Re stocking 125l

[Mathew1991]

I think a couple of buddies for your lone ADF, I can't remember how many of each of the others you had before but if you liked what you had maybe more of the same?

Edit - you have a similar size tank to me, I'm wondering if overstocking may have contributed to the issues you've had? I know you've lost quite a few but can't remember how many you had originally.

I did think the same myself but i followed advice from here and was told to add more of the bh tetras and cardinals and corys and I wouldn’t be overstocked but I did think it was

I’m kind of leading to a few shoals of tetras

But I don’t think I’m over keen on the bh tetras as they seem to have been aggressive to each other since putting them in

 

[Mathew1991]

With your water being so soft, you could expand your tetra collection, but if I was you, if you don't want live plants, you should consider extra driftwood, and have you ever heard of "leaf litter" Matthew? I have it. Without live plants for shade and cover, you could go down the tetra route, but try and add some tannin colouration to your water and make the water just slightly darker to suit the tetras. Not sure if this would be your cup of tea. You could try for a more natural looking south America tetra set up.

Out of all the fish you have kept, what are your favourites and why? Might help us with suggestions.

I think I’m leaning towards some shoals of tetras

As I just said to @Lcc86 I don’t think im very keen on the bh tetras tho as they have seemed to have been nippy and aggressive to each other since day 1

I love the molly fish but as I’m away I shouldn’t really keep them in this tank

I love the pleco and the cadinal tetras and the corys


I have never heard of leaf litter and I don’t really know what I’m doing with live plants I have never had experience with them before
I do have a moss ball in there but it just lies on the bottom of the tank doesn’t move
When I seen them in the shop there were all floating around

 

[Lcc86]

I did think the same myself but i followed advice from here and was told to add more of the bh tetras and cardinals and corys and I wouldn’t be overstocked but I did think it was

I’m kind of leading to a few shoals of tetras

But I don’t think I’m over keen on the bh tetras as they seem to have been aggressive to each other since putting them in

If you think you may have been overstocked then perhaps don't get anything else other than the minimum needed to bring your shoals up to required numbers, perhaps see if you have return the BH tetras.

If you use the very crude method of one gallon per inch of fish (which I know isn't 100% accurate) then you're not far off fully stocked with what you have.

Adding plants can help with absorbing some of the ammonia, leaf litter is good for grazing too. I didn't really know what I was doing with plants so I went for the "easiest" ones I could find and just added them gradually. If you do go down that route I'd suggest buying either bulbs or tissue cultured plants so that there's no risk of snails!

 

[BigJfish12]

@Lcc86 isn't it 1 inch of fish per gallon of tank water?

 

[Mathew1991]

My friend at the local fish store has took the bh tetras that I have left I’m not sure what they are going to do if they will treat them or what,
So I have

4 mollys
9 corys
3 cardinals
1 adf
1 bn pleco

I will be upping the cardinals back up to 10-12

Would I be to have anything else

 

[Mathew1991]

If you think you may have been overstocked then perhaps don't get anything else other than the minimum needed to bring your shoals up to required numbers, perhaps see if you have return the BH tetras.

If you use the very crude method of one gallon per fish (which I know isn't 100% accurate) then you're not far off fully stocked with what you have.

Adding plants can help with absorbing some of the ammonia, leaf litter is good for grazing too. I didn't really know what I was doing with plants so I went for the "easiest" ones I could find and just added them gradually. If you do go down that route I'd suggest buying either bulbs or tissue cultured plants so that there's no risk of snails!

What easy plants did you get I might look into some
What do I need to do with them

Yes i Don’t want snails

 

[Lcc86]

@Lcc86 isn't it 1 inch of fish per gallon of tank water?

Yes sorry, writing before morning coffee never a good idea!

 

[BigJfish12]

Yes sorry, writing before morning coffee never a good idea!

nah all g...just thought I had better clarify

 

[Lcc86]

What easy plants did you get I might look into some
What do I need to do with them

Yes i Don’t want snails

Elodea densa can be floating or weighted, grows quickly, good one to start with. Crypts and java ferns too. Get some root tabs to pop under any area where you plant to give them a boost and then you can also add liquid fertiliser.

 

[Lcc86]

My friend at the local fish store has took the bh tetras that I have left I’m not sure what they are going to do if they will treat them or what,
So I have

4 mollys
9 corys
3 cardinals
1 adf
1 bn pleco

I will be upping the cardinals back up to 10-12

Would I be to have anything else

If you're still losing fish I wouldn't add anything until all remaining fish have been recovered for a good month or more to be on the safe side. Upping the cardinals is probably the only thing I would do once everything has the all clear.

 

[Mathew1991]

If you're still losing fish I wouldn't add anything until all remaining fish have been recovered for a good month or more to be on the safe side. Upping the cardinals is probably the only thing I would do once everything has the all clear.

Yer I’m not planning on adding anything yet until I know it’s all good

Just looking for ideas on what I could have that’s all

 

[Mathew1991]

Elodea densa can be floating or weighted, grows quickly, good one to start with. Crypts and java ferns too. Get some root tabs to pop under any area where you plant to give them a boost and then you can also add liquid fertiliser.

I have been looking at some java moss and gluing it to the driftwood I have in the middle of the tank
I have read that it can grow very quick and produce a lot of algae on the tank

As I say I don’t really know because I have never kept live plants

 

[Lcc86]

I have been looking at some java moss and gluing it to the driftwood I have in the middle of the tank
I have read that it can grow very quick and produce a lot of algae on the tank

As I say I don’t really know because I have never kept live plants

Try a small amount and see how you get on.

 

[AlexT]

For plants Matthew; crinum thaianum, hornwort, elodea densa, and amazon frogbit. That's my contribution for ideas. That's if you go with plants.

With the tetras, I personally would decide on either one or two types and then max out on this, such as getting as many cardinals as is safe to do so.

Sometimes you will here things like "tetras should be in a group of 5 or 6". For some, like cardinals, this is not really true. What they should say is "5 or 6 is better than 1 or 2", but really, for fish such as cardinals, you want as many as possible for the size of your tank, be it 10, 12, 20 or more (but check on how many with a 125L). In a 125L, I personally would just have cardinals and no other tetra as you like them, and these fish prefer safety in numbers, that's when you will get the best out of them.

Also, they would absolutely love floating plants and driftwood in the tank. Even if you have to go down the route of plastic plants. They like cover (things above them). If you want a certain type of fish, you need to set your tank up to cater for that fish or group of fish as best you can. That way, the fish can have the best chance to thrive, and you can enjoy your fishkeeping hobby! Thriving fish = enjoyable hobby, and money well spent.

 

[Mathew1991]

For plants Matthew; crinum thaianum, hornwort, elodea densa, and amazon frogbit. That's my contribution for ideas. That's if you go with plants.

With the tetras, I personally would decide on either one or two types and then max out on this, such as getting as many cardinals as is safe to do so.

Sometimes you will here things like "tetras should be in a group of 5 or 6". For some, like cardinals, this is not really true. What they should say is "5 or 6 is better than 1 or 2", but really, for fish such as cardinals, you want as many as possible for the size of your tank, be it 10, 12, 20 or more (but check on how many with a 125L). In a 125L, I personally would just have cardinals and no other tetra as you like them, and these fish prefer safety in numbers, that's when you will get the best out of them.

Also, they would absolutely love floating plants and driftwood in the tank. Even if you have to go down the route of plastic plants. They like cover (things above them). If you want a certain type of fish, you need to set your tank up to cater for that fish or group of fish as best you can. That way, the fish can have the best chance to thrive, and you can enjoy your fishkeeping hobby! Thriving fish = enjoyable hobby, and money well spent.

Hi alex

I already have a large piece of red moor root in there with rocks around and there is plenty of plastic plants

But like I say I would like to go down the way of real plants