60 litre stocking

[AquaticRabbit]

Hi everyone, at the moment in my 60 litre I have 10 rummynose tetras and some shrimp. Is this the limit or could I have some more fish? I was thinking of adding maybe 3 guppies, would this be okay or should I just leave it?

If that is too many fish, could I get a couple of snails? If so, what kind?

Thanks in advance. thumbs2: :goldfish:

[mommy1]

If your nitrates stay at or below 20ppm before a water change I think you have room for three guppies. I suggest getting all male guppies or the tank will be overstocked very soon.

[AquaticRabbit]

Thanks for the reply. :)

[Byron]

I would have to say no to guppies. A 60L is 15 gallons, presumably 24 inches in length. Ten rummys should be OK. I would not add guppies. You could add some corys, though they might eat the shrimp (so might the rummys) depending upon the size of the shrimp. Plants would be good, especially floating. Rummys do not appreciate overhead lighting so this will keep them less stressed.

For snails, I like the small ones, especially Malaysian Livebearing. They work with you to keep a healthy aquarium.thumbs2:

Byron.

[mommy1]

60L is actually 15.85 US gallons. Why wouldn't you add three male guppies to the tank, just curious to your reasoning.

[Byron]

60L is actually 15.85 US gallons. Why wouldn't you add three male guppies to the tank, just curious to your reasoning.

Well, first I don't like mixing soft and hard water fish. Second, I would prefer a larger tank (length) for rummys anyway, no less than 3 feet. So assuming the water is OK for these soft water fish, I would leave them on their own in this tank. With floating plants and substrate plants, they will settle in quite nicely to what will be a bit of a small space, but workable if they are alone.

I would also want two more (forgot to mention that previously, sorry). This species, Hemigrammus bleheri, always does better with more numbers, 12+. I have 21 in my 5-foot tank, a mix of H. bleheri and the false rummy Petitella georgiae, and to see these swimming endlessly from end to end in a fairly tight shoal is a marvel.

Byron.

[mommy1]

I definitely agree with 12+ for a schooling species. The more the merrier with these guys.
I usually agree with you about not mixing hard water and soft water species, and have debated against mixing them and/or putting fish in the wrong GH/KH many times on the forum. However, guppies are naturally found in a wide range of water hardness and in several different countries including a few water systems in South America, and have been introduced to most countries and on all continents, usually for mosquito control. They occur naturally in a wide range of water including the soft water of the Orinoco river (along with the altum angelfish) of Venezuela.

[steeler58]

Good points both of you :thumbup:.