What Other Fish In A 60L

[Ruskull]

I just had an idea based on your tank:

(1) Honey Gourami Male (Centerpiece all over the tank)
(7) Neon Tetras (Middle/Bottom dwellers)
(7) Glowlight Tetras (Middle/Bottom dwellers)
(6) Small Corydoras (Bottom dweller clean up crew)
(1) Mystery (Apple) Snail (All over the tank algae control)

Now that's alot more than the 1 inch per gallon rule would suggest, but I wouldn't consider that tank overstocked.

Just make sure your gravel is the rounded stones type so the Corys don't mess up their barbels and you'll be good to go!

 

[Justaerin]

I've got a 65 litre tank and when.I asked about.stocking I was told that six or seven corys would be as much as I could put.in.it and you don't consider your stocking suggestion as over stocked?

 

[Ruskull]

I've got a 65 litre tank and when.I asked about.stocking I was told that six or seven corys would be as much as I could put.in.it and you don't consider your stocking suggestion as over stocked?

Nope, it's what particular fish you stock that makes the difference. Well that combined with a decent water change every week. Who told you that 7 Corys would max out a 17-18 gallon tank? What are the actual dimensions? What type of Corys? As you can see in my signature, I have 8 Threelined Corys in a 20 gallon along with a large Honey Gourami, a large Bolivian Ram, a small Platy, 5 Glowlight Tetras, 4 Guppies and a small female Bristlenose Pleco. I change about 50% of the water once a week.

 

[Justaerin]

Measurements are 60x32x37cm. Peppered corys. Having reread the thread I think I may have misunderstood what was said at the time but in my defence no mentions were made that anything else could go in as well. And in their defence I didn't ask.

I retract my previous question and replace it with the following - are you sure that's not overstocking as for this size tank less fish are usually suggested?

I'm new to keeping and I'm not usually one to question suggestions from more knowledgeable folk except when I don't understand

 

[Tizer]

peppered corys prefer colder waters than many of the others but can usually cope with 24 tops.

have a look at pygmy corys, they can get very small and a group of 12 in the tank could easily be lost in plant and wood matter. Bit expensive though!

 

[N0body Of The Goat]

I just had an idea based on your tank:

(1) Honey Gourami Male (Centerpiece all over the tank)
(7) Neon Tetras (Middle/Bottom dwellers)
(7) Glowlight Tetras (Middle/Bottom dwellers)
(6) Small Corydoras (Bottom dweller clean up crew)
(1) Mystery (Apple) Snail (All over the tank algae control)

Now that's alot more than the 1 inch per gallon rule would suggest, but I wouldn't consider that tank overstocked.

Just make sure your gravel is the rounded stones type so the Corys don't mess up their barbels and you'll be good to go!

I personally strongly disagree with this stocking list for a 60l that will be barely bigger than my 54l 60x30x30cm tank, to me this suggestion is horrendously overstocked, even for an "experienced campaigner" within the hobby. I would consdier this stocking list more appropriate to tank 100-125l.

Even if by some miracle the filter prevents ammonia or nitrite spikes, I think most people would struggle to prevent nitrate buildup and eventual poisoning, if they had accurate readings for nitrate (many test kits give massively inaccurate readings for nitrates) because the water changes would not remove enough each time unless there were multiple changes each week and the new water was devoid of nitrate (RO for example) unlike most tap water. Most people (especially newcomers to the hobby), will do well to do a single 33-50% water change each week, when I feel this stocking would need two or even three changes of this size without fail every week.

There is also the factor of because so many fish are being "squashed" into a tank, I would expect the claustrophia effect to increase fish stress and this will bring on illness after illness.

Personally, I would look at upto ~30cm of adult fish tops in a 60l, something like 1 Honey Gourami and 8 pygmeus/habrosus/hastatus Corydoras (trying to use the fish in this example as much as possible) if you wanted a mixed species community, but I reckon just 10-12 of those Corydoras alone would look great and give a more natural group for them. "Pygmy" Corydoras tend not to just use the tank floor, they will use all levels of the tank.

 

[Ruskull]

So it's roughly 24" long by 15" tall by 12.5" deep. I had to translate! So it's basically a 20 gallon but not as tall. That gives a good enough footprint for at least 6 of the smaller Corys. I don't know anything about Pygmy Corys so you'd have to ask someone else questions about those.

Peppered Corys are fairly large compared to Threelined Corys and they prefer cooler temps as Tizer said. They're about a half an inch bigger in length & a bit fatter too. They wouldn't be my first choice for that size tank.

 

[Ruskull]

I just had an idea based on your tank:

(1) Honey Gourami Male (Centerpiece all over the tank)
(7) Neon Tetras (Middle/Bottom dwellers)
(7) Glowlight Tetras (Middle/Bottom dwellers)
(6) Small Corydoras (Bottom dweller clean up crew)
(1) Mystery (Apple) Snail (All over the tank algae control)

Now that's alot more than the 1 inch per gallon rule would suggest, but I wouldn't consider that tank overstocked.

Just make sure your gravel is the rounded stones type so the Corys don't mess up their barbels and you'll be good to go!

I personally strongly disagree with this stocking list for a 60l that will be barely bigger than my 54l 60x30x30cm tank, to me this suggestion is horrendously overstocked, even for an "experienced campaigner" within the hobby. I would consdier this stocking list more appropriate to tank 100-125l.

Even if by some miracle the filter prevents ammonia or nitrite spikes, I think most people would struggle to prevent nitrate buildup and eventual poisoning, if they had accurate readings for nitrate (many test kits give massively inaccurate readings for nitrates) because the water changes would not remove enough each time unless there were multiple changes each week and the new water was devoid of nitrate (RO for example) unlike most tap water. Most people (especially newcomers to the hobby), will do well to do a single 33-50% water change each week, when I feel this stocking would need two or even three changes of this size without fail every week.

There is also the factor of because so many fish are being "squashed" into a tank, I would expect the claustrophia effect to increase fish stress and this will bring on illness after illness.

Personally, I would look at upto ~30cm of adult fish tops in a 60l, something like 1 Honey Gourami and 8 pygmeus/habrosus/hastatus Corydoras (trying to use the fish in this example as much as possible) if you wanted a mixed species community, but I reckon just 10-12 of those Corydoras alone would look great and give a more natural group for them. "Pygmy" Corydoras tend not to just use the tank floor, they will use all levels of the tank.

Neons and Glowlights have a very small bio load no? My son has 16 Neons in a 20 gallon high with a Honey, Platy, 2 Bolivian Rams and 3 Otos. I consider that tank to be overstocked but I don't consider my other 20 gallon overstocked at all. Keep in mind the tanks are both moderately planted and they've been running for about 10 months with the current stock levels give or take. No illness or stress that I can see. All the fish seem to be happy & there has never been a spike of ammonia or nitrite in either of them.

 

[Justaerin]

You can see why I was advised just six or seven though, being longer and chunkier. The temp has changed since that thread to something more suitable

 

[Ruskull]

As you can see, opinions on stocking vary quite a bit here

Since you're a newer fishkeeper you'd be best off erring on the side of less to start. I've been told by more than a few folks that my tanks are all overstocked but I've had just as many tell me they weren't. Just last night I was told all my tanks had room for more by a poster who's opinion I highly respect. I don't plan to add any new fish but I was going to re-adjust which fish were in each tank for other reasons. It's all down to what fish go well with others, their bioloads, and you tank cleaning schedule.

Also, keep in mind my tanks are ridiculously over filtered with two turning around 10 times their volume each hour and the other turns 7.5 times.

 

[Justaerin]

Looks like they do a bit lol I'm happy with my stocking and maybe upping or changing it at some point as I'm adding plants in soon and I'm rather over filtered from what I'm told

 

[BIG BAD BARRY]

Agree with N0body of The Goat.

There are lots of options for you to consider stock wise but which ever you choose, monitor the water conditions with a test kit and via physical observations in terms of fish waste.

The actual water volume will be less due to displacement by the gravel and whatever other decor etc is placed in the tank.

I have a slightly smaller tank with 4 neon tetras, 4 black neon tetras and 4 glowlight tetras. They are small at the moment but have to bear in mind that i may need to reduce the stock as they get bigger.

BN plecs are poo machines. in my other tank its a case of move, poo, move, poo, move, poo, move, poo, move, poo, move, poo, move, poo, move, poo, move, poo, move, poo, move, poo, move, poo, move, poo, move, poo, move, poo, move, poo, move, poo, move, poo, move, poo, move, poo, move, poo, move, poo, move, poo, move, poo, move, poo, move, poo, move, poo, move, poo, move, poo, move, poo, move, poo, move, poo, move, poo, move, poo, move, poo, move, poo,

Let us know what you finally stock.

 

[Ruskull]

I had a 10 gallon setup that had 1 Dwarf Gourami male, 5 Glowlight Tetras & 4 Guppies. I didn't have plants though & the filter wasn't that great (Penguin 100 biowheel). It was fine with that stocking and again, no ammonia or nitrite spikes ever.

Oh yeah, it also had a fry net with 20+ tiny fry. Here's some pics, tell if if it looks overstocked to you:

 

[cambojnr]

I just had an idea based on your tank:

(1) Honey Gourami Male (Centerpiece all over the tank)
(7) Neon Tetras (Middle/Bottom dwellers)
(7) Glowlight Tetras (Middle/Bottom dwellers)
(6) Small Corydoras (Bottom dweller clean up crew)
(1) Mystery (Apple) Snail (All over the tank algae control)

Now that's alot more than the 1 inch per gallon rule would suggest, but I wouldn't consider that tank overstocked.

Just make sure your gravel is the rounded stones type so the Corys don't mess up their barbels and you'll be good to go!

My gravel is quite big I think so I cant have the corys and I would rather go with more neons to have a bigger school of them and do you not think it would be good to have 2 female and one male honey? and 7 more neons over a couple of months/weeks? already have some tiny snails mooching about as keep finding small ones and removing them as dont want them destryoing plants. thanks. and the bristle nose is back in the shop tank looking for a new home.

 

[Ruskull]

I just had an idea based on your tank:

(1) Honey Gourami Male (Centerpiece all over the tank)
(7) Neon Tetras (Middle/Bottom dwellers)
(7) Glowlight Tetras (Middle/Bottom dwellers)
(6) Small Corydoras (Bottom dweller clean up crew)
(1) Mystery (Apple) Snail (All over the tank algae control)

Now that's alot more than the 1 inch per gallon rule would suggest, but I wouldn't consider that tank overstocked.

Just make sure your gravel is the rounded stones type so the Corys don't mess up their barbels and you'll be good to go!

My gravel is quite big I think so I cant have the corys and I would rather go with more neons to have a bigger school of them and do you not think it would be good to have 2 female and one male honey? and 7 more neons over a couple of months/weeks? already have some tiny snails mooching about as keep finding small ones and removing them as dont want them destryoing plants. thanks. and the bristle nose is back in the shop tank looking for a new home.

Adding female HoneyG's to the mix might not work out as they're larger than say Tetras & add to the bioload. Also, they need their space or the male will hound them to death. That's why I don't have females with my male Honey G's. Besides, Honey Gouramis are fine by themselves.