Stocking advice

[dirtydogg]

I was just wondering if I could get some advice on stocking my tank. Here is my setup.

38 Gallon Aquarium. Cycled and moderately planted.

• 3 Mollys
• 3 Swordtail
• 2 Tetra
• 3 Tiger Barb
• 1 Panda Cory

I also have 3 Molly fry in an isolated tank that I would like to add once large enough.

I am believe that I will get 1 or 2 more panda cory, as well as another species of cory.

Ease of care is a plus as I am a newbie to keeping fish.
Thanks in advance
D

 

[Tempestuousfury]

This fourm is only to introduce yurself. Furture questions should be placed in the beginner section or in other appropriate forums.

The tiger barbs should be kept in shoals of 6 or more, because they can be aggressive and might rip up the fins of the other fish.

Corydoras are social creatures and should also be kept in groups. The smallest number you should keep in one tank, IMO, is 3. You are feeding the corydora algae discs or other specialized food, right?

What type of tetra do you have? They should be kept in groups of 6+ because they get stressed out when kept in small groups. They live in groups to confuse predators when they scatter, adn in small groups such as the one in your tank, they can't do that, so they get stressed out.

 

[dirtydogg]

The two tetra that I have are Black-Skirt Tetra.
They are currently about one inch long, they are quite active fish and always following each other around.

I just got some algae tabs for the cory(My newest fish), I wasn't sure whether he was going to make it(he was having a hard time acclimating yesterday). He seems a lot better today, at least more active.

Will the Tiger Barbs become less aggressive when they are in a larger group. I have been thinking of moving them to another tank but they have been getting along a lot better with the other fish here recently.

 

[Tempestuousfury]

They might start acting up if kept in threes... Adding more isn't necessarily surefire, but it is a measure that works for many people.

Black skirts are very very shy. They like coverage from plants and I would say having them in a group of six is almost a must... They grow to about 2.5".

Do you plan on getting more tanks? If so, then you might be better off moving the tiger barbs and perhaps the tetras. Then you can have a cyprinid and characin tank and a livebearer tank.

 

[dirtydogg]

My girlfriend has fallen in love with my tank and wants to set one up of her own, so I was going to buy her a twenty gallon and set it up for her, Both the Tetra and the Barbs are her fish, so they would probably end up in her tank.
As for the Panda Cory, I'm going to go to the lfs in the morning and get him some buddies.

 

[yhbae]

My girlfriend has fallen in love with my tank and wants to set one up of her own, so I was going to buy her a twenty gallon and set it up for her, Both the Tetra and the Barbs are her fish, so they would probably end up in her tank.
As for the Panda Cory, I'm going to go to the lfs in the morning and get him some buddies.

If you do end up buying a 20g tank, try to buy 20g long, as oppose to 20g tall.

 

[Tarod]

I would definatly try to pick up a couple more tiger barbs, I love theses little fish but they can be fin-nippers, so a larger group would allow them to pick on each other more as they shoal in groups.

Good luck and best wishes.

 

[dirtydogg]

Will it matter if there are say 4 tiger barbs and 2 albino tiger barbs? I am still not sure whether the albinos take to the regular ones or not. One of my albinos follows the regular tiger barb around while the other one just does her own thing.

 

[Tempestuousfury]

It shouldn't matter. Albino forms tend to integrate with the ones with normal coloration.

 

[digital_run]

Green / Albino / Regualr are all the same...they will interact and school the same as a single color variation would...