Stocking question

[Ste_J]

Could anybody please spare a bit of time to offer some advice on stocking a 28g tank?

I have recently started on a new tank and have just got to the point where i would like to add some more fish but i'm not sure about stocking levels or fish types.
So far i have got 5 platy's (1 is a fry) 2 swordtails and 3 small clowns all living in my 28g which is filtered by an eheim 2213.
So my question is do i have any options about adding new stock? and if i do what type of fish would i be best going for?

Thanks for any advice given

 

[sylvia]

Those clowns (loaches?) are going to get to be 12 inches... I know, I know; they grow slowly. I don't care! They still shouldn't be in a 28 gallon tank. LOTS of people keep them in that size tank but I realy feel strongly that you should never keep a fish in a tank that will not accomodate it at adulthood and that applies to people who 'plan to upgrade' as well. Sometimes things will happen that will keep you from aquiring a suitable home and I realy have to beg you to either buy those loaches a huge tank now or give them away. It just isn't fair to keep a fish with that sort of growing potential in a small tank. I know most people would argue but I've been seeing a lot of this lately and though I'm sure there are many responsible owners out there who will get a bigger tank when necessary, there is also a chance that something unpredictable will happen. You cannot forsee the future. Now, having come to the end of my rant (sorry people), I might answer your question

First off, unless both your swordtails are female, you should get another female. If they are both male, they will fight so get several more females or get rid of one male. Obviously, the number of swordtails you add/remove will affect the number of new fish you can add.

Some cories, a school of cherry barbs, danios, smallish rasboras. A dwarf gourami or pair; or a single (female prefferably) blue/three-spot or pearl gourami or a bristlenose pleco. Only add ONE of these options though as you may find yourself over-stocked otherwise.

Unfortunately, unless you give the exact size of your loaches, it's difficult to say how much more you can add... based on their adult sizes... well you are WAY, way... WAY overstocked but so are so many other fish keepers so never mind

Still... I urge you to remove those loaches to another tank to provide you with more stocking options. There are plenty of smaller loaches you could get instead and the clowns would thrive in a larger tank and grow to their full, remarkable potential.

 

[Ste_J]

Thanks for the advice and i know that you're right about the clowns and it's something that's been on my mind for a couple of days now as i never see them except for first thing in the morning, as to the size i couldn't give an exact measurement at the moment other than small
I foresee a trip to my lfs coming on to see if they can offer them a home.
As to to swords i have 1 male 1 female and i presume that 1 of the platy's is a female because the fry must have come from somewhere!

Could i ask how many cherry barbs would make up a school?

once again thanks for the advice and thank god that my daughter doesn't see the clowns enough to have become attached to them.

 

[jflowers]

4+ makes a school, though 6+ is best. Have to agree about the clowns, they are only happy in groups and you dont have room for any.

Jon

 

[Ste_J]

So if i went down the road of obtaing another female swordtail as well as finding a new home for my clowns, and choosing which school to get out of the cherry barbs,danios or small rasboras i should be fine? how many cories would be acceptable? and would 6 be a better option or should i go for damage limitation and stick with 4?
What about tiger barbs?

so many questions and now my mind is swimming with thoughts just before i go to bed

What do you think my chances are of my lfs taking my clowns? i bought them from there in the first place but that was a few weeks ago?

 

[jflowers]

When they sold you the clowns, did they ask you what size tank you had? if so they should have told you the tank was too small. If they didn't ask they should have. So you could ask them nicely that as they sold them they should have asked/given good advice. You may even get a store credit out of it

Jon

 

[Ste_J]

No they didn't ask about tank size and i bought 2 on the 1st visit and then went back a couple of days later for the 3rd although i did mention that i already had 2 on the 2nd visit.
I think i shall call in on the way home tonight and see what they say as they are now looking healthier than they were when i bought them although it will be hard to catch them due to the amount of plants that i currently have.

 

[sylvia]

So if i went down the road of obtaing another female swordtail as well as finding a new home for my clowns, and choosing which school to get out of the cherry barbs,danios or small rasboras i should be fine? how many cories would be acceptable? and would 6 be a better option or should i go for damage limitation and stick with 4?
What about tiger barbs?

That should be fine. If you remove the clowns and get 1 female swordtail, you'll have enough space for the 6 shoaling fish and 4 cories. I wouldn't get any tiger barbs - they are nippy and aggressive and should only be kept in quite large shoals.

 

[Ste_J]

So if i went down the road of obtaing another female swordtail as well as finding a new home for my clowns, and choosing which school to get out of the cherry barbs,danios or small rasboras i should be fine? how many cories would be acceptable? and would 6 be a better option or should i go for damage limitation and stick with 4?
What about tiger barbs?

That should be fine. If you remove the clowns and get 1 female swordtail, you'll have enough space for the 6 shoaling fish and 4 cories. I wouldn't get any tiger barbs - they are nippy and aggressive and should only be kept in quite large shoals.

So based on the above advice my stock would then consist of 3 swordtails (2 female 1 male)
4 and a bit platy's, a school of 4 (yet to be decided from the above list)and 4 corries

now that to me would be nicer than my current "hunt for the fish" as my current stock are lost in that 3ft tank and i never see the clowns at all, in fact sat here at the moment i can only see the 2 swords and a platy.

i must admit that this stocking level is somewhat confusing especially when my tank looks empty at the moment yet people are warning about stock levels

 

[clutterydrawer]

cherry barbs, UNLIKE other barbs, are not shoaling fish.

 

[sylvia]

They may not shoal quite like other barbs but they are still great. I mean neons don't exactly shoal either

 

[Ste_J]

I forgot to mention that i spoke to my lfs earlier about stocking levels and the fact that i had my clowns in a 3ft and they were a tad confused as to why i was concerned. in fact they said that if i wanted to add extra stock there wouldn't be an issue

now i'm really confused as i want to add a school of small fish but don't want to cause any problems in the sense of over stocking.

 

[modernhamlet]

Your LFS is wrong. Period. Clowns don't belong in a 3ft tank. Any LFS that tells you otherwise is either incompetent or unethical.