New Stock

[ISquishWorms]

Hello,

Will it be ok to add some cherry shrimp and 5-6 panda corys to my tank (see sig) or am I going to be over stocked? 5 of the Rummy's and the Siamese have been in there 2 months as of yesterday. The others were added about 3-4 weeks later. So far I have had no deaths but I do not want to upset things.

Thanks,

ISquishworms.

[Shea Knight]

That's a lot... but at 60 gallons, that's a big tank, and my tanks are usually on the more-packed than less-packed side of stocking...

I'm probably not the best authority on it, but if it were me I'd go about it slowly and add maybe one of those two groups, see how they do for a week or so, and then if all's stable add the other, presuming they're OK (I've never heard of any of them causing issues, but again, probably want a second opinion...)

And I'd watch that Siamese Fighting Fish during all that, make sure he doesn't get too uppity...

[VoidParadigm]

60 Litres, not gallons. That's 15 gallons. Cherry shrimp would be fine, but your fighter might eat them.

[Shea Knight]

Oh- it is litres. :)

[Lab_Rat]

How are your nitrates running? What is your maintenance schedule? Do you have live plants? If your nitrates are low and you're doing weekly wc's I would think adding the cories would be fine if you take out the bristlenose (huge waste producer). The shrimp will be fine, hardly any bioload, but they may get eaten.

[robflanker]

I wouldn't add the corys or the shrimp. I'd add a couple of rummy nose and then you'd be done

But thats just me

If you rehome the BN, then you can get corys, but not until then IMO

[ISquishWorms]

That's a lot... but at 60 gallons, that's a big tank, and my tanks are usually on the more-packed than less-packed side of stocking...

I'm probably not the best authority on it, but if it were me I'd go about it slowly and add maybe one of those two groups, see how they do for a week or so, and then if all's stable add the other, presuming they're OK (I've never heard of any of them causing issues, but again, probably want a second opinion...)

And I'd watch that Siamese Fighting Fish during all that, make sure he doesn't get too uppity...

I wish my tank was 60 gallons and not 60 liters.

How are your nitrates running? What is your maintenance schedule? Do you have live plants? If your nitrates are low and you're doing weekly wc's I would think adding the cories would be fine if you take out the bristlenose (huge waste producer). The shrimp will be fine, hardly any bioload, but they may get eaten.

My nitrates that is a very good question I have not tested them in a couple of weeks I will do that tomorrow. I find the nitrate test a but more cumbersome though than the others and for some reason I find it harder to read and determine the results as well.

As for water changes I do 50% + gravel vac every weekend usually Saturday and approx 1/3 every Wednesday. I do have plants but they don't seem to be that healthy at the moment. My java ferns have like rust colour spots on them and the leaves look a little pale and often develop holes in after a while. I was planning on getting some Leafzone this weekend to hopefully help with this. As for my filter I have a Fluval plus 2.

You say the shrimp may get eaten I am guessing by the Siamese fighter?

Thank you everyone for the advice.

ISquishWorms

[Lab_Rat]

Definitely test your nitrates, with live plants and your wc schedule you may actually be deficient in nitrates, causing holes in the plants. It could also be an iron or potassium deficiency. If your nitrates test at less than 5ppm right before your weekly tank maintenance I would feel comfortable adding the cories, since you have live plants to suck up the bioload. And yes, the siamese fighter is the one likely to find the shrimp delicious.

[ISquishWorms]

Definitely test your nitrates, with live plants and your wc schedule you may actually be deficient in nitrates, causing holes in the plants. It could also be an iron or potassium deficiency. If your nitrates test at less than 5ppm right before your weekly tank maintenance I would feel comfortable adding the cories, since you have live plants to suck up the bioload. And yes, the siamese fighter is the one likely to find the shrimp delicious.

Thanks Lab_Rat for the advice much appreciated. I have to say from reading some other threads on this forum I always find your advice informative and well thought out.

I will test my nitrates just before I do my weekend water change as you suggested. I might risk it with the shrimp as I will be getting them from my cousin as his have been breading. He also keeps them with his siamese fighter so I am hoping they will be smart and hide. Also if I was to get the cory's only to later find that my nitrates getting on the high side I could resort to a spare currently unused 20 gallon long tank that I have in the shed. The only reason I have not set this tank up is space really I prefer the smaller tank as it is more convenient for me.

Thanks again.

ISquishWorms.

[Lab_Rat]

No problem, sounds like a very well thought out plan and it's great you have a backup if needed.