In What Order Should I Add Fish?

[blueboyg]

I will be taking delivery soon of my 18 gallon corner unit and the lfs is giving me some filter media to add to my eheim 130 cannister unit, plus i plan to use quick start also,after about one week my tank should be ready to start stocking slowly. So my question is this, In what order are the following fish best added? 
 
Cardinal tetra x 8
Long tail zebra Danio x 6
Ram x1
Endler Guppys x 4
Layer tail sword x 2
Either small catfish or Khulli loaches  x 4
 
Thanks,
G

 

[RRaquariums]

Honestly with those types of fish I don't think it matters in what order you add them but if it was me I'd start with the smaller fish first like the endlers and cardinal tetras

 

[fluttermoth]

Personally, I think you need to rethink your stocking plan. You have a mixture of soft water, hard water, high temperature and temperate fish on there, which aren't going to do well together (if you have the right parameters for one species, it's going to be all wrong for some of the others).
 
Is your water hard or soft and, from your list, which fish are you most keen on? What are the dimensions of the tank?

 

[looking-glass]

id add the danios first when the tank is cycled and build from there slowly add the cardinals last id say they're the most delicate

 

[crazyfishlady_]

You usually add the most aggressive fish into the tank last

Ram put in close to the end because they are very sensitive to water chemistry. 

 

[blueboyg]

Personally, I think you need to rethink your stocking plan. You have a mixture of soft water, hard water, high temperature and temperate fish on there, which aren't going to do well together (if you have the right parameters for one species, it's going to be all wrong for some of the others).
 
Is your water hard or soft and, from your list, which fish are you most keen on? What are the dimensions of the tank?

Hi i believe the water i have is medium to soft, i have ordered an API test kit and will also test for hardness before i do add fish, the tank dimensions arecas follows ( corner unit) 18"x18"x sides then two angles of 6" either side followed by a 17" front and the height is 21.5".  I do really like the endler guppies followed by showling cardinals or rummy nose tetras. hope this helps.
G

 

[blueboyg]

Just received my API test kit and checked the water straight from the tap and it was 7.2  is this ok to do? Would it be better tested when up to temperature and de-chlorinator has been added?
 
G

 

[fluttermoth]

First of all, I should point out that pH and hardness are not necessarily related, not in commercial supplies anyway (it does normally apply to natural waters).

The best way to find out the hardness of your water is to look on your supplier's website. It will tell you there.

To get a 'true' pH, you need to let your tap water stand for 24 hours. Many water companies artificially raise the pH (usually with CO2) to help prevent pipe corrosion, so you need to leave that to gas off.

Temperature and dechlorinators don't affect pH, although some things in your tank can; usually substrate and/or rocky decor.

 

[blueboyg]

I have checked out the water supply for my area and the website says it is soft, so what you are telling me is i need to set up my tank and when it is cycled etc i will need to choose fish that prefer soft water and also the same PH as my water ?
Thanks,
G

 

[fluttermoth]

Yes, that's right

 
From your list, keep;
 
the cardinals (but have a few more)
rams (but maybe Bolivian, as they're a bit less delicate than the blues). or some apistogrammas instead
for the small catfish, you could have corydoras or you could have the kuhlis (both would like a sand substrate)
 
and drop;
 
the Endler's (because they like it harder)
swords (again, prefer hard water)
danios (need it cooler than the rams or tetras)

 

[blueboyg]

Ok, thanks for the advise,

 

[thelaw]

what i do is i and bottom dwellers first then i add middle dwellers and then the top dwellers hope this helps.