School Of Cardinals

[Kalist]

Hello everybody!

I'm in the process of upgrading to a 227L tank. From my old tank I will be transferring four large silver dollars, two small clown loaches, a small plecostomus, a cory catfish and a couple of tetras. I was thinking of getting a couple of jewel cichlids for the new tank but they sound like they could be aggressive from what I could find on the internet.

I'm thinking of adding a school of cardinals ~ 10+. If I were to do this, would you recommend buying all of the fish at once, or buy them in groups of 3 and raise the numbers over the span of a couple of months? Also, with 4 silver dollars and 2 clown loaches (that the LFS will take back when they grow too large), how many cardinals do you think a 227L aquarium would accomodate? I saw a video on youtube of an aquarium with 31 cardinals, among other fish, in a tank approximately the same size as mine and they looked splendid.

http/www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZYOFolmqnU...feature=related <--- School of cardinals

Thank you for your advice in this matter!

 

[markandhisfish]

personally i would do this . you already know as you say that the silver dollars and clown loach will need a bigger tank so i would be inclkined to do that now rather than waiting. then presuming that the filter is mature enough to cope with the bio-load i would add all the cardinals together as they are a schooling fish and will feel more secure in greater numbers . for this same reason if not possible to add all at once i would add a minimum of 6 to start with. then if you want to add some slightly larger fish maybe consider some pearl gouramis . very attractive colourfull fish once mature.

 

[Kalist]

Sorry, I should have clarified that by saying "in the process of upgrading" I mean that I have a 60 gallon tank (4ft wide x 17 inches x 18 inches) cycling right now. I won't be adding anything until it is ready. Thanks for your response, I will wait until everything is settled in my new tank (after cycling is done) then add a bunch at once!

 

[Schmill]

Careful adding a school of tetras into a tank thats only recentrly completed cycling, they apparently do not like it.

 

[loubega]

i would be very carefull like what schmill said about adding the cardinals into a newly set up tank, they often require a mature tank, however once the tank is matured they look splendid in huge shoals with a dark background...

 

[jennybugs]

Another thing I'm wondering...would the silver dollars not find the cardinals small enough to eat? I don't know anything about the dollars tbh, but was kind of wondering out loud?

 

[Brette]

Cardinals are pretty delicate, they need a nice, mature tank. Also, i could see them being a nice snack for any larger fish like your silver dollars.

I had good luck with my school of tetras until I treated my tank with salt (had a columnaris outbreak). I think most of them died of the salt as opposed to the Columnaris so just a word of caution. They don't like salt!

 

[Kalist]

Once the new 60 gallon is done cycling (in about a month or so) I will slowly transfer my fish from the 25 gallon to the 60 gallon. First I'll transfer the tetras, then a few days later I'll transfer the silver dollars, then a few days after that I'll transfer the bottom feeders. I was thinking of letting those guys settle into the 60 gallon for at least a month before introducing anything new. Is that still too early to add new fish?

Oh and as for the silver dollars eating the cardinals, these guys are big sissies. They've lived with a few tetras peacefully for about 3 years now, and that's in a much smaller tank than they will be going into.

 

[Brette]

Is that still too early to add new fish?

For cardinals, yeah I would say so. The water has to be perfect and stable.

 

[vinylman]

Hang fire for a good 3-4 months before adding the Cardinals. The wait WILL be worth it; they only really show their true - stunning - colours in a matured tank. Actually, if they'll be going in a 60g tank, why stop at just buying 12?. I have 15 in a well-planted 4ft tank and I wouldn't be without them.