Is My Tank Cycling? Noob To The Hobby - I've Also Read The "re

[marnold00]

Stocking suggestions!


My water params are the following:

PH 7.4
GH 8
KH 7

65l (16 us gal) tank (60cm long 30 deep 35 tall).


I went to the LFS today to get my water for a nice big change (will do another before i stock. Nitrates are around 40 now). I saw these things that turn out are pretty uncommon but theyre absolutely gorgeous! Odessa barbs. These things look amazing!

So i really really really like these barbs.

Ill also include some ghost/cherry shrimp amd a nerite if algae sucks

Stocking idea 1: 5 odessas and 3 bronze cories (nice hardy fish - i also understand they have low bioloads for their length?) theres a chance that you guys would find this over stocked...

2: same as the above only with cherries instead of odessas.

I could always drop the cories and get a centrepiece like a bolivian ram or dwarf gourami

3: 5 male guppies, 3 cories and a ram/gourami



Also please suggest anything you may think of! The only thing i dont want is hundreds of babies...

(Hint: the odessas are well cool )

 

[Byron]

If you want corys, you want five absolute minimum, more is always better.  That (5) will work here, though personally I would want more surface area than this tank, but it can work with regular maintenance (water changes).  I would not put a Bolivian Ram is this small a tank.  And dwarf gourami are risks period.
 
Barbs are not going to be at their best, as being active fish they need swimming space.  Most need more in the group.  The Odessa is not large, but I would not put this species in less than a 30g tank (length 30 inches/75cm) with 8-9 minimum.  Cherrys are better.

 

[marnold00]

Alright pity about the odessas.

What would be good to go with the cherry barbs?

 

[Byron]

Alright

pity about the odessas.

What would be good to go with the cherry barbs?

 
In this small a tank, I would stay with just the one species (7-8 cherry barbs).  And the 5 corys will be OK.

 

[marnold00]

Alright

pity about the odessas.

What would be good to go with the cherry barbs?

 
In this small a tank, I would stay with just the one species (7-8 cherry barbs).  And the 5 corys will be OK.

Thank you any objections to any shrimp being added?

I also assume you mean go either the cherries or the cories. To be fair i dont think id be happy having 5 cories with the surface area of the tank. Plus id feel id want to utilise the top of the water column

 

[Ch4rlie]

I like cherry barbs AND the odessa actually I nearly bought some of those a while back.
Only thing, cherry barbs may eat the cherry shrimps if they're small enough, certainly will eat shrimplets
 
You may go for a larger specie of shrimp such as amano shrimps, there are mixed opinions on amanos though. So therefore I would suggest you research up on these to be sure you know what possible things may happen with amano shrimps when they get big.

 

[marnold00]

From yesterday i had my heart set on cherries until bill and ben said "come look at what we've just stocked...". Such a pity they need a longer tank saw a lot on other places that 60cm length would be OK.

My LFS also sells a lot of ghost shrimp which are also cheaper. With a black background the white shrimp and orange shiny fish would look rather snazzy.

Plus one bonus of cherrys is its goos to stock 50/50 male to female, and they look completely different and equally stunning

 

[Ch4rlie]

You mean its a pity that Odessa needs a larger tank, yes, thats indeed true.
 
Odessa Barb
 
Its finding the sites to trust, I have found myself getting more confused when I first started the hobby in trying to find what would be suitable for my tank size and water parameters due to many conflicting advice given. I found, over time, that Seriously Fish, Badmans, Home of the Rainbowfish and Planet Catfish are usually pretty accurate, but not always, so look out for that. But these are my go to sites for general care and advice for whichever specie of fish you wish to research.
 
So my general rule of thumb is if more than two of these site say a specific tank size or water parameters being the same or extremely similar then that would be what I'd go by with. I absolutely refuse to belive certain other websites for their information which I shall not name. So if you're ever unsure, ask on this forum.
 
Though have to say I really like Cherry barbs too, they have really nice vivid colours and when they shoal together, its visually pleasing. Have seen this in LFS many a time and always have been tempted to get some
 
The cherry barbs are a better choice for your tank size. And red cherry shrimps as well, though be prepared to lose some to the cherry barbs when they get bigger (the barbs not the shrimps )
 
Make it your goal to get a larger tank and get odessas for your next set up, in fact to make it more interesting, do a biotope type set up

 

[marnold00]

You mean its a pity that Odessa needs a larger tank, yes, thats indeed true.
 
Odessa Barb
 
Its finding the sites to trust, I have found myself getting more confused when I first started the hobby in trying to find what would be suitable for my tank size and water parameters due to many conflicting advice given. I found, over time, that Seriously Fish, Badmans, Home of the Rainbowfish and Planet Catfish are usually pretty accurate, but not always, so look out for that. But these are my go to sites for general care and advice for whichever specie of fish you wish to research.
 
So my general rule of thumb is if more than two of these site say a specific tank size or water parameters being the same or extremely similar then that would be what I'd go by with. I absolutely refuse to belive certain other websites for their information which I shall not name. So if you're ever unsure, ask on this forum.
 
Though have to say I really like Cherry barbs too, they have really nice vivid colours and when they shoal together, its visually pleasing. Have seen this in LFS many a time and always have been tempted to get some
 
The cherry barbs are a better choice for your tank size. And red cherry shrimps as well, though be prepared to lose some to the cherry barbs when they get bigger (the barbs not the shrimps )
 
Make it your goal to get a larger tank and get odessas for your next set up, in fact to make it more interesting, do a biotope type set up

I love cherries! Im hardly upset by this

The bigger tank will come once i have vbought a place to live rather than rent. I went with the largest id be happy moving otherwise i wouldve gone twice the size...

Im all excited now the mrs will just have to accept that itll be difficult to name each one... Haha

The only nameable thing would be a snail xD

How many should i stock to start with? All 8? Or 4 followed by 4 the next week?

 

[Ch4rlie]

Once the fishless cycle has been completed successfully and once you have done a nice BIG water change I'd suggest to fully stock straightaway. That way the bacterias are already there to deal with a bioload like that easily.
 
Shrimps and snails can be added anytime thereafetr as their bioload are smaller.
 
And I have never named ANY my fish. Imagine trying to name 22 celestial pearl danios who all look pretty much the same along with 12 lambchop rasboras and upteen red cherry shrimps
 
Though i suspect my young son will attempt to name them all when he's a bit older

 

[marnold00]

Beaut thanks all! Cant wait

 

[Byron]

 

 

Alright

pity about the odessas.

What would be good to go with the cherry barbs?

 
In this small a tank, I would stay with just the one species (7-8 cherry barbs).  And the 5 corys will be OK.

Thank you

any objections to any shrimp being added?

I also assume you mean go either the cherries or the cories. To be fair i dont think id be happy having 5 cories with the surface area of the tank. Plus id feel id want to utilise the top of the water column
 


 
No, I meant the cherry barbs and corys.  If you are regular in water changes this should pose no issues.
 
As for shrimp, fine, but depending on their size they might get eaten by barbs and corys.  Crustaceans are a natural food in most tropical watercourses.

 

[marnold00]

 

 

Alright

pity about the odessas.

What would be good to go with the cherry barbs?

 
In this small a tank, I would stay with just the one species (7-8 cherry barbs).  And the 5 corys will be OK.

Thank you

any objections to any shrimp being added?

I also assume you mean go either the cherries or the cories. To be fair i dont think id be happy having 5 cories with the surface area of the tank. Plus id feel id want to utilise the top of the water column
  
No, I meant the cherry barbs and corys.  If you are regular in water changes this should pose no issues.
 
As for shrimp, fine, but depending on their size they might get eaten by barbs and corys.  Crustaceans are a natural food in most tropical watercourses.Oh wow superb! you've literally just made my whole day with this Byron!


Ibwill stock the barbs and experient with the crustaceans to start with. Then add the cories a few months down the line when im a little less beginnery. A christmas present

Edit: I'll get my research done properly to decide on the cory breed. Will want a good balance between hardy and small (without going pygmy) For example pandas are small but i believe are rather delicate.

Ill post a topic on a more suitable part of the forum.

Guys youve been great without this forum id have put fish in 3 weeks ago when i thought it had almost cycled.... Looking back i can laugh.

Interestingly any ammonia was dealt with nice and quickly. Im wondering if the bioboost did have some? I read that this bacteria is very hardy, and rather than die immediately it can become inactive and it can take a little while to reanimate. The timelines match up? With when my nitrites absolutely sky rocketed. Although my nitrates increased very early on. Eh i dunno.

Eitherway if i were to do it again.... Tank + substrate + my rocks + a squueze of my filter and bottle ammonia from the start... One thing i have definitely learnt is being in relative control of this is something to aim for. I say relative because.. Well its nature.

Ive got my LFS to order me some water lettuce too for the surface.

Ive been researching the plants ive got. I bought two together (1 i described as a creeper of sorts - from watching how the sprouty bits drape over wood i can only assume these are almost like roots) which i believe to be Bacopa caroliniana (var. amplexicaulis). Its amazing how different theyre growing. One has a very thick trio of stems and is growing steadily almost vertically. It also only has one sprouty bit. The other is a lot wirier and has loads of these sprouty bits and has almost doubled in size since i bought it. It looks glorious! Its like a bacopa did the down and dirty with a willow xD its also only an inch or two off the surface. Once its at the top im going to leave it be. If it goes along the surface with the sprouty bits draping down its going to look beyond awesome.

 

[Byron]

That's a good stocking order plan.  All Corydoras are very sensitive to nitrogen compounds (ammonia, nitrite, nitrate) so the more established the tank, the better they will settle.

 

[marnold00]

That's a good stocking order plan.  All Corydoras are very sensitive to nitrogen compounds (ammonia, nitrite, nitrate) so the more established the tank, the better they will settle.

Ok my plan is made. Im actually settled on my fish for the first time in 3 weeks :O

P.S. i wrote a lengthy edit part to my above post the tl;dr - iff tl;dr is not a thing here it means too long;didnt read. Its usually followed by a short summary - is thanks for stopping stupid expensive erros. I also have taken some of your other advice and im overly excited over every aspect of my first tank.


P.P.S if the shrimp get mobbed then ill just have to start up a 10gal shrimp tank..... With a betta for company.....