School Tank

[FishieMomma]

We have a cycled tank in the lower school science room. It's a 15 gal with light sand, driftwood from the LFS, and a few plastic plants. It's stocked with one male swordtail, one female swordtail, and two female platys. The hope is that the male will do his job and provide some babies for the students to see. Nothing seems to be happening (it's been set-up like this for a few months.) Ammonia and Nitrites at zero whenever I check and Nitrates are about 10 ppm. I do massive wage changes (70%) weekly, sometimes twice a week depending on my fee time. They are as babied as I can make them. Tank kept at 79°.
A few questions:

1. Am I overstocked at the moment?
2. If I add another gentleman swordtail would that be trouble?
3. I have places to out the babies if any make it.
4. Can I add a few guppies ( 1 male, 2 female) or would that be pushing it? Really looking for babies here.

Thanks, folks.

 

[jhawk__]

We have a cycled tank in the lower school science room. It's a 15 gal with light sand, driftwood from the LFS, and a few plastic plants. It's stocked with one male swordtail, one female swordtail, and two female platys. The hope is that the male will do his job and provide some babies for the students to see. Nothing seems to be happening (it's been set-up like this for a few months.) Ammonia and Nitrites at zero whenever I check and Nitrates are about 10 ppm. I do massive wage changes (70%) weekly, sometimes twice a week depending on my fee time. They are as babied as I can make them. Tank kept at 79°.
A few questions:

1. Am I overstocked at the moment?
2. If I add another gentleman swordtail would that be trouble?
3. I have places to out the babies if any make it.
4. Can I add a few guppies ( 1 male, 2 female) or would that be pushing it? Really looking for babies here.

Thanks, folks.

Some people might not agree, but I don't think you are yet.

Swordtails can reach up to 5in , I wouldn't add anymore of them.

Yes, it's a great idea to have a nursery tank for the babies once the mom gives birth so that the other tank mates don't eat them.

I wouldn't add the guppies, I'd add a male Platy! Platys are live bearers so they will also have fry straight from their stomachs it's like the swordtails. They don't lay eggs.

Hope this helped

 

[jhawk__]

Oh and I like your profile pic lol. Ours look almost identical!

 

[FishieMomma]

Thanks, Warrier. i think I will add a male platy.


I have another school tank, tall and kinda hexagonal, about 60 gal.

It has 4 albino Crories, a school of tetras, 3 honey gourami and 3 baby koi angelfish. I was thinking of a school of Harlequin Rasboras would be nice. Any thoughts on that one? Unfortunately it gets no light other than LED lights so plants aren't an option.

 

[jhawk__]

Thanks, Warrier. i think I will add a male platy.

I have another school tank, tall and kinda hexagonal, about 60 gal.

It has 4 albino Crories, a school of tetras, 3 honey gourami and 3 baby koi angelfish. I was thinking of a school of Harlequin Rasboras would be nice. Any thoughts on that one? Unfortunately it gets no light other than LED lights so plants aren't an option.

If I were you I would up the school of Cory's to 5.

What kind of tetras do you have? Some can be quite nippy and can tear up the angels fins.

The rasboras are nice fish, they are very tight schoolers and almost always stick together! They would be a nice addition to the tank. Just make sure the gourami's don't pick on them.

You actually might be able to do plants with LED lights. I've heard they do great with them. If you added root tabs, I think you could get by with a few low light plants.