How Many More Fish Can I Have

[OldMan47]

I will generally put 1 or 2 otos into a 10 gallon that needs an algae cleaning. The big difference between a 2 months old tank and a 6 months old tank as far as the nitrogen cycle is concerned is stability. At 2 months, the bacteria are established but the tank parameters that we measure have really not settled down yet. In a 6 months old tank those parameters, along with all the ones we usually don't or can't measure have also settled down. There is more to fish than a nitrogen cycle, it is just the hardest thing for a new hobbyist to get under control properly.

 

[Joinerlavin]

i have not been getting alot of algea anyway in the tank so i might be a bad idea to get the ottos and with the tv so close they prob would be very scared, so would it be fine to get 3 cory julii? Really like these fish.

 

[Truck]

i have not been getting alot of algea anyway in the tank so i might be a bad idea to get the ottos and with the tv so close they prob would be very scared, so would it be fine to get 3 cory julii? Really like these fish.

no cories need to be in 6's so go for smaller cories:
hasborous
pygmy
hastatus (sp)?

 

[Joinerlavin]

dont really like the pygmy kind, is there anything that i could add to my fish tank, with a bit of colour which would bottom feed?

 

[OldMan47]

A group of 3 trilineatus, false julii, will be fine. They will not be as playful and active as they would be n a larger group but it won't hurt them to be in smaller numbers. I really like my cories in groups of at least 8 but if the color pattern is important, the small group that suits you is a better choice.
You won't likely find any real julii cories but the trilineatus are often called that at the LFS.

 

[Joinerlavin]

so the ones i saw at the store labelled corydoras julii are really trilineatus and would be fine in a group of 3?? They should be ok if they sell them in groups of 3 in the store?

 

[OldMan47]

In the earlier days of the hobby, we all kept cories in ones and twos. The fish were healthy but they were not playful the way we expect them to be these days. A small group can be healthy today as well but will not be as playful as a larger group.
Chances are about 10 to 1 that the julii that you see locally are really trilineatus. It is about even money that the fish store also doesn't know any better.

 

[Joinerlavin]

ok thanks alot, great help, i think i will get 3 and then my tank stock is full.