Is This Too Much Fish To Add To My Aquarium?

[giants1249er]

Currently I have a 10-gallon tank with 3 male platies. I would like to add 2-3 Serpae tetras, 2 corydoras catfishes, and an oto algae eater. Is this too many fishes?

 

[Mowbz]

Corys prefer to be in groups of 6+, so a pair might not be very happy on their own. There is a seemingly marked difference in their behaviour when they dont have many "friends". They also prefer a small grain substrate to dig around in, so sand is prefferd. (Im currently cycling a 16gal for a small school of corys with sand to dig.)

Same again with the tetra. In the wild they school in 100's, but more commonly in their 1000's, so 2-3 is a tiny group. I dont keep these, but i think that 10-12 is the commonly cited number for them.

With only a 10 gallon tank, its likely that 6 Corys is a little out of reach im afraid. You could add everything else, and not be overstocked for the size however.

And dont expect the oto to only eat algae. Again, its commonly cited that nothing eats only algae, unless its starving.

OOOhh, and to the forum

 

[Tizer]

Serpae's are very agressvie little fish, really not recommended for small aquariums either. I would suggest you forget them and get 6 small corydoras instead (corydoras habrosus). Do your reaseach into corys, they like a sand substrate, not gravel, so if you have gravel, then a £3 bag of play sand from Argos would be a brilliant choice (washed in a bucket before put into the tank).

I would also forget the Oto, they are a schooling fish, ideally kept in 8+ numbers, but the main problem has been menioned already and thats its fussy eating habits.

 

[XeroTolerance]

to the forum.

I would not add the Oto's because they are schooling fish. Also Serpae's can get a bit aggressive in small aquariums.

 

[giants1249er]

Corys prefer to be in groups of 6+, so a pair might not be very happy on their own. There is a seemingly marked difference in their behaviour when they dont have many "friends". They also prefer a small grain substrate to dig around in, so sand is prefferd. (Im currently cycling a 16gal for a small school of corys with sand to dig.)

Same again with the tetra. In the wild they school in 100's, but more commonly in their 1000's, so 2-3 is a tiny group. I dont keep these, but i think that 10-12 is the commonly cited number for them.

With only a 10 gallon tank, its likely that 6 Corys is a little out of reach im afraid. You could add everything else, and not be overstocked for the size however.

And dont expect the oto to only eat algae. Again, its commonly cited that nothing eats only algae, unless its starving.

OOOhh, and to the forum

What else can I add that will eat food that falls to the bottom of the tank and eat algae?

 

[mbeer21]

What else can I add that will eat food that falls to the bottom of the tank and eat algae?

A Bristlenose Plec perhaps? Mine keep my tank spotless and love eating the sinking pellets my other fish miss.

 

[the_lock_man]

Corys prefer to be in groups of 6+, so a pair might not be very happy on their own. There is a seemingly marked difference in their behaviour when they dont have many "friends". They also prefer a small grain substrate to dig around in, so sand is prefferd. (Im currently cycling a 16gal for a small school of corys with sand to dig.)

Same again with the tetra. In the wild they school in 100's, but more commonly in their 1000's, so 2-3 is a tiny group. I dont keep these, but i think that 10-12 is the commonly cited number for them.

With only a 10 gallon tank, its likely that 6 Corys is a little out of reach im afraid. You could add everything else, and not be overstocked for the size however.

And dont expect the oto to only eat algae. Again, its commonly cited that nothing eats only algae, unless its starving.

OOOhh, and to the forum

What else can I add that will eat food that falls to the bottom of the tank and eat algae?

You could add any of the various shrimp species, they will scavenge left over food quite happily, they won't add to the bioload on the filter.

If you have algae, it's an indication of a problem in your tank, and could be something as simple as having your lights on for too long. I've found with algae, that the best way to get rid of it is a bit of elbow-grease - get a tank-safe scraper and get shot of it yourself.

There aren't really any shortcuts in this hobby, I don't think.

 

[eaglesaquarium]

You could add any of the various shrimp species, they will scavenge left over food quite happily, they won't add to the bioload on the filter.

If you have algae, it's an indication of a problem in your tank, and could be something as simple as having your lights on for too long. I've found with algae, that the best way to get rid of it is a bit of elbow-grease - get a tank-safe scraper and get shot of it yourself.

There aren't really any shortcuts in this hobby, I don't think.

+1 to the shrimp, and that in a properly run tank, algae should be no more than a minor thing, and not something that needs an animal dedicated to keeping it at bay. If the algae starts to really build up, that is a sign of the things noted above. This is the single best resource I have found regarding the various types of algae and how to combat them.


Regarding otos, they are not only schooling fish, but also eat exclusively algae, so they aren't recommended unless you already have algae in the tank. They don't eat algae wafers, etc. Many of them starve when placed into a new tank.


I would also note that while corydoras will search the bottom of the tank for food, they still need specific food for them. They do not survive on the scraps left behind by the others.

Tetras are also schooling fish, which means that you would need at least 6 (more is better) for them to be able to spread their aggression throughout their own species. Without that, they will be a terror in your small tank. I would suggest you consider sticking to the platies, or maybe add a trio of MALE guppies for a bit of variety of color.

 

[Jenste]

What else can I add that will eat food that falls to the bottom of the tank and eat algae?

A Bristlenose Plec perhaps? Mine keep my tank spotless and love eating the sinking pellets my other fish miss.

Definitely not for a 10 gallon tank! I would not recommended keeping any plec in under a 25 gallon tank.


Also, remember that ANY thing you add to a tank to help eat "uneaten food" and algae will produce waste.

for a 10 gallon tank, you should be able to handle wiping down a little algae on your own.
As for uneaten food, maybe you are over feeding.

Fish have extremely small stomachs - keep this in mind while feeding. Their stomach is usually just about the size of their eye.

 

[giants1249er]

You could add any of the various shrimp species, they will scavenge left over food quite happily, they won't add to the bioload on the filter.

If you have algae, it's an indication of a problem in your tank, and could be something as simple as having your lights on for too long. I've found with algae, that the best way to get rid of it is a bit of elbow-grease - get a tank-safe scraper and get shot of it yourself.

There aren't really any shortcuts in this hobby, I don't think.

+1 to the shrimp, and that in a properly run tank, algae should be no more than a minor thing, and not something that needs an animal dedicated to keeping it at bay. If the algae starts to really build up, that is a sign of the things noted above. This is the single best resource I have found regarding the various types of algae and how to combat them.


Regarding otos, they are not only schooling fish, but also eat exclusively algae, so they aren't recommended unless you already have algae in the tank. They don't eat algae wafers, etc. Many of them starve when placed into a new tank.


I would also note that while corycodas will search the bottom of the tank for food, they still need specific food for them. They do not survive on the scraps left behind by the others.

Tetras are also schooling fish, which means that you would need at least 6 (more is better) for them to be able to spread their aggression throughout their own species. Without that, they will be a terror in your small tank. I would suggest you consider sticking to the platies, or maybe add a trio of MALE guppies for a bit of variety of color.

We are considering dwarf cories and ghost shrimps after visiting the local fish store and checking the internet for info on both. Thanks for all your inputs.

 

[fishy16]

Serpae's are very agressvie little fish, really not recommended for small aquariums either. I would suggest you forget them and get 6 small corydoras instead (corydoras habrosus). Do your reaseach into corys, they like a sand substrate, not gravel, so if you have gravel, then a £3 bag of play sand from Argos would be a brilliant choice (washed in a bucket before put into the tank).

I would also forget the Oto, they are a schooling fish, ideally kept in 8+ numbers, but the main problem has been menioned already and thats its fussy eating habits.

I have 3 ottos that seem perfectly happy and are always sucking along the leaves and stuff in the tank.