallen for them, the ones i have now are full of personality),
3x Platy (red wag),
??x leopard cory,
??x ghost shrip,
1x Betta (double, blue)

Well just to say on the platies I would try and ask for all males so your tank is not over crowded. The cory, make sure that it only gets to about 3" so it doesn't over crowd the tank. The ghost shrimp, get only one to see how the betta reacts towards it and then if good things happen then get more(only about 1 more). Again on the cory if it gets over 3-4" then think of getting something like a green cory or albino if you can find any.

 

[christianblu]

Platies!

I already have the platies and from what i have been reading about the anal fin shaping to tell the sexes, i have 2 females and 1 male.
The shrimp is looking like a permanent fixture as the missus likes them and is dead set on having one. Do bettas eat shrimp?
Am i better adding more platies, do they do better with a larger group, i read the tetras do better in groups of 5 or more so thats why i am adding 2 more, my tetras entertain me so much so i have no quarrels with adding more

 

[jobeak]

I have six Black Widow Tetra's and they are the livliest fish in any of my tank. The swim in single file around the back of the heater from one end of the tank to the other. They are definately fun to watch.

Jobeak

 

[christianblu]

6 tetra's

So a i better with a group of 6, or is 5 adequate? Are all your tetras one sex or a mixture?

 

[jobeak]

So a i better with a group of 6, or is 5 adequate? Are all your tetras one sex or a mixture?

I originally had four and I added two more about a week later. I think 5 or six is a minimum as they are schooling fish. I have two females and four males. Its like watching convoy at times with these fish. They are a good buy IMO.

Jobeak.

 

[Lotus]

I think the stocking plan sounds OK, but I think the betta is a gamble on whether it will work out or not. They're not generally good community fish.

A group of 3 platies is fine, and 5 tetras will be OK. If you decide to get cories, get at least 3 of them, as they are also a schooling/shoaling fish.

 

[christianblu]

Blackwidow tetra sexing?

I think 5 or six is a minimum as they are schooling fish. I have two females and four males.

So continuing the little side discussion, how exactly do you sex bw tetra's?

 

[jobeak]

Females are slightly larger, with a more rounded body than the males. Apparently the males show white spots on the tail fin, but none of mine have any.

Jobeak.

 

[christianblu]

Females are slightly larger, with a more rounded body than the males. Apparently the males show white spots on the tail fin, but none of mine have any.

I have read that the female has more of a red tinge to them is this true?