What To Get Next For My Peaceful Community Aquarium!

[entersandman]

My tank has been setup for about 8 weeks now and touch wood everything has gone smoothly, below is a list of what i have at the moment and i wonder if any of you could recommend some nice colourful fish i could add next?
I have a fluval duo 1000, 180L/40G tank, with a fluval 205 external filter and a rena air pump pumping out a nice air bubble wall, all plants are plastic/silk and i have a gravel subtrate with mopani wood, various rocks and a couple of upturned flower pots!!

4 X Danios (Two Zebra, Two Pearl)
3 X Rosy Tetras
3 X Penguin Tetras
5 X Neon Tetras
3 X Bristlenose Plecs (very tiny at the moment!!)
1 Little Molly or so i was told, he got caught in the bag somehow when i was buying my Rosy Tetras so the fishkeeper let me have him, he's only a little baby but has been doing fine the last two weeks!!)

The fish were added over a 5 week period so it has been stocked nice and slowly!!!

Any advice much appreciated, i've always wanted a siamese fighter but am wary it might upset the balance, my daughter also fell in love with some blue rainbow fish? not sure how compatible they are?

Otherwise what else would you folks recommend?

 

[mommyof2bettas]

no siamese fighter there, I suggest you get the numbers right- make all the tetras and danios in groups of at least 6. I'm not sure, but don't 3 bristlenoses get too big for that tank? Please correct me if I'm wrong catfish-people.

 

[entersandman]

no siamese fighter there, I suggest you get the numbers right- make all the tetras and danios in groups of at least 6. I'm not sure, but don't 3 bristlenoses get too big for that tank? Please correct me if I'm wrong catfish-people.

The guy in the fish shop, which is a very good fish shop by the way said these particular catfish don't get bigger than 5"/6" in size, i'm presuming they were bristlenose plecs as they look just like them!!!! If they look like they will grow bigger (which will be a long time yet!!) then i'll take one or two out when the time comes.

I was thinking of getting the numbers upped on the shoals anyway but would like advice on what other types i can add to my tank then, if it's a no to the fighter what about the blue rainbows?

 

[Matty P]

Bristlenose plecs only grow to about 5-6 inches.

 

[mommyof2bettas]

well following the inch-per gallon rule, there are approx. 6 inches for each tetra when they're in proper groups, that makes 24 gallons, danios are about 2 inches which means another 12 gallons that makes 36, the bristlenoses would get 15 inches, that's 51. I think you should take back about 1 or 2 bristle noses which makes it about 46 or 41, then if you did that, you would have to do water changes about three or four times a week, as it would be a little overstocked. In short, make the numbers right, then take back 1 or 2 bristlenoses, then do some extra water changes.

 

[adgo]

yea i would say get rid of at least one if not both bristlenose as well. sometimes plecos dont get along in groups and it's really only necessary to have the one. by doing this youd free up some room for other fish to add. i agree that evening out the shoals would be a good idea before any other fish are added

 

[Miss Wiggle]

yup first port of call is to sort out your current shoals, make sure you have 6 of all of them

after that you'd have

6 X Danios - 12"
6 X Rosy Tetras - 6"
6 X Penguin Tetras - 6"
6 X Neon Tetras - 6"
3 X Bristlenose Plecs (very tiny at the moment!!) - 18"
1 Little Molly - 6"

taking you up to 54", quite a bit over your stocking limit.

I would also advise to remove 1 of the plecs, this would leave you near enough right.

 

[entersandman]

Ok thanks for that folks, i guess i'll have to let one or two of my little plecs go soon then But i want to do it right so i'll make sure i get my current stocks right as well.

 

[entersandman]

One more question if i reduce my current stocks slightly, taking the advice here would i be able to get 2/3 blue rainbow fish? would they mix well with the current community?

 

[mommyof2bettas]

nope, you'd still be slightly overstocked even without the 1 or 2 bristlenoses.