[huckleberry77]

Hello. I am new to community aquariums. I am wondering how to properly stock a well cycled 45 gallon tank (36Lx12Dx24T).

Right now I have:

2 albino cories
1 peppered cory
1 bronze cory

9 neons
8 blackskirt tetras
1 dwarf gourami

I just changed the substrate to eco complete, and added some live plants (anuibias & silvinia minima). The temp is 78 degrees. Water parameters are:
Ammonia and Nitrite:0
Nitrate:10
Water: hard
Ph: moderate

Is there room for any more fish? 5-10 more neons? or something fancy like a silver dollar fish, or other suggestions?

Thanks so much.

 

[Flint]

Silver dollars get the size of CD's and are schooling fish. I would advise picking and sticking to one species of cory and donating the rest to a pet store. They really do best with others of the same species. You could definitely up the neons to about 20 and I would up the black skirts to 15.

 

[huckleberry77]

Silver dollars get the size of CD's and are schooling fish. I would advise picking and sticking to one species of cory and donating the rest to a pet store. They really do best with others of the same species. You could definitely up the neons to about 20 and I would up the black skirts to 15.

OK, thanks for the info on the silver dollars!

I am confused about the cories because the info page here on peppered cories says that you can keep a trio of different types of cories... then other places say you need more than that. I also read that the albinos are either peppered or bronze, so I got one more albino yesterday to make the group a 4-some. The albino was always active, but now that I have 4, the bronze and peppered cories are much more active. The bronze was swimming all over the tank with the new albino, and the peppered was hanging out with the old albino. They are so fun to watch! Perhaps if I get one more of each peppered and bronze (since the albinos are either/or) they will be even happier? I inherited this tank from the former home owner, so I think they have been living together a long time and I am not inclined to separate them unless they seem unwell, and they don't.

When I got the tank there were only 3 blackskirts and I added 5 to make it 8. They definitely school better now. I think I am inclined to add more neons for color, rather than more blackskirts. 20 or 30 neons would be striking!

 

[Flint]

I would stay with around 20 neons but I definitely wouldn't add to make three separate schools of cories. They need at least 6 of their own kind, not mixed species. The are not like dogs or some other fish where they will sulk because they are "attached" to the others. If you like the albinos, stick with the albinos and re-home the others.

 

[huckleberry77]

I would stay with around 20 neons but I definitely wouldn't add to make three separate schools of cories. They need at least 6 of their own kind, not mixed species. The are not like dogs or some other fish where they will sulk because they are "attached" to the others. If you like the albinos, stick with the albinos and re-home the others.

Okay thank you! I will look into rehoming the bronze and peppered cories (but the bronze loves the new albino and they swim all over together and swirl around each other!).

Here is my updated stocking list below. I am wondering if there is room for more fish, or if I need to stop adding more now.

1 female dwarf gourami
4 cories
8 blackskirt tetras (I don't want any more of these. 8 is enough for my tastes)
21 neon tetras

The tank is 45 gals and has live and fake plants. I have the heater set to 76. Filter is a marineland with biowheel. Water parameters are all great. Substrate is eco complete.

 

[huckleberry77]

I would stay with around 20 neons but I definitely wouldn't add to make three separate schools of cories. They need at least 6 of their own kind, not mixed species. The are not like dogs or some other fish where they will sulk because they are "attached" to the others. If you like the albinos, stick with the albinos and re-home the others.

I don't mean to be contrary, but is it possible that my albino cory is an albino bronze and that is why those two seem to be in love? This thread discusses how a bronze and albino can and do breed! Albino + Bronze Cory Breeding! - Aquarium Advice - Aquarium Forum Community

 

[Flint]

The stocking looks good except you need to up your cories. I would increase the group to 8 of just one cory. They school with other species out of necessity but it is stressful for them they need their own kind. I don't want to sound mean, but you can find articles regarding keeping goldfish in bowls and 10 gallons and it's just not okay. Please stick to one species of cory.

 

[tankman12]

I have 3 peppered, 4 aggrazi, 1 julii (bought when i first started), and the first two types are always out schooling around. But the julii NEVER comes out. Some types school together some dont.
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[Flint]

It isn't healthy for them to be forced to school with other species. They do it out of necessity.

 

[tankman12]

Not really. They aren't being forced to school. Some types do some types dont.
Posted via Mobile Device

 

[Flint]

A schooling fish that isn't presented with others of the same species but has similar tankmates will school with them but it is stressful. They aren't being forced they are doing it out of necessity. It's much easier to be picked off as a single fish than as a schooling fish and while we don't have predation in most of our home aquariums, that's still bred into them. We haven't domesticated fish like we have dogs and cats and even those aren't properly domesticated.