Little fish?

[Demi ^_^]

I have decided to have a wide selection to choose from for my to-be 42 gallon, so I am trying to find as many 'combinations' of fish as possible, so I know exacly what I want ^_^

The tank is obviously 42 gallons and I want to know what smaller fish would get along in a tank that size. I would like the fish to be colourful and not aggresive, also I want them to be tiny-small in size.

Thankyou :11:

[albonubes]

neon tetras... plus there are many other tetras that are small ("tiny") that are peaceful & colorful...

EDIT: oh and male guppies

[Demi ^_^]

How many do you estimately think I could get for that size tank? Also how big are the tetras?

[spudbuds]

Neon tetras get to about 1.5 inches at the most. You could fit a bunch in a 42 gallon tank assuming you have adequate filtration and water change schedule and also depending on what else you decide to keep. There bio-load is very small. If they were by themselves in that tank, you could easily fit 30-40 and maybe more.

We need to know your filtration and water change schedule before we can accurately estimate fish quantities.

[Demi ^_^]

Okay, well I think I would rather a 'varied' community of little fish ^_^ What about Mollies?

NOTE: I haven't actually brought the tank home yet (I will be, in like a week :/) So I can't give that sort of information, sorry :(

[spudbuds]

I don't know that I would call mollies "little". Most can get to 4 inches. Also they prefer brakish water (which I didn't know when I got mine).

You could mix in some dwarf platies. They stay small and are quite colorful. Some variety of rasboras would be good. Zebra danios are also an option. There are fish called Glofish that are genetically modified zebra danios. They are quite colorful and add a lot of activity to the tank.

There are a bunch of options for little colorful community fish. Your best bet is to look around and see what you like. We can help you with compability and quantity. Now that I've done the mix of a bunch of different fish, I'm finding I prefer larger schools of the same kind. However, it's your tank and your preferences that matter, so get what you like as long as you can provide a good home for them.

Also, we still need your planned filtration and water change schedule.

Bill

[Hailey]

well in my community tanks I always get neon tetras. Thier a small and fun fish to have. I also like zebra danios, just as spudbuds said. But when you go to the fish store you will probably see many different kinds of tetras that would also be great in your tank. You might also want to get some Corys. Thier a catfish and mostly stick to the bottom of the tank. I think thier cool too. And well right now thats all I can really think of. Good luck!

[spudbuds]

I agree about the cories. They are very active and fun to watch when you get a small school of them.

[shalafi04]

Personally I think Cories, and different types of Tetra.

How about some Rasboras? Platies? and male Fancy Guppy??

Those are all the little fishes I know.
Good Luck.
Be sure to let us know what you decide on, that tank is gonna be sooo alive with fish its gonna be awesome!

[Demi ^_^]

Okay, I have looked over the web and have liked the following fish:

- Fancy male guppy
- Platy
- Cory
- Neon tetras

Would these get along together?

I was thinking of this as quantity for each fish:

- Fancy male guppy; 3-5
- Platy; 3
- Cory; 4-6
- Neon tetras; 7-9

Is that overstocked or could I add more?

Thankyou!

[Hailey]

no, i'm sure you can put more in in such a big tank. Well more neon tetras for sure, I would put in maybe 10-20. What does everyone else think? too much?

[Dixie]

I don't know much so I can't give any advice on the amount of fish for your tank but can offer this bit of advice lol. Use the hardier fish to cycle the tank (guppies or danios if I remember right) then correct me if I'm wrong, but I think you should just add a few fish every week or so, not all at once. Good luck with your new tank. Would love to see pics when it's done.

[KcEE]

Hey Demi, is the 42G you're getting coming as a full set. As in tank, filter, lights? Or are you just getting the tank then buying your own filter n stuff? Well, with a good filter and regular WC, you will definetly be able to stock more tetras. You should see if your LFS has cardinal tetras. Especially if the red is really nice. Also black phantom tetras.

[Demi ^_^]

No, the tank just comes with a lid and thats it. Me and my dad are going shopping for a filter, heater, etc. I'll try and get a-as-good-as-a-filter as my fathers wallet will let me (LOL) I will do regular water changes, is once every 4 days enough?
I am off to google to look at some more small fish ^_^ I'll report what I would like when I get back!

[Demi ^_^]

Hmmm, how about this:

- Fancy male guppy; 6
- Platy; 3-4
- Cory; 4-6
- Neon tetras; 12

Is that overstocked? I want a lot of activity, lol! :11:

[albonubes]

i can't answer if it's overstocked or not (cause i have a 20g with over 20 platys in it lol) but anyway, out of those 4 fish u chose, i'd add the neons last as they're the most susceptible to ick, so def. don't use them to cycle

[Demi ^_^]

i can't answer if it's overstocked or not (cause i have a 20g with over 20 platys in it lol) but anyway, out of those 4 fish u chose, i'd add the neons last as they're the most susceptible to ick, so def. don't use them to cycle

Well I'm going to cycle for about a week 'fishless' and then buy the guppies first and then the others a bit later ^_^

[Futureboy]

If i were you i would change the neons to cardinal tetras then instead of getting even more of those get another school of a differant type of tetra perhaps rummynose tetras

water changes every 4 days sounds great you should be doing 25 - 35 percent for that schedual i would say

remember when your getting your filter that they can generally only handle half of what it says on the box so try for something for close to an 80g tank

[Harls]

i would suggest a khuli loach they are so cool!!!
u are supposed to have at least 3 per tank

[Demi ^_^]

i would suggest a khuli loach they are so cool!!!
u are supposed to have at least 3 per tank

I'll have to look it up - I have absolutely no idea what they are!

Futureboy - Couldn't I still have the neons and get another school? I'll have to see whats at my LPS...
BTW, thanks for the info on the filters ^_^

[NickFish]

42 gallons is a pretty good sized tank and I really don't think your at your stocking limit yet. Definelty not overstocked.
You could add another school of tetras to your school of neons or cardinals.
Or you could get some big fish like gouramis.

With good filtration and WC I think you could do

Fancy male guppy- 6
Platy- 3-4
Cory- 4-6
Neon tetras- 12
Rummy nose tetras 12 or 2 pairs of gouramis like honey or opaline

Also make sure the guppies and platies are all male or you need a plan for the fry.

[KcEE]

Hmm...well, if your dad allows you to get a good HOB or even better, a canister filter, I'd go for 10 cardinal and 10 rummy nose! Heh heh...

[Harls]

what about glass catfish they look pretty cool!!!

[Demi ^_^]

Nickfish - How big do the Gourami's get? Also, what happens if I accidently do have fry? (Just asking as a pre-caution)

Kcee - It all depends on Dad's mood, if my brothers are their and his wallet, hehe. Theirs alot of options, ain't their? Lol.

What about this?

Fancy male guppy- 6
Platy- 3-4
Cory- 4-6
Neon tetras- 12
Rummy nose tetras- 8
And something else?

[Demi ^_^]

what about glass catfish they look pretty cool!!!

How big do they get? Also I thought YOU wanted one? :11:

[Harls]

LOL they are prety small about 2.5-3" and they are harm less amd i thought u wanted a bristlenose . they will go with all the fish u have there

[Demi ^_^]

LOL they are prety small about 2.5-3" and they are harm less amd i thought u wanted a bristlenose . they will go with all the fish u have there

I did, but the corys look like the same thing to me, if their not I'll get a Bristlenose ^_^ Btw the neon tetra's are alot prettier than what I first thought!

[Futureboy]

I'll have to look it up - I have absolutely no idea what they are!

Futureboy - Couldn't I still have the neons and get another school? I'll have to see whats at my LPS...
BTW, thanks for the info on the filters ^_^

You sure could, I was just suggesting swapping to cardinals because you said you want small pretty fish and they are smaller and have more colour then neons but also a bigger price tag... just up to personal preferance

[NickFish]

Nickfish - How big do the Gourami's get? Also, what happens if I accidently do have fry? (Just asking as a pre-caution)

The honeys get around 2"-3" and the opalines get from 4"-6"

If you have any cichlids you could feed them the fry. But what I do is get a separate fry tank (mines 15 gallons) to raise all the fry in and then I bring them to the lfs for credit.
Right now I have guppy, platy and cory fry in there.
This brings me to another point I should mention. When doing WC make sure the new water is about the same temperature as the tank water because if it is colder then the corys think it just rained and they will spawn. Not as prolific as the livebearers though.

[Demi ^_^]

Futureboy - Thankyou, I really like the neons though, so I think I'll stick with them :11:

Nickfish - A Cory will really do that? LOL! If they do spawn or something though, will the other fish eat the fry?

[Demi ^_^]

*Confused* whats the minimum of Cories you should have? 1 site said 4, but another said 6? Also does anyone have any suggestions for anything else that could go into the tank? (Without overstocking!)

Thanks :11:

[kkevvy]

Six+ is best, but you can go for four, I wouldn't go any lower than three.

You can also try Dwarf Gouramis. Like Honey sunsets or something. They are nice and get about 2.5" at the most.

If your getting platys, get all females, not all males. They'll be less aggressive with each other. Or you can get both and have lots of baby platys! Yay! haha.

[NickFish]

*Confused* whats the minimum of Cories you should have? 1 site said 4, but another said 6? Also does anyone have any suggestions for anything else that could go into the tank? (Without overstocking!)

Corys should be kept at a bare minimum of 4. A shoal of 6-8 is better though. IME anything less than 4 and the corys will be too shy to come out for most of the day. Sometimes 4 isn't enough depending on the tank and the other inhabitants.

Nickfish - A Cory will really do that? LOL! If they do spawn or something though, will the other fish eat the fry?

Yes they do do this. Mine spawned without warning. Yes the other fish will likely eat the fry. Unlike the livebearers though cories lay eggs that take 2-6 days to hatch so you will have plenty of time to move them into a different tank or safer area.

[Tolley]

My 40g in my sig... i would have i school of 6 cories if i didn't have rainbow shark.

So your going along the lines of ;

Fancy male guppy- 6
people always say they can go together but alot of males isnt a good plan, they can fight more than harrassing females.
Platy- 3-4 - :)
Cory- 4-6 - Go for 6 :thumb:
Neon tetras- 12 - these are cool
Rummy nose tetras- 8 These like a lower ph unlike the other fish so probs not.

How about;

6 cories
20 neons
8 Platies

You say want colour and platies come in a wide range of colours mainly why i have lots :D

[shockshockshad]

for your size tank, you could go with 8 cories. This stocking seems good:

20 neons
8 cories
5 platies (all male or all female)
1 bristlenose pleco OR 4 otos (for algae)

[Demi ^_^]

What about just one guppy or do do they live in schools?

How 'bout this:

- 1 Guppy - maybe?
- 6 Cories
- 15 Neon Tetras
- 10 Platies

The platties look very bright and colourful, so I upped the quanity of them :)

[albonubes]

The platties look very bright and colourful, so I upped the quanity of them :)
yeah i got a 20g heavily planted and it looks really nice with my 20+ orange platys in it

[Demi ^_^]

Wow, 20+ Platties? That must look awsome!

[shockshockshad]

Platies get 3-4 inches, so I think 10 would be a little much. I would get 5-8.

[Demi ^_^]

Okay :) how 'bout this:

- 2 Guppy
- 6 Cories
- 15 Neon Tetras
- 8 Platies

I was thinking of having a fishless cycle for 1 week, then adding 2 guppies, 2 weeks later adding the 6 Cories, then the platies, then the tetras. How is that?

[albonubes]

Demi that 1-inch of fish per gallon of water is just a guideline, it really depends on how much/often u change the water, and obviously don't add too many fish at once or it'll "reset" the cycle

[Demi ^_^]

Well I plan to change the water every 3-4 days, most probably 4.

Fishless Cycle for 1 week.
Add 2 Guppies - wait 2 weeks
Add 2 Cories - wait 2 weeks
Add 4 Cories - wait 2 weeks
Add 4 platies - wait 2 weeks
Add 4 platties - wait 2 weeks
Add 7 tetras - wait 1 week - Add other tetras.

Altogether stock of:

- 2 guppies
- 6 cories
- 8 platies
- 15 tetras

Will that be okay?

[albonubes]

u should prally start out (after the cycle) with more than 2 fish just to keep the bioload steady, cause 42 gallons is alot for 2 little guppies... but don't just go by my advice lol wait for more replies

[Demi ^_^]

Lol, what about this:

Stock:

- 2 guppies
- 6 cories
- 8 platies
- 15 tetras

Fishless Cycle for 1 week.
* Add 2 Guppies and 2 Cories - wait 2 weeks
* Add 4 Cories - wait 2 weeks
* Add 4 platies - wait 2 weeks
* Add 4 platties - wait 2 weeks
* Add 7 tetras - wait 1 week - Add other tetras.

Thanx for all the help ^_^

[spudbuds]

I think your timeline should look more like:

Fishless cycle for as long as it takes.
Add 4 platies - wait 1 week
Add 4 platies - wait 1 week
Add 3 cories - wait 1 week
Add 3 cories - wait 1 week
Add 2 Guppies and 5 tetras - wait 1 week
Add 5 tetras - wait 1 week
Add the rest of the tetras

You may be able to go a little faster at some of this, but this will be a safe way to go.

[cocoa_pleco]

you dont need to wait 2 weeks between stock, i would add every 1 week.

also, i would start out with 2 guppies and 6 cories

[spudbuds]

I agree with cocoa's suggestion as well. If you use a good about of ammonia in your fishless cycle (5ppm), then your first stocking can be a little bigger. Making his simple change instead of my complex one will get you to your stocking level faster.

[cocoa_pleco]

your idea is good too, its just that after the cycle you need to get a good bioload going to make sure the bacteria dont die

[Demi ^_^]

Thanx guys, so the cycling should be more like this, correct?

Fishless cycle for as long as it takes.
Add 6 Cories and 2 guppies
Add 4 platies - wait 1 week
Add 4 platies - wait 1 week
Add 5 tetras - wait 1 week
Add 5 tetras - wait 1 week
Add the rest of the tetras.

[Hailey]

That looks great to me. Oh and could I suggest getting maybe 2 ottos. I think thier a cute, small algea eater (even though I've never had one.)

[Demi ^_^]

I think I'll change this a bit :)

- 5-8 guppies
- 4 cories
- 9 platies
- 156 tetras

Is this okay?

[spudbuds]

your idea is good too, its just that after the cycle you need to get a good bioload going to make sure the bacteria dont die
Yep, I just forgot that little part in my suggestion. Good catch.

[spudbuds]

I think I'll change this a bit :)

- 5-8 guppies
- 4 cories
- 9 platies
- 156 tetras

Is this okay?
In a 200g tank, that would be just fine. :sbiggrin: Did you mean 15 tetras?

[Demi ^_^]

Yeah :) I meant 15 Tetras :11:

[Demi ^_^]

My current fishy list ^_~

- 6 Cory
- 6 Fancy Guppy
- 9 Platies
- 15 Neon tetras

I was told this number would do fine in my to-be tank, as long as I provide good filteration and regular W/C.

Tank to be cycled as long as it needs.
6 guppies - wait one week
3 cories - wait one week
3 cories - wait one week
4 platties - wait one week
5 platties - wait one week
5 tetras - wait one week
5 tetras - wait 1 week
5 tetras - wait one week

I'm going to go with this, thnx for all the help you guys ^_^

[KcEE]

Glad to hear you've got your stocking list planned out. I'm sure you can't wait for the tank to arrive now! Then you can go get your filter and other stuff! Keep us updated alright! Good luck! Cheers!

[NickFish]

That looks good! Can't wait to see some pictures!
Good Luck!:19:

[Demi ^_^]

I'm literally dying for it, lol! I'm going to work with my dad tomorrow to earn a bit of cash for plants and decorative stuff - Dad'll help with the filter, heater, etc. But I'm sure he dosen't want to pay for plants :/ I'm thinking whether real or fake plants, but I'm steering towards the fake, is real plants better?

[CAX474]

Sound like a good list of fish to me!! As for plants its up to you, real plants have advantges of turning Amonia into Nitrate and airating the tank when your lights are on but also need maintaining, Fake plants that are plastic sometimes dont look real enough, Silk plants are better looking and than plastic but cost more. But I think you could aslo have some real and some fake depending of what lighting you have and what plants you would like to have. Some real plants need extra high lighting and others only need standard tank lighting, eg: Moss and Fern plants can be fine with standerd lighting but others will require much better lighting witch can get expencive.

[Demi ^_^]

Hmm, okay. My dad has alot of lights at the back that can go on a fish tank, so yay for me, lol. I think I'll do maybe 2-3 real and then a few little fake ones ^_^ I love designing, so the tank will have lots of little ornaments and hidey-holes :D

[shockshockshad]

If you want live plants, you will need this....

lighting
you need fluorescent lighting. 1-2 watts per gallon for low light plants, 2-3 for medium light, and 3+ for high light plants.

substrate
you need a special plant substrate. eco complete or fluorite are the best.

fertilizer
all plants need liquid ferts, plants with big roots and bulbs need tablet ferts AND liquid ferts, and only medium light and high light plants need CO2.

[Demi ^_^]

Hmm, I'll probably go with the fakes until I make some more cash :/ I wish I could have a proper job, lol!

[shockshockshad]

lol. I am the same way.

[Tolley]

[B]My current fishy list ^_~

- 6 Cory
- 6 Fancy Guppy
- 9 Platies
- 15 Neon tetras

B]

Awesome stock list jus remember 1 male per 2 or 3 females gupies

so maybe 3m/7f platies 2m/4f

:D:D:D

[Demi ^_^]

Hmm, do you mean something like this?

- 6 Cory
- 6 Fancy Guppy = 4female/2male
- 9 Platies = 6female/3male
- 15 Neon tetras

Is that better?

[squirt_12]

don't forget that with the platys and guppies you are going to get fry so account to have them in the tank.

nice stocking list...should make a nice tank.

[Demi ^_^]

Oh yeah, um, If the platies have fry, will the rest eat the babies? Same with the guppies? It would be cool to breed fish, but I should get a fry tank and all that set up before embarking on breeding, hmmm. How big would a fry tank have to be? Cash is scarce, lol!

[squirt_12]

Oh yeah, um, If the platies have fry, will the rest eat the babies? Same with the guppies? It would be cool to breed fish, but I should get a fry tank and all that set up before embarking on breeding, hmmm. How big would a fry tank have to be? Cash is scarce, lol!
well you can leave them in teht ank and they may get eaten but if they don't then you can just leave them in the big tank and let them grow some and either sell them to your LFS for $$, store credit and if they wont do either of those you can give them away to people. or just give them to your LFS...

[Demi ^_^]

Okay, thanx ^_^

[NickFish]

If you have a lot of hiding places a few may survive being in the tank. Fry tank is better though.
What my lfs does is they get a supplier set up and everything for the livebearers but there are so many people coming in with livebearer fry they only need to order livebearers now and then. So they will always take my fry, they don't pay much though but as long as they have a good home :)

[Demi ^_^]

I'll try hard to get a fry tank, but as I said - I'm still trying to pay for a filter, etc! How quick will they breed?

[NickFish]

If you're doing everything right you'll probably have fry in a month. Often they are pregnant when you buy them and in that case it could be in a week or 2. Try not to buy the pregnant ones though cause they get really stressed out from moving. Much more so than the other non prego fish.

[Demi ^_^]

Okay! Thanx for the help!

[NickFish]

No problem! A fry tank is really only needed if you want to keep the fry. You can just leave in the main tank or put them in a glass or mesh breeding cage floating in the main tank.
Good luck!

[fishless]

consider this, odd number of fish have a more "school" look to them.:13: