Cycled Fluval Flex 15 Stocking ideas?

[joshysway]

I have cycled the tank for about two weeks now. Going to test the water tomorrow morning and hopefully it’s a go to add fish.

I would love to have a large school of one fish. And a couple of solitary ones. I would prefer a really small fish for the school. Any suggestions are greatly appreciated.

 

[Fishmanic]

Nice tank . You might consider entering your tank in our tank of the month contest.

https://www.fishforums.net/threads/enter-now-september-2019-tank-of-the-month-contest.453965/

 

[joshysway]

Nice tank . You might consider entering your tank in our tank of the month contest.

https://www.fishforums.net/threads/enter-now-september-2019-tank-of-the-month-contest.453965/

Thank you so much. Will do once I add my new residents!

 

[Fishmanic]

You dont have to have any fish in the tank to enter.

 

[Naughts]

Welcome to the forum.
How have you cycled your tank? 2 weeks doesn't seem long enough..?

 

[Lilyann]

How about some of the micro-rasbora species?
Could do Microrasbora kubotai, which is this wonderful ( very lively!) emerald green rasbora that does well in planted aquariums. I have 24 in a heavily planted tank- a 30 gallon- with a group of caradina baubaulti shrimp and a couple "Orange" otocinclus sp. Because the tank is heavily planted with many nooks and crannies, the juvenile shrimp have spaces can retreat to if feel threatened and to prevent predation from fish. Of course, shrimp take a well "seasoned " tank. At least a couple months to establish the "aufwich" and biofilm necessary for shrimp to inhabit a tank.

I have a video I can share of this tank if would like.

Of course, there are many very beautiful microrasbora species to choose from- one of the most popular being the flamboyantly colored Chili rasbora, Boraras brigittae.

These are the specs on the M. kubotai. After checking your own water parameters ( Actually, TDS is really the most important number to consider and all you should be concerned with, the worry over pH is of little to no concern- as long as it is stable).
https://www.seriouslyfish.com/species/microdevario-kubotai/

 

[Byron]

Before we can consider recommending fish, we will need to know your water parameters. Parameters refers to the hardness (GH), KH (Alkalinity), pH and temperature. The latter is less relevant initially as you can always adjust the heater, but the GH and pH especially are important for fish. You should be able to find the GH, KH and pH on your municipal water authority's website or by calling them.

Ammonia, nitrite and nitrate are water conditions, just for the record.

 

[Lilyann]

Why , yes, of course, how could I forget- grab yourself a KH, GH, PH, test and then we can have a conversation.

Didnt OP say they had cycled the tank?
PS. Oh! said they were testing in morning for the all -clear. So, obviously they know about nitrifying cycle, when to add fish, and what to look for as far as numbers for ammonia, nitrite, nitrate.
Ammonia, nitrite, nitrate encompasses water parameters, sure, but, it also falls outside the scope of the OP's question.

 

[Essjay]

My concern would be that 2 weeks is short for a cycle - does the OP know what cycling is? A lot of newcomers to the hobby think that cycling means just letting the tank run for a couple of weeks.
However, the photos show the tank is well planted, so as long as the tank is stocked carefully, the plants should be able to cope. Regular testing after adding fish will check that they are indeed taking up all the ammonia made by the fish etc.

 

[Lilyann]

My concern would be that 2 weeks is short for a cycle - does the OP know what cycling is? A lot of newcomers to the hobby think that cycling means just letting the tank run for a couple of weeks.
However, the photos show the tank is well planted, so as long as the tank is stocked carefully, the plants should be able to cope. Regular testing after adding fish will check that they are indeed taking up all the ammonia made by the fish etc.

I understand the worry- but, the OP didnt ask about ammonia, nitrite, nitrate.
This is a stocking question about fish selection, not a question of the ability to cycle correctly.
I understand the question about pH ( however little this is, actually, a reliable indicator of which fish to choose at the LFS for the majority of hobbyists), GH, and TDS.
But, to assume that the OP is clueless about cycling without further questions is just-- well- really unwelcoming.
This is a new member. Why not welcome them to the forum before you start questioning their fish-keeping skills.

 

[Byron]

I think most of us here have learned the hard way that we can never assume a level of understanding from a new member. Not asking a specific question that is related should not be taken as assumed knowledge; nine out of ten times it is the opposite. This forum is hopefully a place to learn, but learning involves questioning to find the starting point for advising. Two weeks to cycle a tank may or may not be realistic, and the only way to ascertain this is to find out more of what was done.

 

[Lilyann]

I think most of us here have learned the hard way that we can never assume a level of understanding from a new member. Not asking a specific question that is related should not be taken as assumed knowledge; nine out of ten times it is the opposite. This forum is hopefully a place to learn, but learning involves questioning to find the starting point for advising. Two weeks to cycle a tank may or may not be realistic, and the only way to ascertain this is to find out more of what was done.

Maybe a "welcome to the forum" first?? before you question their cycling knowledge?
Questions are important...
So, with that in mind, its not "the hard way" when you ask a couple questions to gauge a new members experience before hitting them with questions regarding their cycling experience in a stocking thread.