Large Shoals Of Tetra

[DiabloSandwich]

Hi,

I have a Juwel Rio 300 (with approx 300 litres of water ,and fairly well planted),and am planning on stocking it with shoals of tetra (cardinals,neons,glowlights),nothing bigger than these types of fish,except for maybe 6-8 of something the size of a columbian tetra/diamond tetra.

How many smaller tetra would a tank this size be okay with,and not be overstocked?

Im running an Eheim 2075 external filter,with pressurized co2.
Will the filter be the limiting factor regarding numbers?
I dont want to go near being overstocked,but an idea of the maximum number possible will allow me to come in well underneath it.
I just have no idea how many is too many

Thanks
John.

 

[KkAaNnEe]

I also have a rio 300 and have a mix of neons cardinals and black neons. I currently have around 20. I wouldnt personally have more than around 30-35 as I wouldnt want it to look to crowded. Plus i find when theres lots of schooling fish together, they dont really schoal much when they can always see one of their own

Sorry just read your post again and you was asking what would be the max, i would say like 60-70

 

[fluttermoth]

I've got 18 marbled hatchets, 42 false neons and 9 glass catfish (plus a ram, a whiptail and couple of bristlenoses) in my 220l and it doesn't look crowded, so that might give you some idea.

I do have a massive (2000lph) external filter and do 50-60% weekly water changes though.

Shoaling fish naturally don't school very often; they only do it as a protective mechanism when they feel threatened (mine school if my teenage son throws a strop and slams his bedroon door, lol!).

 

[minnnt]

Personally i wouldn't have Neons and Cardinals together as they're so closey coloured, but that is just personal preference. I have a depleted group of Columbian Red Fin Tetra's and they're a really nice fish. These shoal well at times, but then other times chase each other constantly. Cardinals are some of the best shoalers available, as are Rummynose Tetra's.

Are you still running the internal filter as well as your Eheim? If not and you are worried about filtration then add a second external filter, even if it is a smaller second hand one.

If this is what you want to stock with then i would consider:

15 Cardinal Tetra's
15 Rummynose Tetra's
15 Harlequin Rasbora's
9 Columbian Red Fin Tetra's
2 Bolivian Rams
or
2 Apistogramma Agassizi
or
2 Apistogramma Borellii

Possibly look at a small group of Glass Catfish or Upside Down Catfish.

 

[DiabloSandwich]

No,i took the internal filter out,just running the external at the moment.

Thanks for the info though,think I'll just stick with cardinals instead of neons and cardinals together like you said.

Will have a trip down to the LFS tomorrow and have a look what's available.

Cheers.
John.

 

[minnnt]

I am hoping to stock some Glowlights at some time, never had them and wonder what they're like. I should have got them instead of the Cardinals really, but the missus talked me round to the idea of the blue and red. I can get them 85p each so a large shoal would be pretty cheap to achieve.

Good luck mate

 

[DiabloSandwich]

Ive had 12 glowlights in my tank for about 10 days now,they are becoming darker in colour as theyve got used to the tank and feeding well.
They have flashes of white and red on the fins too,I'm quite pleased with them.

 

[minnnt]

How do they behave though? Do they shoal or only when startled?

 

[fluttermoth]

Nearly all fish school only when they feel threatened. I can't think of a fish that schools all the time.

 

[DiabloSandwich]

They dont school much tbh,as they have so much room and they are the biggest fish in the tank atm.They move around in groups of 3 usually.
I probably need a few more to fill them out in such a large tank.

 

[Tizer]

my rummynose are ace, always in a tight group

 

[coldcazzie]

yeah I found my rummy noses were always the best shoalers, sticking together even when not startled. My cardinals were awful at staying together. I don't think I ever saw them school, for the entire time I had them.

 

[minnnt]

Weird how fish are so different. Mine are excellent. I think it depends how many you have. If you end up with too many then they feel safer and are never too far away from each other.

Swings and roundabouts and trial and error springs to mind!

 

[CrazyAirborne]

my harlequins are all settled in now, and only shoal when there is alot of movement near the tank. but when they do shoal, i love watching them. they are a great looking fish if thinking about getting a nice group together.

edit* but i guess i should add, i dont ever see them all spread out thru the tank, they are always near eachother, so they are loosely shoaling most of the time i guess.

 

[coldcazzie]

Yes mine are like that, silvertips too.

Dunno about numbers minnnt, I had 11 so more than you do...