How many will it take before I sink the boat?

Pasqua

Hi everyone =)

I need some advice on a topic that I have a lot of trouble finding recorded information on - stocking!

I have spent hours on the fish profiles and narrowed it down to a list of fish that I both would like to have and that I also think would suit my tank and get along.

Here is my shortlist:
Cherry barb
Pearl danio
head and tail light tetra
kuhli loaches
sterbai cory
peppered cory
bronze cory

I know that all of these will need a minimum of a school of six.
my tank currently holds six cherry barbs and one betta fish who have been getting along well (if my betta does cause problems or is picked on he does have his old 5gal on standby).
I was considering not getting any danios and tetras at all and just increasing my school of barbs.

My main questions are:
- how many cherry barbs can I have?
- If I get two or three different corys, how many of each would be suitable? I read that different - types will school with each other.. so would it be ok to have say four sterbais and four peppered? or three of each of the corys listed above?
- and finally, will this all fit in my tank? Whats the maximum of each type of fish I can fit in there together comfortably? I was also hoping to add a school of the kuhli loaches.

Any suggestions or advice on how many of what to have would be great! =)

djembekah

most important question is: how big is the tank!

Pasqua

oh i cant believe I didn't include that
Must have cut it out with
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Pasqua

all my editing.
It is 75L I think about 20gal
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djembekah

20 gallons about, yeah! What kind of filter have you got, and have you got plants?

I don't know much about barbs, or really even much about tetras, but I feel like that's too many mid/top level shoaling groups with tetras, danios, AND barbs, in a 20 gallon tank.

as for the bottom level, I don't think all those shoaling groups would be a good idea for a tank that's so small. I'd pick one or two species of cories, or a species of cory and the loaches. OR even just do the loaches.

The thing about cories schooling with other species of cory, i'm told,s that they only do it out of stress because they don't have enough of their own kind.

As for the betta, it really depends on the individual betta. My veil tails are both kinda snotty boys, though they do alright with snails. My plakat is a dream, and only bugs his tank mates a little. Of course personality is unique to each one, but if he's alright with the barbs, he'd probably be okay with a group of bottom feeders.

aqadvisor.com can help you figure out good stocking numbers, though from what people have told me, it's on the conservative side. it Reaaaally has helped me stock my tanks though. And it's fun to play with.

So, I'd personally stick with 6-8 barbs, since you've already got those, 5-8 of the bottom feeders (less than 4 per species is not always a good idea) and then the betta :) Lots of hiding spots and plants and caves are always a good idea- my cories will hide under my driftwood, then come out when they think it's safe and go nuts! (i've got a shoal of 9 bronze cories )

Pasqua

yes to plants, a course sand substrate, submersible type filter.

I was thinking of leaving both the danios and tetras out, they were just shortlisted. If I can't fit too many cories I will probably go with six or so of just the one type. Do you think kuhli loaches would be ok too? I have read they have a small bioload. Or is that too many bottom dwellers and they would just get in the way of the cories?

And how many fish should be added at a time to the tank. Is addi
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Pasqua

yes to plants, a course sand substrate, submersible type filter.

I was thinking of leaving both the danios and tetras out, they were just shortlisted. If I can't fit too many cories I will probably go with six or so of just the one type. Do you think kuhli loaches would be ok too? I have read they have a small bioload. Or is that too many bottom dwellers and they would just get in the way of the cories?

And how many fish should be added at a time to the tank. Is adding a whole school of corys at once ok?
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djembekah

Sand is good! loaches AND cories both love sand. My cories are nuts- they kick it up allll the time. And my snails and bristlenose pleco appreciate it too. They also all REALLY appreciate the plants. And I like submersible filters lol.

I don't know a ton about kuhli loaches, but i know they like a group too, around 5 is good. My concern is mostly that they'd get in the way of each other, but if the bottom of the tank has a big surface area, and the bioload is alright, you're probably okay (someone might come tell you something different, so stay open to more advice xD)

After my 29 gallon had been cycled for awhile, I added 5 cories at once. For a long time the tank was a sorority, and i added 4 female bettas at once. You just have to keep testing the parameters after adding fish to make sure everything evens out :) I'd add four to six fish at a time, then wait a few weeks, then if you can add more, do it then.

so I think 5 or 6 cories and then 5 or 6 kuhlis might be alright to add to what you've got already :)

Pasqua

Thanks it's for your help =)
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djembekah

no problem! let us know what you decide :)