70 Litre (18 Gallon) stocking

[April_ht]

I currently have a 70 litre (18.5 US Gallon) tank with dimensions of 58 x 30 x 40cm (23" x 11" x 15"). The temperature is kept unheated at around 18 Degrees Celsius (65 Degrees Fahrenheit) with a stocking of 6 Golden White Clouds and 3 Platy (2 female:1 male). According to AqAdvisor, the stocking is 68% and filtration is 450L/H (118G/H). dGH is 5.8 and pH is 7.6. Water changes 50% weekly.

Anyways, I was thinking of getting a few more additions for the tank. It is lightly planted as of right now but I plan to get a whole lot more plants either online or once I'm out of lockdown. My ideas were to have one of the ideas below, please feel free to correct me or say any unsuitable species I’ve listed.

• 4-6 Corydoras as I've heard that Peppered and Panda corys can live in cold/room temp
• Hillstream/Borneo loach (unsure if 1 or 3, mixed information) - Tank is starting to grow algae which is perfect for them, can supply high lighting for excess algae growth. Am looking at new filters with high (adjustable) flow with air bubbles for excess oxygen. Will provide multiple hiding spots for other fish to stay away from high flow and put highest flow in one area if this happens.
• 6 Clown Killifish or other cold water killifish able to live in community tank
• Other cold water algae eaters (recommendations?)

Also looking at new filters for my tank, looking at these: https/www.natureaquariums.com.au/collections/filters/products/pet-worx-800-internal-filter, https/www.natureaquariums.com.au/collections/filters/products/aquael-asap-filter?variant=39939176693953 and https/www.natureaquariums.com.au/collections/filters/products/fluval-underwater-filter?variant=35818372235424.

Any advice is much appreciated, thank you in advance.

 

[Grez]

Hi,
I think you'd be better off going for just the Corydoras and getting 6-8 of them. It might be a bit cramped having multiple types of bottom dwelling fish in that size tank. Also Clown Killifish prefer slow or stagnant water, whereas Hillstream loaches require the opposite from what I've read. I'm not sure about the temperature either, I think most corydoras prefer at least the low 70s? I could be wrong though. And doing two smaller water changes per week may be less stressful on the fish

Best

 

[Byron]

On the GH at 6 dH (5.6) this is soft water and fine for most of the fish mentioned, but not for platies. They need the GH up around 10-12 dH minimum, as they need the calcium for their internal functioning. This should be considered, and I will move on.

Hillstream Loaches need a good water current from the filtyer, and algae-covered rocks. It is not easy to find tankmates for this fish, but the WCMM's you have are good matches. The cories should manage, if you have a sand substrate, and stay with the "common" species. And have some areas out of the current so they can rest. Ironically, the brighter lighting for algae is detrimental to cories, they will avoid this if they can, and be stressed if not. A better option is to place some smooth river rock in a container of tank water and place it out in the sun. When the rocks have algae, place them in the tank.

The clown killifish will not do well here, with the current needed for the loaches. Data on habitat here:

Epiplatys annulatus – Clown Killifish (Haplochilus annulatus, Pseudepiplatys annulatus) — Seriously Fish

www.seriouslyfish.com

 

[Myraan]

Panda cories to fill the bottom sound nice.

Some would say you are dangerously close to being overstocked at that point though, at least when the platy have babies.

Not sure how platy will do in your soft water.

Personally i would be tempted to fill the remaining space with a bigger shoal of the white clouds - but there might be a noticeable gap in the lower portion of tank if you were to do that

 

[April_ht]

Thanks for the advice, sorry for the confusion but I was only planning to have one of the suggestions (though you probably realised). I think I'll just leave the Hillstream loaches until I'm able to have a suitable tank for them. The majority of platy fry don't survive as the WCMM love to target them, however those that do are temporarily moved to different a tank until I can find a home, so no problems with overstocking. I know the platy require harder water so I plan to rehome the adults at the same time as the fry once they get big enough, maybe around another 4 weeks. Do corys by any chance eat algae? From what I've read they don't eat algae, so it would be preferable to get an algae eater.
If I were to get more WCMM, I have golden at the moment so would they school with normals? If not I may just get a few more Goldens in the future as they seem to occupy the whole tank and no set area, though mine don't seem to school together much.

 

[Byron]

Do corys by any chance eat algae? From what I've read they don't eat algae, so it would be preferable to get an algae eater.

Cories do not eat algae. They will be seen browsing all surfaces with or without algae present, looking for microscopic bits of food, infusoria, etc. But they are not eating the algae. Too much green stuff in their diet (thinking here of the prepared foods available) cause intestinal problems.

As for algae eaters...no fish suited to anything but quite large tanks will eat "problem" algae. The common green, or diatom algae, will be eaten by otos, farlowella (twig cats), bristlenose, some other loricariids but not all of them. Snails also eat this algae.

If I were to get more WCMM, I have golden at the moment so would they school with normals? If not I may just get a few more Goldens in the future as they seem to occupy the whole tank and no set area, though mine don't seem to school together much.

The varieties are the same species, so as far as their needs are concerned, yes, they will work together.

As for "schooling," it depends what one means by the term. Most probably think it means the fish in the species remain together as they swim around the tank hunting for food; this is true schooling but it applies more to certain marine fish species. Few freshwater species will do this. though some do remain in a group more obviously than the majority of species requiring a group; rummynose tetras usually stay fairly close together, and Ember Tetra, some pencilfish species, hatchetfish, and some rasboras species. "Shoaling" may be a better term for the species that need a group of their own, though that term too can often indicate differing behaviours. But generally, freshwater species that naturally live in groups of the species will require a group in the aquarium just for natural reasons, which usually involves security, and may be related to dominance/aggression/hierarchies within the group. With some of these species one might see tighter groups if they are threatened--but I am certainly not suggesting anyone threaten their fish, this is seriously stressful with various ramifications.

 

[April_ht]

Thank you for letting me know, I think I may just get a few snails that are suited to colder temperatures and don't breed too often then, though I'm okay with a few babies and any extras could just go in my outdoor pond I guess. Otherwise I would consider a bigger shrimp species that is also suitable for my tank parameters. The white clouds are often just all over the place, so I figured they weren't tight schooling fish though I still wouldn't consider having them alone or in a tiny group. From what I've heard, the Clown Killifish would be a no? All information online seems to be mixed, some say 25 degrees celcius and others say 18 degrees celcius. As of right now I'll probably just find a few more white clouds and just stick to the species I know I have the right parameters for, maybe one day I'll be able to have a huge tank with a few hillstream loaches.

 

[Byron]

Thank you for letting me know, I think I may just get a few snails that are suited to colder temperatures and don't breed too often then, though I'm okay with a few babies and any extras could just go in my outdoor pond I guess. Otherwise I would consider a bigger shrimp species that is also suitable for my tank parameters. The white clouds are often just all over the place, so I figured they weren't tight schooling fish though I still wouldn't consider having them alone or in a tiny group. From what I've heard, the Clown Killifish would be a no? All information online seems to be mixed, some say 25 degrees celcius and others say 18 degrees celcius. As of right now I'll probably just find a few more white clouds and just stick to the species I know I have the right parameters for, maybe one day I'll be able to have a huge tank with a few hillstream loaches.

Sounds good. The link I posted earlier in this thread on the killifish should answer your questions, that site is reliable.