Stocking Question(s)

[wcboyd]

Hello All,

I have just bought a 55g tank. Right now I have 4 Black Skirt Tetras, 4 Serpae Tetras, a Pleco, and an African Dwarf Frog that I plan to put in there.

For the most part these quietly move about and like to stay near cover, except at feeding time. Are there some other community fish that would be a little more active and play nice with the existing fish? Or if I say, double the population of the existing Tetras, would that make them less shy?

FYI I am still 2 or 3 weeks away from actually populating the tank. I am refinishing the stand and then I plan to do a fishless cycling of the tank before I move the existing ones over.

Thanks,

Craig

[rich311k]

I would at least double the size of the tetra schools. You could triple them and still add more fish. What kind of fish do you want, more smaller ones or something larger?

[wcboyd]

I would like a larger fish or two as kind of a centerpiece, if that makes sense. I LOVE my tetras though and don't want anything that would make meal of them, so if it means a BUNCH of smaller fish in the tank, I am OK with that too.

Thanks,

Craig

[Spartanhockey89]

A gourami is always a nice centerpiece, or a pair of German Blue Rams.

[wcboyd]

Don't gouramis need to be kept in pairs? I don't know much about them.

Thanks,

Craig

[Irish2539]

u can keep 1 gourami by itself.

[Padams]

+1 on a lone Gourami

My Dwarf will chase every so often and usually wins the window (reflection) fight with himself. You could add platys or mollies after you up your tetras as well.

[Brhino]

any idea what species of pleco you have? If it's a common one it'll dominate the tank eventually.

[Bristley]

Agreed. One gourami is fine by itself.

What kind of Pleco do you have?

[rich311k]

I would not keep a gourami with serpae tetras. I was thinking tigerbarbs or rainbow fish.

I think a dozen serpaes, a dozen blackskirts and a group of 8-10 tiger barbs or 3-5 rainbows would make a nice active tank.

[Shootamonkey2]

6 Rainbows would do nice. They are bedotia's right? I have one even though I should have researched about them first. It was a gift from my dad... A pretty expensive one so I didn't want to return it and make him feel bad.

[wcboyd]

I am still new to this so forgive the n00b questions that are coming...:hmm3grin2orange:

Wow. Lots of stuff to think about. I am pretty sure my Pleco is common. I went to look over at www.planetcatfish.com, but they have so many I am having a hard time nailing down the species. I got it from PetSmart if that helps any....

Brhino, do you mean it will get so big it will crowd everything else?

My Serpae's don't seem to be any more aggressive (i.e. not aggressive) than my Black Skirts. Are you saying a Gourami and Serpaes don't get along at all?
And as far as Barbs, aren't they pretty aggressive and wouldn't they bother the Tetras? Or is it that the Tetras, in sufficient numbers, will keep the Barbs at bay?

For those in favor of a lone Gourami, is there one I should gravitate to or stay away from?

Thanks,

Craig

[Brhino]

I am pretty sure my Pleco is common. I went to look over at www.planetcatfish.com, but they have so many I am having a hard time nailing down the species. I got it from PetSmart if that helps any....

if you're not sure, (and PetSmart didn't say) then you've almost definitely got a common. They can grow to 1-2 feet long and they're prolific poopers. Unsuspectingly buying a little baby pleco and having it grow into a monster too big for the tank is a VERY common problem for new fishkeepers. One of the slams against the big pet retailers or superstores with fish sections is that they often don't bother to tell you these things.

[Irish2539]

Cherry barbs shoud be fine with tetra's... tiger barbs have a bad reputation for nipping but are fine when they are in a group of 7 n up.

Well The common pleco just gets far to big for ur tank... Iv got a 13" one. He tends to be pretty bossy at feedng time... In a small tank he might hassle the other fish.

As for gourami with serpae tetras.. what would the problem be rich311k?

Iv only kept pearls and dwarf gourami's... I had a male pearl that was pretty aggressive but other then that i never had probs keeping single gourami. Female's are less aggressive.

[rich311k]

Serpaes are a very nippy fish and those feelers are a very tempting target. I have seen it happen, does not always happen, but I would not risk it.

[Bristley]

Serpaes are a very nippy fish and those feelers are a very tempting target. I have seen it happen, does not always happen, but I would not risk it.

I've got Serpaes in with my dwarf gourami. They haven't bothered him or his feelers one bit, but that's just my tank and I may have gotten lucky. They do sometimes chase each other around but thus far don't bother anybody else in the tank.

[Shootamonkey2]

Cherry barbs shoud be fine with tetra's... tiger barbs have a bad reputation for nipping but are fine when they are in a group of 7 n up.

Well The common pleco just gets far to big for ur tank... Iv got a 13" one. He tends to be pretty bossy at feedng time... In a small tank he might hassle the other fish.

As for gourami with serpae tetras.. what would the problem be rich311k?

Iv only kept pearls and dwarf gourami's... I had a male pearl that was pretty aggressive but other then that i never had probs keeping single gourami. Female's are less aggressive.

I don't think my female pearl is agressive at all. I remember when I had a male gold gourami and I would catch him chasing the other fish while trying to fall asleep. But for my pearl, she is always mellow and floating around interacting with the other fish. I remember when my female guppy accidentally nipped her feeler and she was like "#$%^@$%^ ??!?!?!" tucking it away xD

[wcboyd]

So the general consensus is that the Gourami should either be a dwarf or pearl, right?

Instead of Barbs, would Zebra Danios be fine?

Thanks,

Craig

[Irish2539]

well no... i only have experience with pearls and dwarf's. other gourami's can work, gold and blue have a rep for being very aggressive but females could work.