Would I Be Over Crowding My Tank

[jimmyb323]

I am in the process of Receiving a 30 or 35 gallon tank, from my friends dad. He has 2 fully grown moonlight Gouramis and 2 Black neons. Would it be ok to add the following

1 red tail shark

4 to 6 tiger bards

2 kissing Gouramis

This will obviously take place after all the procedures have been taken to make sure the tank is ready for the fish. Also I was thinking of using black sand will this be ok.

Any help and advice will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks James

 

[newfishaddict]

I am in the process of Receiving a 30 or 35 gallon tank, from my friends dad. He has 2 fully grown moonlight Gouramis and 2 Black neons. Would it be ok to add the following

1 red tail shark

4 to 6 tiger bards

2 kissing Gouramis

This will obviously take place after all the procedures have been taken to make sure the tank is ready for the fish. Also I was thinking of using black sand will this be ok.

Any help and advice will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks James

Hi there, if the black sand is new I would rinse it for a long time, my black sand substrate took about 30 rinses to get it clean. That being said, I love my black "sand" substrate and it makes the fish's colours look great!

I would consider adding at least one more black neon, they like to be in groups of AT LEAST 3...

I would say that in 35g this would be close to overstocking and in a 30g it would be a little bit overstocked. However, you tank size is not the only factor, if you want to stock on the heavy side I would increase the biological filtration of your tank, I would add a second filter and consider one with a "biowheel". I would also add the fish slowly and not all at once....

 

[OohFeeshy]

I'd say too small for the kissing gouramis. The rest *should* be OK, but I'm maybe switch the tiger barbs for something less nippy like tetras and get at least 4 more black neons.

 

[jimmyb323]

I will add the extra neon. Do you think there will be many Conflicts between the fish as i've read that red tail sharks can be a bit of a bully towards the other fish and tiger barbs are fin nippers (slower moving fish that is). I would really like to add all of these fish together as i think they all look Fantastic, but i do not won't a unhappy Community.

I would like to add my be 2 Clown louch. Could anyone give advice on a way i could achive this commuity tank setup.

Basicly i would like to have the fish which are already there (add extra neon), The fish i mentioned in my first post and 2 clown louch if possable, in some sort of way. I.E

2 moonlight

2 kissing

3 neon

and the rest, well any Suggestions.

 

[modernhamlet]

I'd say too small for the kissing gouramis. The rest *should* be OK, but I'm maybe switch the tiger barbs for something less nippy like tetras and get at least 4 more black neons.

Agreed on all counts.

 

[SkiFletch]

thats a negatory on the pair of clown loaches unless you plan on getting a bigger tank in the future. They get BIG! like, more than a foot big in their old age and pretty much require about a 50 gallon for one, let alone two

 

[jimmyb323]

I throught fish would only grow as big as there Habitat would let them?

 

[sylvia]

Thats a myth - well it's part true as many freshwater fish have evolved to restrict their growth TEMPORARILY if things aren't too good for them in the wild. It's not good for them though and a cruel thing to force upon them.

Also, neon tetras, and most other tetras, need to be in a group of 6 MINNIMUM. Get 4 more, a group of 3 is not enough.

Kissing gouramies get to 8" at least and will not get along with the moonlights in such a small tank. Skip the kissers.

Moonlight gouramies will get bullied by tiger barbs so skip those as well. Maybe take a look at one of the less nippy barbs - checker barbs, rosy barbs, golden barbs, cuming's barb and, if ou're after something similar to tiger barbs - ruby barbs (barbus nigrofasciatus) and five-banded barbs (barbus pentazona) look alike but aren't nippy. Unless you are certain the barb you choose is a non-schooling species (eg: cherry barbs which do best kept as a trio - 1 male, 2 females), keep them in a group of at least 6.

The RTBS is an aggressive fish when mature but it shouldn't be too much of an issue provided there are plenty of hiding places for it and its tankmates.

Once you have 6 black neons, the 2 moonlights, an RTBS and a school of 6 barbs, a 30-35 gallons is pretty much fully stocked (though that depends ont he barbs you choose mostly).

edit: About the clown loach idea - they get to 12" and require a minnimum tank size of 90 gallons plus they need to be kept in a group of at least 3.

 

[osteoporoosi]

I would go with just one proper group of black neons, 12-15 or so. The tank is maybe too small for fully grown moonlights, that can be very aggressive in a smallish tank.