How's my stock?

[shayfish]

My tank has been running for a couple of months now. I just moved on the weekend, and everything went well. There were no casualties and my water paramaters remained good. I currently have in my 55 gallon...
1BN Pleco
6 zebra danios
3 rummynose tetras (started with 5 but...)
1 amano shrimp
2 mystery snails
6 panda cories
2 sailfin mollies

The tank is planted with driftwood and hiding places etc. Just looking for some feedback on my stock list I guess. I was thinking that I would like to add a school of cardinal tetras or maybe a couple of blushing skirt tetras or platys. Do I have room for either of these? I'd also like some more amano shrimp if I could ever find them.

I know I could stand to get a few more rummynoses but I'm a little hesitant since I'm at a 60% success rate with them now lol! I also thought maybe I would push the pandas from 6 to 8 since they're so goshdarn cute and active. (although I was a little worried when I bought them since at the store they seemed rather docile). SO yeah... how am I doin?

 

[JustOneMore20]

I think you are doing fine! You could increase the Pandas to even 10 if you wanted. I love those little buggers too...so get as many as you want. They are small and I think 10-12 would be ok for your tank.

I hear ya on the Rummies. I've had the same problems with them. I only have 6 now but gosh I've bought probably 12 others that didn't make (over the course of 8 months or so). If you decide to get more, I'd buy just a couple at a time...to make sure they are going to live. No use buying 6 more and only having 3 or so live.

If you add another school of tetras, definitely get atleast 6. I think you have room for that many or even 8.

 

[Corey]

Nice to see someone understocking rather than overstocking! Kudos to that.

 

[shayfish]

If I get cardinals I'd like to get 8 or 10. So if I did that and got maybe abother 2-4 pandas and another few shrimp would I be pretty much done? I really don't want to over stock, but I sure wouldn't mind 2 somewhat bigger fish in the mix (thinking of platys now...).

I also feel a little bad for the rummies since I know they would be happier with some more friends...

 

[pobdave]

I reckon 4 Syndontis Petricola would do fine in there also.

 

[JustOneMore20]

Synos like a higher pH than the fish she has. Maybe her pH is on the higher side, but I still dont think most Synos are community fish....only my opinion though. I wouldn't add them to a community type tank personally.

So if I did that and got maybe abother 2-4 pandas and another few shrimp would I be pretty much done? I really don't want to over stock, but I sure wouldn't mind 2 somewhat bigger fish in the mix (thinking of platys now...).

I think you will be ok adding a centerpiece type fish. Its hard to choose fish to put with danios though, because they are so active and sometimes nippy. Gouramis would most likely be stressed by them. If you like platies, you could add a group of 3 or so. I don't think that would be overstocked.

 

[shayfish]

I added 6 cardinals today. They are so pretty I wanted a few more, but I cleaned the store out as it was!

Yes, I am a little annoyed with my nippy danios. They terrorized the cardinals when I first put them now, but they seem to be over it and everyone is fine.

I would really like some kind of centrepiece... I might go with platys, but I guess I will have to think on this some more!

Could I put in 1 or 2 otos or is that little excessive on the cleaning crew?

 

[JustOneMore20]

If you have some algae then you can go ahead with the ottos. Get atleast 3 or 4 though because they like groups and are a bit sensitive, so atleast 1 loss is expected (well thats how I see it when i buy them ). If you don't have algae yet...then I'd wait awhile. They will usually eat algae wafers, but its good to have algae waiting for them to ensure their survival.

 

[shayfish]

I have some algae (aside from the massive amounts of thread algae growing on my plants grrr..). The BN pleco keeps things in check pretty well. Maybe I won't go for the ottos. I have to keep my impulsive side in check because as soon as I think of a fish I might like to get I want to go buy it RIGHT NOW! I almost took home some upsidedown catfish today (glad I didn't!)

I will see the new cardinals through the next little bit and take it from there I would like to up them to 8 or ten and add a few more pandas and a centrepiece and then I will probably be done