Starter tank- size/stock recommendations?

I do agree with the 10 gallon part! The bigger the aquarium, the easier it is to care for ^_^

However, Mollies can grow to be 5 inches each so I would scratch them, Clown loaches also can reach up to 16 inches so I'd scratch them as well. You could do: 1 Betta, a shoal of 5-6 Corydoras Habrosus (small enough to be happy in the 10 but still active enough) and a shoal of 6-7 Ember Tetras if you can find them! That would make a very happy tank indeed! Platies, as with most livebearers, are very messy and they poop everywhere terribly so I'd scratch them too if you want a nice clean tank.

Cycle is still a month's worth regardless of what size tank it is. If it's 2 gallon or 200 gallons, it still takes roughly a month if you do it right. There are ways to make it shorter like adding seeded material (filter material from an established tank from the LFS or a friend) or by adding live plants (although this is an entirely different world from fish and once you get sucked in, you'll never be able to return! lol). You have your choice of methods though if you take a look in our stickies you will find different ways to Cycle including Fish-In (a fish in the tank to feed the good bacteria), Fish-Less (usually using fish food or pure ammonia to cycle in less time ~2.5-3 weeks) or Silent Cycle which is using a planted tank to keep the fish safe.

It's whatever you feel comfortable with and we'd be happy to explain each of them after you look through the stickies ^_^

This is our tank.

boygirlmama said:

That's what I was thinking, but the store was telling me that it didn't always matter? That didn't seem to make sense to me though after reading about schooling fish.
I don't want to overload the tank. I know sometimes you can go above recommendations, but then how do you manage the bioload? I don't want to be killing the fish.
Because we'd need 4 more of each of those tetras and 4 more Cories.
I really can't move up to a 20 gallon until at least Christmas time cost wise. My husband is in medical school, so money is a little tight.

Click to expand...

One thing I learned over the years is that stores aren't always correct and you will soon notice it is better to research then buy the fish; not vice versa.
I undestand that you don't want to overload the tank and it is ok if you go slightly over the recommendations, however that doesn't mean you cram it with fishies. A good idea is to look on aqadvisor - click here and see what you levels are like. I just did a quick estimate, however I not 100% sure what a candy cane tetra is and what the dimensions of your tank is. So far you tank stocking level is around 60%, however I do find that the site is to be used as a guide and I know many people - myself included - that stock over 100% without problems. A good guide is to stock the tank around 150% or less. :lol: Many of us manage with an overload on the bio by having a mature tank, over time you tank will mature too.
Personally I would think about returning one of the tetras and doing something along these lines:
5 - 7 maybe 8 of a tetra school either von rio or candy canes
4 cories
and maybe a centerplace fish like a dwarf gourami - Trichogaster lalius - or a honey gourami - Trichogaster chuna - would look good and finish off the tank IMO. Maybe think about including shrimp as they have a small bioload and will add interest in the tank.
I do believe that all the fish that I suggested will do fine for 6 months until you get a 20g - preferably a long as you can house more fishies. Once you get a 20 you could think about adding some more fishes...

See I did do my own research! And then second guessed myself with the so called fish experts in the store. It's a family owned store too.
I feel very torn right now because this is my daughter's birthday present and she is in love with the movie The Reef so she wanted an orange fish and a pink fish. That's why we went with the Von Rio's and Candy Canes. I had it in the back of my head that all tetras need to school, but planned to get more of each later. I am doing a slow add.
And I didn't know about the Cory cats with the sand substrate. My son already is attached to them, so what about this?
What if I sometime soon move the Cories to a second 10 gallon with a sand substrate? Then have the tetras, both schools, and one or 2 gourami's in the first 10 gallon. Is that possible?
My birthday is 12/2 and then of course Christmas so I will have extra $$$ to start a larger tank then too. But I can swing a second 10 gallon Tetra kit here soon.
Then what would you put with the Cories? What else would do okay with sand substrate?

And out of curiosity, when should I complete my tetra schools? I should still wait right? My Von Rio is fine, but the Candy Cane seems really shy.

It's okay, we live and we learn! ^_^

Yeah, The Reef was a cute movie :-D it might be okay if you do 4 of each but you'll have to nix the Gourami if you want the Von Rios, Candy Canes and the Cories and yes you can change the substrate to sand if you wanted to or get another tank, that's all up to you. The fish should be okay for the time being, they won't be overly happy but they won't just up and die on you generally (unless for other reasons).

If you do want to do separate 10's then I'd go with this:

10 gallon 1
5 Von Rios
5 Candy Canes

10 Gallon 2
4-5 Cories
3 Honey Gourami (1M:2F)