stocking a 28g bow front

[royta]

It appears my 28g bow front has finally cycled, so I'll be ready to stock in the next few days.

I was thinking of 6 danios, 6 cardinal tetras, 4 cory cats (2.5" size) (I'd like to get away with less, but I think 4 is the schooling minimum), 2 otos (1.5" size), and 1 center piece fish. Though, I'm not sure which center piece fish to get. A gourami or a ram perhaps? Any other suggestions?

Do you think a 28g bow front will handle the number and type of fish I have listed? I'm using a Aquamaster (Danner) PME filter and a Top Fin 30 filter.


Thanks.

 

[eco23]

It appears my 28g bow front has finally cycled, so I'll be ready to stock in the next few days.

I was thinking of 6 danios, 6 cardinal tetras, 4 cory cats (2.5" size) (I'd like to get away with less, but I think 4 is the schooling minimum), 2 otos (1.5" size), and 1 center piece fish. Though, I'm not sure which center piece fish to get. A gourami or a ram perhaps? Any other suggestions?

Do you think a 28g bow front will handle the number and type of fish I have listed? I'm using a Aquamaster (Danner) PME filter and a Top Fin 30 filter.

Thanks.

I think that sounds perfect. I always support getting Danios because the poor little guys are always sold to cycle tanks. You're almost always saving them from a cruel life when you move them into your cycled tank .

Just make sure to wait a while for Otos. With a new tank you'll inevitably get diatoms (brown algae) down the road...and Otos will be your best friend at that point.

I'd suggest a Bolivian Ram. If you like Dwarf Gouramis, they're beautiful...but nothing has a personality like a Ram IMO. I'd go Bolivian over GBR because they are much more hardy and are also beautiful. I had a bad experience with my GBR who we lost to poor stock after having him for two weeks...that seems to be a common problem for GBR.

I don't trust Aqadvisor much, but they put you at 86% stocked which is within reason IMO. It really has more to do with filtration, swimming room, weekly cleaning and maintenance and common sense than the actual numbers. I'd say you're good to go!

Congratulations on finishing your fishless cycle! Enjoy your fish

 

[doublenerds]

I have a 28 bowfront with a very similar planned stocking list:

6 harlequin rasbora
6 cardinal tetras
5 horned nerite snails
10 RCS

 

[rich311k]

Sounds like a nice stocking to me. I think a Bolivian rams would make a great centerpiece.

 

[BBradbury]

Fish Stocking

Hello royta. We "old school" fishkeepers always stocked our tanks on the safe side to avoid any ammonia problems because of overstocking.

I've always used the one inch of fish per gallon of tank size and have never had a problem. If you have a 28 G tank with good filtration and aeration, then you can easily have 28 small fish.

I would urge you to use a common sense rule too, by not trying to put two or three large fish into your tank.

B