Stocking, And Feeding

[Georgia_ofthejungle]

I currently have two young dalmy mollies, two fully grown female and male platys, and a betta in my 10G. The two dalmys will be relocated once they've grown to a substantial size.
 
Once my dalmatian mollies have grown, I plan to get two more male platys. Is 4 platys and a betta fully stocked, or can I fit a couple more fish in, maybe a school of pygmy cories?
I do 50% water changes once a week, though I can easily do more.
 
Also, wanting to check my guys' diet is good. Each day, apart from a Friday (fasting day), they get Omega one tropical flakes. My betta gets fed one Omega one betta pellet at a time (the others love his pellets too so have to make sure I put one at a time right in front of him!) whilst the others are feeding, but he still also manages to get a few tropical flakes. Then once a week they get freeze dried brine shrimp. 
My betta, Finnick, seems to have no trouble eating the pellets. 
I am also going to start growing live brine shrimp for everyone, so will be brine shrimp each day, and then betta pellets just twice a week for betta, and tropical flakes 3 times a week for the livebearers.
 
Is this a good diet?

 

[Georgia_ofthejungle]

Also, how accurate is Advert removed?

 

[attibones]

I'm assuming you were referencing a certain online stocking calculator? It's considered inaccurate because of all the things that can play a role in stocking. However, there are some here who believe it can be handy if you double check the information elsewhere (such as here) before stocking your tank.

I believe you already know my opinion about the platy numbers, but I would like to add that if you had three males and one female, she would be incredibly stressed and could die from too much rough attention from the males. If you got two more females, you wouldn't have this problem, but you would still have to worry about the fry issue. You know I believe that you are overstocked, but even if others disagree, most will agree with me that fry can take over a tank in a matter of weeks.

I also would not wait to rehome the mollies. Or I would go out and buy a forty gallon and stock it with a variety of livebearers because they are neat little fish.

 

[Georgia_ofthejungle]

Thank you attibones, I know you are much more experienced with this then I am, and I know I have said that I feel my two platys are happy in my tank, and I still stand by that, but I absolutely do respect your opinions I have decided no more platys for my tank, unless I do end up upgrading to a bigger tank, would I would love to do, just have to wait a bit, expense wise!
My mollies are all lined up with a home now, so they should be gone soon!
 
So I am thinking now a shoal of pymgy cories would be nice for my tank. A betta and some cories was actually my very first idea of stocking, before I had any fish, but of course when I went to my LFS, and none of the bettas really caught my eye, I fell for the dalmatian mollies, and then of course the sunset platy, and the red wag! Talk about being a sucker
 
So would a shoal of pygmys (say, 6-8?), a betta, and 2 platys be happy in my tank?
I already have sand substrate because pymgys were my first idea!

 

[Mamashack]

A good ratio for platies is 3 females to each male to prevent sexual harassment by the male.
Your male and female platy pair will breed and you'll end up with more platies whether you want them or not. 
As I said in your other threads which all seem to be about this one tank, I agree with atti and think platies should be in a larger tank exactly for that reason.
How do you define happy when it comes to fish? Just because they are surviving doesn't mean they are thriving or "happy".
Sorry if I sound a bit harsh, but I believe you need to do your research and consider all the facts to make the best decision for your fish, not what you want, but what they need.

 

[Georgia_ofthejungle]

Hi guys, thanks for all your responses, sorry everything has been a bit spread out over the forum!

I have decided I will rehome my platies, and my mollies already have a home to go to, and I will get a school of Pygmy cories for my 10gallon, and then plan on getting an 8 gallon, and getting another betta boy

I know the whole platy thing was a major thing in answering my questions, but I would really love to know if I am properly feeding my fish. Of course, once all the live bearers go I won't be feeding and tropical flakes, and just omega one micro super colour algae pellets for pygmys, omega one betta pellets for bettas, and also brine shrimp.

 

[TallTree01]

Excellent news goergia.
That food will be fine for your fish by the way.

 

[Lillefishy]

A small school of pygmys will be fine in a 10 gallon, however they are not algae eaters they're 95% carnivores so will need an appropriate catfish pellet & live or frozen food such as cyclops, daphnia etc

 

[Georgia_ofthejungle]

So Omega One shrimp pellets are good?
 
Also, is 10 pygmys going to be to many in a 10 gallon? Is 6-8 better?

 

[attibones]

I would probably go with six or eight. Be sure to have a back up tank ready in case your betta doesn't like the little guys or vice versa!

 

[Georgia_ofthejungle]

Thanks attibones  
I am going to be rehoming the livebearers, and getting another 14-20litre tank. Then when I come back from holiday in September I will get my pygmys, and if the betta doesnt like them he can move into my other tank. If he does get along with them, then I will have the other tank set up with another male betta!

 

[Mamashack]

Glad you are re-homing the live-bearers, it's the best decision you could make.
There's all sorts of shrimp foods on the market. I've got about 5 different types and do you know what they prefer? The mosses in my micro tank (or something growing on them!) Feed them sparingly as even a tiny bit of food lasts ages in my shrimp set-up. They are excellent scavengers and will eat any leftovers.
I've just reread the thread - have you actually got any shrimp? I think I was confused by the shrimp pellets which as the name suggests are formulated for shrimp
 
Good luck with the new tank. It should only take a few weeks to do a fishless cycle and should be ready for when you get your pygmys in September.
Probably best if you put the betta in the new tank until the pygmys can establish the territory as theirs. If you put them in where the betta is now he could harass or attack them for invading his home turf. It all depends on the betta's personality - some love company others don't, but most of them are territorial.

 

[Georgia_ofthejungle]

Yeah sorry, I mean pellets made of shrimp, not pellets for the shrimp to eat

 

[Lillefishy]

I would advise 6 pygmys as although they're small they're quite active & spend a lot of their time in the middle levels in the tank.
It will depend on your Bettas temperament whether he'll tolerate them in his space.
With the Betta & corys you'd be stocked so leave out the platys.
Yes the shrimp pellets will be fine but also give them some variety with the frozen food

 

[Mamashack]

My mistake about the shrimp pellets! Must be my age! lol
Will you make a journal for your new tank when you set it up? Always makes interesting reading!