Stocking ideas for 12 gallon?!

[BalloonBellies]

Two Corey cats for 12 gallon?

Hi I have a 12 gallon fish tank that's been up for two months. In the tank I have
Two balloon belly mollies (female)
4 neon tetras

I have been in search of a clean up crew and the local fish store suggested shrimp or I could do Corey cats. I've been leaning towards two panda cories. Do you think I could add two more fish to my tank without it being overstocked? what other options do I have?

 

[hpiguy]

Usually you want to keep corys in schools of at least five or so to be their happiest.

The shrimp idea would work well though. And I've seen members selling ghost and cherry shrimp in the classifieds here. I think they would be a nice compliment to the fish you have.

 

[BalloonBellies]

Right now I have in my 12 gallon tank two balloon mollies and 3 neon tetras. What are some other fish I can add? Any suggestions on a clean up crew? My LFS suggested Corey cats. I just wanted to hear some other suggestions

 

[BalloonBellies]

Clean up crew for 12 gallon fluval edge?

Hi I have a 12 gallon with two mollies and 3 neon tetras what are some options for a clean up crew?

 

[Rivercats]

In a tank that size shrimp and/or snails would work great. I know the neons wouldn't bother the shrimp but don't know if mollies would. Maybe someone else knows the answer to that. I think shrimp would be great simply because in a smaller tank you can see and appreciate them. There are a few fancy snails, like pink or blue ramhorns, tiger or zebra nerites, just to name a couple.

 

[BalloonBellies]

In a tank that size shrimp and/or snails would work great. I know the neons wouldn't bother the shrimp but don't know if mollies would. Maybe someone else knows the answer to that. I think shrimp would be great simply because in a smaller tank you can see and appreciate them. There are a few fancy snails, like pink or blue ramhorns, tiger or zebra nerites, just to name a couple.

I like the idea of shrimp but do they breed easily? Cuz I really don't want an infestation. Do the nerite snails breed by themselves or do the need a male and a female. How bout apple snails I know they dont breed by themselves but are they good cleaners?
Thanks for your advice in new to fish keeping

 

[M1k3y_gumi]

RCS are the new tha breed alot. Amano shrimp the kind that eat the most algae do carry eggs but don't breed because they need brackish water to breed. No chance of infestation with amanos. Though I wouldn't consider a colony of RCS an "infestation"

 

[Rivercats]

Nerite snails will lay eggs but they cannot hatch in freshwater. Some people go nuts about the eggs in their tanks. My eggs just pop off the glass and driftwood when I use my long handled pruning sissors. I'm gentle so I don't scratch the glass, would not do it on a non glass tank. Plus my sissors don't have a sharp pointed edge. They will not come off leaves of plants until the dissolve and fall off. As far as I know true apple snails are plant eaters. Stores sell mystery snails, which will breed, and from my understanding they are a type of apple snail but supposedly don't eat plants, only detris, decaying plant matter, leftover food and such. But I'll tell you a story, about 10 years ago my daughter wanted some mystery snails. Over time once kept growing and growing and turned out to be a true apple snail that ended up almost the size of a baseball. That booger would constantly climb out of the tank and we'd find him wondering around in the sunroom. Finally went to summering him outside in the smaller pond and bringing him in during the winter. BUT I think our getting him was a fluke. I like nerites because they don't get big, but it's a matter of choice. I absolutely love pink ramshorns but they are hard to find. I know the shrimp will reproduce unless you get amano shrimp, they like nerite snails can not reproduce in freshwater. Not as colorful but still fun to watch. And you know mollies might eat baby shrimp. Baby shrimp are tiny and if they don't have alot of hiding spaces they would probably stay thinned out pretty good. Or maybe you could make a deal with your LFS and trade baby shrimp for supplies?

 

[BalloonBellies]

Nerite snails will lay eggs but they cannot hatch in freshwater. Some people go nuts about the eggs in their tanks. My eggs just pop off the glass and driftwood when I use my long handled pruning sissors. I'm gentle so I don't scratch the glass, would not do it on a non glass tank. Plus my sissors don't have a sharp pointed edge. They will not come off leaves of plants until the dissolve and fall off. As far as I know true apple snails are plant eaters. Stores sell mystery snails, which will breed, and from my understanding they are a type of apple snail but supposedly don't eat plants, only detris, decaying plant matter, leftover food and such. But I'll tell you a story, about 10 years ago my daughter wanted some mystery snails. Over time once kept growing and growing and turned out to be a true apple snail that ended up almost the size of a baseball. That booger would constantly climb out of the tank and we'd find him wondering around in the sunroom. Finally went to summering him outside in the smaller pond and bringing him in during the winter. BUT I think our getting him was a fluke. I like nerites because they don't get big, but it's a matter of choice. I absolutely love pink ramshorns but they are hard to find. I know the shrimp will reproduce unless you get amano shrimp, they like nerite snails can not reproduce in freshwater. Not as colorful but still fun to watch. And you know mollies might eat baby shrimp. Baby shrimp are tiny and if they don't have alot of hiding spaces they would probably stay thinned out pretty good. Or maybe you could make a deal with your LFS and trade baby shrimp for supplies?

I read alittle about Amano shrimp and from what I read they seem larger than the red cherry shrimp so that takes away the possibility of the mollies eating them. My mollies are always swimming around nibbling around the tank even know they're well fed. I think they eat the alage but they don't focus on eating it. They get distracted and bite the light on heater and whatever else mollies do. Im probably going to go with the nerite snails because (this is gonna sound really stupid) ive seen poctures of shrimp pregnant and it kinda creeped me out. If I get only one snail will it still lay eggs?

 

[Rivercats]

Chances are you won't get eggs from a single nerite. If you go with only one you should try to find one of the pretty patterned shell ones, like tiger or zebra. There are all different ones. Plus those are larger than the olive nerites. Think an olive would get lost in the tank since it's small and drap colored. You could also get a single ghost shrimp. They are cheap, can find them most places, and like being an only in a tank. You could actually do one ghost shrimp and one nerite. And you wouldn't get shrimp babies!

 

[bettaowner]

I would say pygmy cories for the clean up crew.

 

[BalloonBellies]

I would say pygmy cories for the clean up crew.

That's what I was thinking but I have no clue who sells pgmy cories

 

[severum mama]

I'd add a few neons and call it a day. Mollies produce quite a bit of waste relative to their size (even though the balloon mollies won't grow as large as regular mollies since they are selectively bred for the short body deformity) and I really wouldn't recommend them for a 12 gallon tank to begin with. That's not to say you can't get away with it, but JMO.

 

[BalloonBellies]

Thanks for all the answers I think I'm just gOnna add a snail so I won't be over stocked