Add one more species or not

[Beastije]

I just got an idea, that I would maybe love to add one more species to my tank, but ofcourse am not sure that I should.
currently, I have 50 ember tetras, 10 sterbai corydoras, 6 hatchetfish, 2 remaining otocinclus, 2 bamboo shrimp and around 5 tylomelania snails
The tank is a 360l, 120x50x60cm.

In the next two or three weeks I will get 10 more hatchetfish, giving them another chance. I was considering 10 more otocinclus, but I would rather not risk it. Instead, what if I added more corydoras? I love the fish species. But maybe not the sterbai.
What if I added 10 or 20 even of pygmy corydoras, or dwarf corydoras? would that work? I know they dont school together but the pygmy one doesnt spend all the time on the bottom, could liven up the middle part of the tank

I started feeding better and I do keep an eye on the substrate, but ofcourse I have had issues with the corydoras recently since I lost one, so maybe I shouldnt add more? Or maybe not right now? I am just thinking about it now because I have to order the fish soon.

 

[Beastije]

Or, one male cichlid of some sort. I lack something in the tank at this point. But not sure what

 

[GaryE]

Allow me to throw you a twist.
That has to be a warm water tank. Lone Cichlids are miserable creatures - they are by nature sociable. In groups, most species would disrupt that tank.

But not all.

Can you get Dicrossus filamentosus? It's small, brilliantly reflective and colourful, and ideal for the fish you have. Plus, it is social. You could put 8 of them in there, and they would be both fascinating and peaceful.

For many years they came in as wild caughts or came to North America from breeders in the Czechia. If anyone here can get this wonderful little Cichlid, it'll be you. Then we'll all be jealous. An added bonus is the last time I saw them in Canada, they were inexpensive.

If you add Corydoras, you'll have to find a species that likes warmer water.

 

[Beastije]

I have the water at 26C now
I also have too high pH for the Dicrossus filamentosus since all of my test come up on the 7,4 scale and my tests dont run higher
But I will check my ph again and check the availability

 

[Beastije]

I decided to not play around and just increase the number of the species I currently have.
I will add 10 more hatchetfish to rise the number to 16, I will consider the otocinclus upon considering alternative feeding options.
But I want to increase the number of sterbai corydoras. I am not sure if 20 wouldnt be too much for my tank ( I have 10 now, started with 15). How do I decide this? I tried AQ advisor, am under 90% of stocking, which sounds like a lot...because it doesnt consider the bamboo shrimp and the snails I have there

 

[Byron]

Definitely increase the numbers of some but not all of the present species. Hatchetfish are not going to be at their best with as few as six, so another 10 is a good decision. Which species, by the way? The larger "silvery" species in Gasteropelecus and Thoracocharax are a bit different issue from the smaller and much less active species in Carnegiella. But increasing which ever is certainly needed. I assume you have floating plants with any of these.

Increasing the Corydoras, as you have the space, is better for their long-term health. I would aim for around 20. You can get another species as you have nine C. sterbai, or more of these, up to you. Just get a group of the species if another. Do not get the pygmydwarf cory species. These will get lost in this large a tank, and be outcompeted by the larger cories at feeding time.

I personally would not get a large group of Otocinclus. If the two are doing well, fine. Unfortunately this fish does not do well so often, though if you have a long-established tank it may have sufficient biofilms, but 10 is still a lot. I have never been above five.

Do not consider Aqadvisor and any similar site reliable. They are rough guides, which adequately deal with mass/volume but they cannot possibly have all the essential factors built in that make for a good stocking. Numbers...more of a shoaling species will have less negative impact, other things being equal. It takes some brain work still to have a successful community aquarium.

 

[Beastije]

I assumed I had Carnegiella strigata (since that is what I ordered and was sold) but posting a picture here the other time, I think it was you who told me I actually have Carnegiella marthae. I started initially with 15, had floating plants, bellow plants, mellow tankmates, it is overall their fault that they jumped out of the smallest gaps when I left the lid opened just a 1cm after feeding,water change or putting out the thermometer. I have had these 6 since May and no more accidents, so giving them one more chance. I have again adjusted flow, have floating plants, plants in the middle, places with no flow and will try to be more rigorous in making sure the lid is 100% closed. If they jump out or on the lower part of the lid (I have panes under the lid, not sure what for, but found few dried there) I am so done with them.

If I were to add more corydoras, I would not get another species, I believe it would be better to get the same species and increase their numbers. I have 10 sterbai now, I started with 15, so that is why I thought increasing to 15 again, but 20 sounds a bit better, but again, am a bit worried about overcrowding.

I understand adding otocinclus to the tank sounds crazy. I have 2 now, but I understand they love their shoals and it seems almost cruel to keep them in such low numbers. By purchasing 10, I should be getting about 5 in the end after acclimation . That thinking on its own is barbaric too, so I am struggling if I should increase the numbers and try to make the ones I have feel better, or if I should not risk killing wild caught fish just on a whim. On the other hand, the store always has some in stock and it is not me they are ordering them for. I read some success stories on dried algae pastes on stones as a feeding regime for these fish, and someone even successfully bread them, and I even prepared quarantine with a sufficient biofilm, so I feel like I should be ready. However I thought so last time, since I have many leaves in the tank, slimy once as well which should contain aufwuchs, I have
several 'decomposing' tree branches, algae covered plants, algae covered glass, fed them algae spirulina wafers and blanched vegetables and saw them eating anything that was put in the tank, even hanging on the surface and sucking dry food. Yet out of the 10 I got, I now have only 2 four months later. That is why I am so torn.

 

[Byron]

The species in Carnegiella are my favourites, but as they live at the surface (you should never see them down below the actual surface if things are OK, this is a sign of something bothering them, but once settled, they stay at the surface) they do get startled especially at night and jump, that is their inherent defense against something below them. They must have open water, but they also must have floating plants around the open water. All of this calms them more. These species are the more delicate of all hatchetfishes. I lost several C. strigata over a period of a few months, all it takes is leaving the cover slightly ajar as you say.

C. sterbai at 20 is fine. And it is not overcrowding.

On the otos, it is quite true they are shoaling fish. I had five, then three, over a period of say 10 years. I don't think I ever saw them close to each other. I was down to three (no doubt about this) and one day there were five, two a tad smaller. Obviously spawned. I came to prefer Farlowella vitatta over otos, they eat the same species of algae, and the latter can be alone, two or three. I had three, and they turned out to be a male and two females, and then they spawned and I was giving them away.

 

[Beastije]

Yes, I call them my "night lamps" because they just hang from the surface, motionless. Only if I do rigorous cleanup will they move to the lower layer of the tank, but other than that, always at the surface, always near each other.
I experimented with more plants on the surface, less plants on the surface, more plants right under the surface, more space under the surface,... Still had loses, will see what will happen this time. I hope they stay, they will be better in large group, it is for their benefit too!

I just hate the feeding, they are almost impossible. I even started dropping frozen cubes in without rinsing as I did previously, so they float on the surface in the hopes they might eat the frozen food or nibble on it, nothing. If I pour live food in, close to them, they run away. The only thing that works is dried food. I found dried daphnia and lyophilized artemia works too, but I need to buy good new surface food to switch it up for them
Will see in three weeks or so, when I get them

 

[Byron]

Yes, I call them my "night lamps" because they just hang from the surface, motionless. Only if I do rigorous cleanup will they move to the lower layer of the tank, but other than that, always at the surface, always near each other.
I experimented with more plants on the surface, less plants on the surface, more plants right under the surface, more space under the surface,... Still had loses, will see what will happen this time. I hope they stay, they will be better in large group, it is for their benefit too!

I just hate the feeding, they are almost impossible. I even started dropping frozen cubes in without rinsing as I did previously, so they float on the surface in the hopes they might eat the frozen food or nibble on it, nothing. If I pour live food in, close to them, they run away. The only thing that works is dried food. I found dried daphnia and lyophilized artemia works too, but I need to buy good new surface food to switch it up for them
Will see in three weeks or so, when I get them

The best dried food for hatchetfish is Fluval Bug Bites, the mini size. These are natural, being black soldier fly larvae. I would predominantly feed this. They will usually learn to take flake, but sometimes not well. Do not feed freeze-dried foods as these being dry can get eaten and then inside the fish's stomach expand as they become moistened, causing trouble. The Bug Bites do not do this.

 

[Beastije]

The best dried food for hatchetfish is Fluval Bug Bites, the mini size. These are natural, being black soldier fly larvae. I would predominantly feed this. They will usually learn to take flake, but sometimes not well. Do not feed freeze-dried foods as these being dry can get eaten and then inside the fish's stomach expand as they become moistened, causing trouble. The Bug Bites do not do this.

I soak my freeze dried food so this shouldn't be an issue
Sadly the only bug bites i could buy are m sized and i feed them to the corydoras, will look if amazon delivers small ones too