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Help with stocking my aquarium

Bertha

Bertha

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Apr 14, 2024
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Huntington Beach, CA
I had some advice here (I'm sorry; I don't remember who it was from) that said my tank is too small for what I want in it. Right now I have two Harlequin Rasboras and one Corydoras Sterbai. I wanted to get a variety, but the advice I received was to have six-ten Rasboras and three-five Corys (fewer Corys if that many Rasboras). I don't want only Rasboras and Corys, but I know they both do better with larger numbers.

I don't know what varieties I would get. Barbs? Tetras? Loaches? (I'd like Kuhli Loaches but don't have the right substrate for them). Others that I don't even know about?

My aquarium, despite Fluval calling it 15 gallons, holds only 9-10 gallons of livable space. I've just measured the back portion of the tank behind which are the filtration and heater. That area holds 3 gallons. I don't know if that makes a difference. Also, I have about an inch of substrate (small pebbles). I'm guessing that it might make a difference if I take some out, but I don't know how well the plants will do with 1/2 inch or so of substrate.

Ugh. I can't imagine that you've ever had a more clueless person here. I hope you don't get a worse one.


My tank (Fluval Flex 15 gal kit) apparently holds only ten gallons by measurement, so I can only have so many fish.
 
Hello. The water in such a small tank is too unsteady for most fish, even just a few. Kits don't even have the right lighting to sustain aquatic plants. I for one, could never remove and replace enough water and often enough to maintain a steady and healthy water chemistry in a small fish tank. Here's a good rule to follow if you're going to be a successful keeper of the water. "The larger the tank, the better your chances of success".

10
 
10 Tanks said:
Hello. The water in such a small tank is too unsteady for most fish, even just a few. Kits don't even have the right lighting to sustain aquatic plants. I for one, could never remove and replace enough water and often enough to maintain a steady and healthy water chemistry in a small fish tank. Here's a good rule to follow if you're going to be a successful keeper of the water. "The larger the tank, the better your chances of success".

10
Click to expand...
Hi, 10.

One would think that the makers of aquariums would know this. But no doubt they're only in it for the money. Alas, this is the only aquarium I have, and since I can't afford another, I have to work with it.

The lighting is adjustable from bright to dim, and is in all colors of the spectrum. I just have to hope the plants will be ok.

Thank you for your input. I appreciate it. :)
 
Bertha said:
I had some advice here (I'm sorry; I don't remember who it was from) that said my tank is too small for what I want in it. Right now I have two Harlequin Rasboras and one Corydoras Sterbai. I wanted to get a variety, but the advice I received was to have six-ten Rasboras and three-five Corys (fewer Corys if that many Rasboras). I don't want only Rasboras and Corys, but I know they both do better with larger numbers.

I don't know what varieties I would get. Barbs? Tetras? Loaches? (I'd like Kuhli Loaches but don't have the right substrate for them). Others that I don't even know about?

My aquarium, despite Fluval calling it 15 gallons, holds only 9-10 gallons of livable space. I've just measured the back portion of the tank behind which are the filtration and heater. That area holds 3 gallons. I don't know if that makes a difference. Also, I have about an inch of substrate (small pebbles). I'm guessing that it might make a difference if I take some out, but I don't know how well the plants will do with 1/2 inch or so of substrate.

Ugh. I can't imagine that you've ever had a more clueless person here. I hope you don't get a worse one.


My tank (Fluval Flex 15 gal kit) apparently holds only ten gallons by measurement, so I can only have so many fish.
Click to expand...
I have 6 white cloud mountain minnows and 6 celestial pearl danios (nano fish) living in a perfectly cycled 10 gallon planted tank for 16 months. No deaths and the fish seem happy. They all get along. I do one 20% water exchange every Saturday. Ammonia, nitrites and nitrates always zero the hour before the water exchange.
 
gwand said:
I have 6 white cloud mountain minnows and 6 celestial pearl danios (nano fish) living in a perfectly cycled 10 gallon planted tank for 16 months. No deaths and the fish seem happy. They all get along. I do one 20% water exchange every Saturday. Ammonia, nitrites and nitrates always zero the hour before the water exchange.
Click to expand...
That's good news to me, gwand. Thank you.
 
To be honest your aquarium is too small for most fishes; however you could do some shrimps with a nice betta. The betta might go after some of the shrimps but if you give them caves and stuff to hide in the betta won't get that many. You could do a nice school of ember tetra but the tank really is too small for cory and more active rasbora. The problem isn't just water stability it is amble room. There are less active small fishes - i mentioned ember tetra and endler might also work but you really can't much much.

Here is a picture of my 10 with a family of a. pucallpaensis and some shrimps:
10_2.jpg


Sorry for the mass of perl weed but my mystery snail died and he used to keep it under control and then it look more like this:
nn1.jpg


This aquarium is approx 3 years old - i'll add another mystery snail one of these days and then the hornworth should regrow.
 
Hello again. Okay. Let me add something this time that's a bit more helpful. You could keep 6 to 8 very small fish in 15 gallons of water. Maybe a Neon Tetra or something similar. You can certainly research other small fish species. You could add a nice floating plant like Anacharis or Water Sprite. These floating plants take in nutrients through the leaves, so can actually keep the tank water cleaner than the plant you have to plant in the bottom material. Most important though, you'll have to remove and replace half the tank water twice a week. This will not only remove the dissolved waste from the fish, but replenish the minerals the fish and plants use between water changes. There, I can be somewhat helpful.

10
 
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