Fish for my Tank

[xxEMOxLIZZARDxx]

Just kind of wondering how many of each fish I can put in my thirty gallon.

Currently I have the following:
Platies: 5/6 can't remember off top of head
Cory Cats: Two juli cory cats (possibly something similar as they were apparently $9.99 each) and 5/6 I think bronze cory cats
Gourami: One neon blue or powder blue gourami (the dwarf kind)
Four leafed plants.

I want to add the following:

Cory cats
Mollies
Guppies
Maybe another gourami?

Also, I do plan on using this tank as an aquaponic tank. So there will eventually be more plants growing from it.

Again, let me know. I don't plan on adding anymore until my tank cycles fully.

Any questions, feel free to ask away.

 

[Byron]

First off, we/you need to know the parameters of the source water (meaning GH, pH and KH). You have fish in this list that absolutely must have water on the hard side, and other fish that will be better in soft water; some may fit in the middle, but without knowing the data impossible to say.

On the cories, if the two are actually Corydoras julii, you definitely should get more of them. Not that they won't get along with C. aeneus (assuming this is the "bronze," or is it Corydoras (Brochis) splendens?--common name can apply to either) but C. julii is quite a small sized species and would be less stressed in a decent sized group of its own. It needs a sand substrate.

The dwarf gourami is a risk due to the incurable iridovirus common in SE Asian origin fish of this species, which is what you will find in stores unless they import wild caught or from a reliable breeder. Also on gourami, assuming you mean another with the one you have, that depends upon gnder. Male gourami are territorial, and if the one is a male and used to owning the tank space, he may take very unkindly to intruders. Platies and gourami carries some doubt.

 

[xxEMOxLIZZARDxx]

First off, we/you need to know the parameters of the source water (meaning GH, pH and KH). You have fish in this list that absolutely must have water on the hard side, and other fish that will be better in soft water; some may fit in the middle, but without knowing the data impossible to say.

On the cories, if the two are actually Corydoras julii, you definitely should get more of them. Not that they won't get along with C. aeneus (assuming this is the "bronze," or is it Corydoras (Brochis) splendens?--common name can apply to either) but C. julii is quite a small sized species and would be less stressed in a decent sized group of its own. It needs a sand substrate.

The dwarf gourami is a risk due to the incurable iridovirus common in SE Asian origin fish of this species, which is what you will find in stores unless they import wild caught or from a reliable breeder. Also on gourami, assuming you mean another with the one you have, that depends upon gnder. Male gourami are territorial, and if the one is a male and used to owning the tank space, he may take very unkindly to intruders. Platies and gourami carries some doubt.

Looking over the photos I've taken of previous strips, I do believe that my pH is acidic and my KH is 0 or low and my GH if I'm reading the photo correctly is very soft. I know you've mentioned getting a better test kit and I do plan to do that tonight.
So the julii cory I thought I was buying was apparently a mistake. Someone printed a photo of the julii cory and put it on whatever cory that looks similar but costs more. I do not know what looks similar to a julii cory but is more expensive. PetCo person wasn't 100% sure what cory cats they gave me. Just that they were $4.99 each which is more reasonable than $9.99 a fish. I'll try to figure out either tonight or tomorrow what the other cory cat is. Also substrate is small smooth pebbles. Is that okay?
Okay, so I will just keep it to one gourami. I like them, but with the issues presented, it was a bad impulse buy.

 

[Byron]

Looking over the photos I've taken of previous strips, I do believe that my pH is acidic and my KH is 0 or low and my GH if I'm reading the photo correctly is very soft. I know you've mentioned getting a better test kit and I do plan to do that tonight.

I read most threads, and can't remember who said what, but I went to the other thread. The test strips are not going to be so far off as to go from very soft (25 ppm) to hard (215 ppm would be minimum for mollies) so please don't consider mollies, or platies for that matter. Scarcely 1 dH is way too soft for livebearers.

So the julii cory I thought I was buying was apparently a mistake. Someone printed a photo of the julii cory and put it on whatever cory that looks similar but costs more. I do not know what looks similar to a julii cory but is more expensive. PetCo person wasn't 100% sure what cory cats they gave me. Just that they were $4.99 each which is more reasonable than $9.99 a fish. I'll try to figure out either tonight or tomorrow what the other cory cat is.

Corydoras julii is very rare in the hobby. Almost every "julii" cory you see will be C. trilineatus. They are easily told apart once you see them, photos below. Don't need to get into how this mix-up occurred, and there is nothing wrong with either species, both are small, cute, and need a decent group.
First photo is C. julii, second photo is a wild caught C. julii from the Rio Granjeiro in NE Brazil, and third is C. trilineatus. Within these species however there is a variance in patterning, so for example the first photo might seem not quite the same as the second. But the spots are the best clue, they are roundish on C. julii and definitely reticulated on C. trilineatus especially on the head of each.

And all cories need soft inert sand so they can filter feed through their gills. Aside from bacterial issues with gravel.

 

[xxEMOxLIZZARDxx]

I read most threads, and can't remember who said what, but I went to the other thread. The test strips are not going to be so far off as to go from very soft (25 ppm) to hard (215 ppm would be minimum for mollies) so please don't consider mollies, or platies for that matter. Scarcely 1 dH is way too soft for livebearers.



Corydoras julii is very rare in the hobby. Almost every "julii" cory you see will be C. trilineatus. They are easily told apart once you see them, photos below. Don't need to get into how this mix-up occurred, and there is nothing wrong with either species, both are small, cute, and need a decent group.
First photo is C. julii, second photo is a wild caught C. julii from the Rio Granjeiro in NE Brazil, and third is C. trilineatus. Within these species however there is a variance in patterning, so for example the first photo might seem not quite the same as the second. But the spots are the best clue, they are roundish on C. julii and definitely reticulated on C. trilineatus especially on the head of each.

And all cories need soft inert sand so they can filter feed through their gills. Aside from bacterial issues with gravel.

So now the question is what fish with the given parameters would be good in my thirty gallon? I went with mollies and platies because I do want to eventually make this tank an aquaponic and I'll need fish that poop fairly often but not as much as goldfish if that makes sense.

For the cories, I definitely have similar to the center and right hand photo. I somehow remember a name of 'false julii cory' could that possibly be what I have in the tank now?

And note to self, start shopping around for sand. Will the sand be okay for my plants?

 

[xxEMOxLIZZARDxx]

Okay, I'm looking into how to make my water harder. I'm reading stuff that says to add crushed coral or calcium carbonate. Is this advisable?

 

[Byron]

So now the question is what fish with the given parameters would be good in my thirty gallon? I went with mollies and platies because I do want to eventually make this tank an aquaponic and I'll need fish that poop fairly often but not as much as goldfish if that makes sense.

For the cories, I definitely have similar to the center and right hand photo. I somehow remember a name of 'false julii cory' could that possibly be what I have in the tank now?

And note to self, start shopping around for sand. Will the sand be okay for my plants?

False julii is a common name, and like all common names, not specific to any species as common names can vary from country to country. But using this name is something that should be discouraged because there is no such fish anyway; C. trilineatus is a distinct species, and has nothing to do with C. julii aside from both being cories in lineage 9.

Soft sand is actually the best substrate for an aquarium because it is good for all fish, and plants grow as well in sand as anything. You can buy expensive aquarium sand (make sure it is inert, some is calcareous) or use quality play sand. I had Quikrete Play Sand in all my tanks for years. A bag of this at Home Depot or Lowes is a few dollars.

 

[xxEMOxLIZZARDxx]

False julii is a common name, and like all common names, not specific to any species as common names can vary from country to country. But using this name is something that should be discouraged because there is no such fish anyway; C. trilineatus is a distinct species, and has nothing to do with C. julii aside from both being cories in lineage 9.

Soft sand is actually the best substrate for an aquarium because it is good for all fish, and plants grow as well in sand as anything. You can buy expensive aquarium sand (make sure it is inert, some is calcareous) or use quality play sand. I had Quikrete Play Sand in all my tanks for years. A bag of this at Home Depot or Lowes is a few dollars.

Ah, okay. Good to know about the julii cory cats.

Maybe once spring hits I'll try removing gravel and doing sand. Never done sand in a tank before. Should be interesting.

 

[Byron]

Okay, I'm looking into how to make my water harder. I'm reading stuff that says to add crushed coral or calcium carbonate. Is this advisable?

This brings with it more issues. First, the water you have is ideal for soft water fish like the gourami and cories. To increase the GH suitable for livebearers especially mollies you would have to get the GH up around 12 dH. This is not good for soft water fish. So you are then causing harm. Aside from this, going with what you have as source water and selecting fish suited to that water makes life very much easier. Water chemistry is an involved topic, and once you start messing with parameters, it can get tricky. And dangerous for fish.

If you were to increase the GH, you would first need a calcareous substrate. I did this back in the 1980's. Today we also have mineral salts that can be added to water to increase the GH, KH and pH. All very good, but expensive and extra work. Every water change would require a mixing of the salts/water outside the tank, to get it to the same GH/KH/pH, and I have done this in the 1990's and it was not fun. It also means emergency water changes--and they do occur--are tricky because you cannot use the tap water.

 

[xxEMOxLIZZARDxx]

This brings with it more issues. First, the water you have is ideal for soft water fish like the gourami and cories. To increase the GH suitable for livebearers especially mollies you would have to get the GH up around 12 dH. This is not good for soft water fish. So you are then causing harm. Aside from this, going with what you have as source water and selecting fish suited to that water makes life very much easier. Water chemistry is an involved topic, and once you start messing with parameters, it can get tricky. And dangerous for fish.

If you were to increase the GH, you would first need a calcareous substrate. I did this back in the 1980's. Today we also have mineral salts that can be added to water to increase the GH, KH and pH. All very good, but expensive and extra work. Every water change would require a mixing of the salts/water outside the tank, to get it to the same GH/KH/pH, and I have done this in the 1990's and it was not fun. It also means emergency water changes--and they do occur--are tricky because you cannot use the tap water.

Okay, won't try messing with it then. Thanks for that info!