Which Fish?

[Joanna69]

Okay, I have my first tank cycling in my living room. It not big (60cm tank @ 63litres) as I'm a beginner and wanted to run before I could walk! Anyway, I've been thinking about fish (funnily enough!). My PH here is 8 and the water is medium hard. I've used an online "fish stocking" calculater on another site ( ) to work out how many fish I can have. It bases the calculations on size of tank vs size of fish when mature. It says I can have 75 cm worth of mature fish. This is what I've come up with so far. Does it sound like too many fish? It works out as 73cm of fish so I'm up to my limit really.

8 Glowlight Tetras
7 Cherry Barbs
2 Siamese Fighting Fish (1 male, 1 female)
2 Dwarf Gourami (1 x male, 1 x female)
4 Three-line Corydoras

All appear to be nice looking community tank friendly (and not too big) fish and all appear to be able to withstand my PH and hardness. But I'm getting this info on what I've read rather than on any experience.

Any views. Have I included fish that won't get on or aren't really suitable? If there ARE too many, which should I maybe not have?

Also, once I am cycled which fish should I add first and how often should I add new fish to the mix. Any particular order?

Sorry, so many questions!

 

[bexyjane]

Hi,

I've heard that siamese fighters once breading can become quite territoral. You'd probably be better off with either a male or female. There not a shoaling fish so would be ok on their own. I'm new to this to but thats just what i've read.

How long are you fishless cycling your tank for?

Bex

PS what site did you use for the stocking calulator?

 

[jayjay]

that would be seriously overstocked!!!! also keeping 1 male and 1 female fighter together will end in blood shed.

what are the dimensions of the tank?

i'm sorry but you can't have anywhere near that many fish in that tank.

i think your tank may work out at about 15 u.s g so you can keep about 15inches of small fish

your glolights alone make 12inches! and you could probably then push it abit and get a gourmai (i wouldn't go with the dwarfs another sort maybe)

sorry to be so negative

 

[fishwatcher]

I'd suggest starting with 5 glow light tetras, then adding a trio of cherry barbs. If this works out for a few weeks, add a few small cories. Then maybe add a single dwarf gourami or a female betta(fighting fish). That would probably be over the limit, but it is do-able so long as you keep up on water changes.
I'd nix the male betta totally since only some of the males are ok in community tanks, depending on their personality. I had one that was fine, and one that tried to kill everything.
I hope this helps!!

 

[Joanna69]

Yeh, as I thought. Sounded ALOT of fish! The tank is 60cm by 30cm by 35cm so not massive. I just want to get little shoaling fish really. The Siamese Fighter because my 5 year old liked the look of them but advice taken. Having been reading more they look great but aren't right for my tank! I like the look of tetras but upon reading up see not all are going to put up with my PH of 8.

I'm cycling my tank until its all clear before adding any fish as it just felt the right way to do it (notwithstanding the fact I'm impatient! want to put them in NOW but will have to wait, I know ). I'm only on day 3. I'm using fish flakes to generate the ammonia.

Anyway, think the glowlights and cherry barbs are IN - I'll do as you say fishwatcher and put a few of each in. Am I right in saying you should have at least 6 fish in a same breed shoal as they like company? Then a few corydoras and that's it.

So:

6 glowlights
6 cherry barbs
3 corydoras

Fully stocked or could I squeeze in something else without too many problems?

Great advice so far. Its amazing the mis-information on some websites. The fish calculator thing was on "Think Fish". Grrr...

 

[jayjay]

i would have 3 cherry barbs 1m 2f and add 3 more cories
so 6 tetra, 3 barbs and 6 cories.

 

[Joanna69]

i would have 3 cherry barbs 1m 2f and add 3 more cories
so 6 tetra, 3 barbs and 6 cories.

Excellent - thanks!

 

[hoppybunn]

If you want a Siamese Fighter fish, I would just buy another small tank (like a 3-5 gallon tank) and keep one in there, you don't even have to filter it, but make sure you keep up on the water changes. I find that they prefer to live alone (or they tolerate ADF's).

 

[fishwatcher]

I'd actually add 1 more tetra and 2 more cories, myself, just because i like odd numbers! 8)
I'd do a trio of cherry barbs, 7 tetras and 5 cories.
That's just me though...

 

[Joanna69]

Thanks all for your very helpful replies. Nothing like experience

Anyway, I'm a bit unsure about the cories mainly because cory people on their forum here say my water is a bit high on the PH side for them to thrive. Possibly pygmy cories will be okay. Anyway, going to go for:

6 glowlight tetras (think they are hardy to my PH from what I've read up)
3 cherry barbs (1 male & 2 female)

and something else (small). Even with the one's i've chosen I'm close to my stocking level though will definitely be doing regular water changes etc to try and avoid any associated overstocking issues with the water.

Not sure about the "something else". Got to be small, like my PH, be community fish and no more than 3 of them.

Any ideas?

If anything this whole "choosing fish" experience has told me we should have bought a bigger tank. Thing is as a beginnier you go into a fish shop, see these tanks no bigger than mine filled with lots of fish and you think, yeh!! Its only now I'm realising we should have gone up a level. I can't choose many fish as it is due to my PH, but having to say no to lots because they grow to big for my tank!

Joanna

 

[mark.w.jones]

If you are really unhappy about being limited by your tank size then take the tank back and upgrade. I make your current tank around 14 US gallons incidently by the time its filled with gravel and extras so you're even more limited now . Try it yourself at:

http/www.angelfish.net/tankvolcalc.php

I keep pygmaeus cories which look like this:



They are a schooling catfish and really need to be in a group of 4+ otherwise they hide all the time. There's a bit more info. here:

http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=104113