[keerthi]

Hello Everyone,

I am new to this community. I had a aquarium and loved fishes. I lost touch and left it as I was busy with studies. Now I am back and starting on again.....

I have setup 30G(US) aquarium and started the cycle on it. I have stocked 2 platties and 2 swordtails for now. I have some plans on how much to stock up and time lines. Please advice me with your valuable experience and tips

At present (its been a week)
2 platties - 1 female 1 male
2 swordtails - 1 male 1 female
dont want to stock any more live bearers

I am planning to stock these in future
2-3rd week - 5 Rasboras (min set ) / Danios
(please suggest one of the above, better one ?)

1-2 mnths time - 3 cory cats

2-3 mnths - 5 neon tetras / cardinal tetras

3+ or at the end - 1 blue gaurami / ram cichlids

Am I over stocking ? I do want to keep 6 varieties...

 

[fish monger]

The fish profiles shown at the top of the page are a great one stop place to research your choices. A couple of things kind of stood out to me. I would add another female for both the swordtails and platys (just to cut down on harassment). Also, the swords and platys can cross breed. The rams do best in soft acid water while the live bearers do best in harder more alkaline water. These are just the extremes I noticed. Do you know the hardness and Ph of your tap water ?

 

[Canadian Fish]

Welcome to the forum!

 

[Reefing Madness]

 

[keerthi]

Thanks. I dont know the hardness value... But the tap water is from a ground water source which is fairly alkaline... I got my water tested twice in petco in about a week...

 

[redchigh]

If you have hard water, unfortunately gourami and rasboras are not a good idea. the neons and cories are questionable until we know your actual water parameters (ph, kh) Rams are also unlikely to survive in an extremely high ph.

I agree, livebearers need to be in trios if you want male/females. You could stick to a single sex though, and just have 1-2 of both species.

For a hardwater tank, may I suggest the celestial pearl danio as one of your "schooling fish", along with perhaps a school of another danio species.

Cories can be sensitive to parameters too, but they might be okay. A single dwarf mexican crawfish (CPO) would be a good replacement for the cories if you want a bottom-feeder, along with nerite snails if you like.

If you want those fish, you could use bottled water, or a combination of distilled water and well water to get a ph of 7, or slightly lower.

Welcome to the forum... If you posted this thread in another forum (say, "Freshwater Aquarium") you might get more stocking advice.

 

[keerthi]

Bully Danio

I have a fairly set aquarium going , i had 2 swordtail and 2 platies for couple of weeks now. I decided to add few more this week. as party of it I had 2 zebra danios and 2 cherry barbs.... one of the zebra danio has become a bully and troubling other fishes. its become aggressive and defends the upper 1/3rd part.... chases my platy away all the time.... it also bullied my small cherry barb to death....the other barb is doing great... i have separated the bully now.... any ideas or guidelines to control the bully...

 

[redchigh]

Schooling fish like danios need a group. You'll probably have to remove all the danios,, and reintroduce them.all at the same time.
Cherry barbs need a group as well.

​

 

[keerthi]

hmm thats what i thought, but the guy at petco gave me only 2 and asked me to add others later..... I will probably return both the zebras and then get 4 more cherry barbs... I am also planning to add 5 cardinal tetras later.... any other good replacements for the zebra danios ? I have 2/3 swordtail and platties also in the tank