Mix? or just one kind? hm...

[myfrint]

I'm running my 10gal planted tank for fishless cycle right now. (It's been almost a month and damn nitrite is not going down! )

Anyway, i was thinking about putting like 8~9 only neons and 2~3 otos in there.

But right now, i'm also thinking about putting 3 black neons, 3 neons, 3 glo-lights, and 2~3 otos.

Is that gonna be okay? because i heard that i should put like at least 6 kind of shoaling fish together, but aren't those gonna group together also?

I mean...which would be better? Mixing or just one kind. Curious.

 

[silent_one]

I would recomend just one type of fish for smaller tanks. The fish will be more comforatable.

 

[silent_one]

oops, posted the same thing twice

 

[luxum]

I agree, it's better for the fish and visually looks better if you pick one type and make a larger school, rather than 3 of this or that, imho.

If you really like the neons, i suggest you consider cardinals instead. They are a bit more pricey but seem much hardier than the neons. I know books say just the opposite, but all the neons i've ever had have been pitiful inbred things and they always seem to develop neon tetra disease.

Black neons are gorgeous once they color up and get bigger than neons, they are also tougher and don't die so easily, a 10 gallon would be very pretty with 5 black neons and 2 or 3 otos and the bioload ought to be small enough to handle if you have a decent filter.

Regarding otos, do not add them right after the fishless cycle is done, they are really sensitive and need truly stable conditions, so get your tetras first and let the tank stabilize for a month or so and grow some algae before adding otos. And if at all possible, quarantine the otos before you add them, they are weakened by the collection technique and are prone to strange illnesses that they can pass on to other fish.

Hang in there on the nitrites, it seems to take forever and you become convinced that they are just never going to drop and you must have done something wrong, and then one day they will be gone like magic!

 

[myfrint]

Hm.. it's strange. In my LFS, cardinals are 99cents each and neons are over a dollar each. Cardinals are actually cheaper than neons!

Yeah, i was also thinking about getting cardinals because they have better color.

Since my tank is not that big, i can't put that much... but what can i say.

If i get a bigger tank later, i will make a large commnunity tank with all kinds of tetras. It will be cool.

Anyway, thx a lot.