30 gal stock

[zarmalar]

Here we go...
So I have a filter for a 50 gal on. Right now I have 3 longfin zebra danios.
I want to add
3 leopard longfin danios
1 glofish
1 dwarf gourami
6 Julli cory cats
4 platys various 1 male 3 female or
5 black neon Tetras

 

[zarmalar]

Or maybe a paradise gourami.... If that would work, and just 1 instead of dwarf

 

[LyndaB]

Why a single glofish?

Personally, I think your tank will look really choppy, for lack of a better word. I find more beauty in a larger school of the same fish than I do with really small schools of assorted fish. Know what I'm saying?

 

[needmorecowbell]

Glofish like to school so it might be stressful for the fish.

 

[zarmalar]

I figured since the zebra, leopard and glo are all danios that they would school together right?

 

[needmorecowbell]

I don't think they will because of how different they look. Schools happen with fish that look alike. Also, If they don't look alike, theyre aggressive towards each other and fight for territory.

 

[zarmalar]

I see, that isn't what I have found from others but if that is true then I will have to rethink that.
Of course that was the only part of my stocking I felt confident about... I was more concerned about the rest of it.

 

[zarmalar]

By the way, this is a tank for my daughter so I'm wanting to have many different fish to give variety for her to look at.

 

[Gboy66]

I see, that isn't what I have found from others but if that is true then I will have to rethink that.
Of course that was the only part of my stocking I felt confident about... I was more concerned about the rest of it.

Ya, the rest is pretty good, just choose one of the types of danios and get more of them...6?

 

[needmorecowbell]

By the way, this is a tank for my daughter so I'm wanting to have many different fish to give variety for her to look at.

A great way to do that is have a bottom feeder, mid level swimmer, and top level swimmer. There can definitely be more than one fish in each level also. This shows what an ecosystem looks like and how it works. I understand how hard it is to find a stocking list that works. I have a thirty gallon and yours is a lot like how mine was at first. Just try to get a good combination and it will be a lot easier to take care of.

 

[LyndaB]

By the way, this is a tank for my daughter so I'm wanting to have many different fish to give variety for her to look at.

Although that's a lovely idea, it's not usually doable. Many species require 6-8 or even more of their own kind in order to be happy and healthy. Not providing them with proper schools stresses the fish out, which can lead to illness.

 

[zarmalar]

So as far as gouramis go, would anyone recommend a dwarf or paradise? I'm not entirely sure I could get a paradise here in the great city of Cedar Rapids Ia, but I'm checking out a quite large lfs tonight to scope out their stock/quality. Up until now I've just gone to the pet store chains.

 

[needmorecowbell]

I had a dwarf blue guorami and loved it. Quite elegant.

 

[zarmalar]

Ok so went to lfs, and got 3 more zebras and they are all schooling and soo happy. I also got a bumble bee Platy. Awesome!

 

[absolutangel04]

I have had lots of varieties of platy including the bumblebee and I like them a lot. If you can find a paradise fish, I owuld recommend that above a dg personally because a lot of dg available tend to not live very long IMO. But, the choice between the 2 is mostly personal preference.
I agree about getting 6 of each schooler. The GloFish should school with the zebras since a GloFish is really just a genetically modified zebra danio. FOr that matter, the leopard danio is also just a different pattern of the zebra danio, so all of them should school together I would think.
The platys will be awesome for color. I am sure your daughter will love them. If you want more color, you could also try to get some golden danios (again, same species, just a different color).

 

[zarmalar]

Yea... That was my thought process with the danios... But when I went the leopards were on quarintine but I got 3 very lovely longfin zebra danios. They are all happily schooling together within not even 5 mins.

 

[absolutangel04]

Nice. I think the long-fins are quite pretty.
Another option for a fish (you could get just one if you want) is a molly. Mine are some of the most personable fish I have ever had. I eat out of fingers and are the first to greet me when I come in the room with the tank. Its cool if you aren't interested, I am just saying they make good kid's fish because they are so friendly.

 

[zarmalar]

Cute! Maybe we will look at a Molly too

 

[LyndaB]

I had long finned danios along with zebra danios in my community tank. The zebras ended up ripping all the long fins off of the other danios. It was awful.

 

[djtypykuhl]

be careful with the platies...
livebearers reproduce like a disease!
mine average a birth every 4weeks to about 25-35 fry.
i would definatly side with the dwarf gourami, maybe even 2 or 3.
corydora catfish are a great idea for your bottom feeders.
the black neons aren't a bad idea either, but make sure that you have at least 5 of them for them to do well.

best of luck to you!