agree or disagre with my stocking choices

[simplicitysarah]

hello!!! so I have been doing all my research..
55 gal.. want a low tech planted tank.. but love schooling fish
it came with 2 marineland HOB when i bought it used.. we'll see how i like them while its cycling
doing a Fish LESS cycle,
I am buying(this weekend) eco complete and some low light plants
Here's my current plan
5 Albino Cory
8 Diamond Tetra
8 Rummynose tetra( research says they need mature tank, so they will be added later)
10 Neons

according to aqadvisor, i'm 70% stocked..
i like reg neons and the green ones.. would they school together?

anything that stands out as good or bad?

Thanks!!!

 

[ztigris]

Looks good! Should be a fun active tank. I'd consider looking for a feature fish. Maybe, an angel or two.

 

[Numen Wraith.]

Regular and Green Neons are about a 50/50 chance of schooling together.

Since you have a little bit of extra room, you could just bump up and get eight or so of each, but I think you'd be happier with one solid school. It's more dramatic to see all of one type swirling around the tank together.

I will say that your tank would have a lot of silver going on. All of your fish besides the corys have a predominately silver profile. Cardinal tetras instead of neons might add a tiny splash of colour, and personally, I prefer cardinals to neons anyway. You still may want to look at some other schooling families like barbs or swordtails, but it's entirely your call.

If you like the silver theme, and you want something kind of funky to consider, glass catfish are kooky little alien looking fish.

 

[simplicitysarah]

I guess I didn't notice the silver theme!!
If I go with one school instead of 3 different, how many could I do? 20?

 

[Numen Wraith.]

I'm sorry, I meant one school of neons (just green or just regular), but keeping the diamonds and rummynoses.

Anyway, if you wanted nothing but the corys and a school of neons, depending on filtration, you could get... a lot of neons. In 55 gallons, I'd say probably 50 to 60 neons. I don't know any LFS that would stock that many at a time, but you could probably put in a special order (and get a fantastic deal on an already economical fish).

I'm sure that'd look quite impressive, but I'd honestly think of keeping other schools in there.

 

[simplicitysarah]

Lol sorry I miss understand! Yes i would love to have one dominant school that swim around tank!! I was considering cardinals too.. So maybe I'll have that and keep diamond too!

 

[Numen Wraith.]

Cardinals are great. They're a little more colourful than neons, but they're also a little bit bigger, so you'd have to reduce the numbers. Adding in the diamonds, I'd say 5 corys, ten diamonds, and 25 - 30 cardinals. Again, that's probably more than your standard LFS is going to stock, but it'd make for a brilliant tank, and pretty easy to care for too.

 

[aqua_chem]

Cardinals are also a little less fragile in my experience, but it heavily depends on the stock you get. I agree that your tank could use a 'feature fish', although not necessarily something overly large. There are a number of dwarf cichlids, gouramis, bettas, etc to choose from for this purpose. Something with a little personality always help keep a tank entertaining.

 

[simplicitysarah]

Ok cardinal it is!! Yah I used to have an angel and feel familar with them! I'd have to do more research on others..

 

[simplicitysarah]

I like gouramis but wasn't sure it they were compatible with others

 

[aqua_chem]

Dwarf, honey, or sparkling gouramis would for sure not outsize the tank and not harass the other fish too badly. They will stick with your 'small fish' theme as well.

 

[ztigris]

Ohh I do like the blue dwarf's. But never had luck with them. They always disappeared. Literally overnight no bodies found. After tje third disappeared I gave up.

 

[simplicitysarah]

I am def going to look into these! thanks!

 

[simplicitysarah]

Ooh my disappeared?!!

 

[ztigris]

Yeah no clue! There were only guppies and cories in that tank. And I looked on the ground even though it would have been next to impossible to jump out. It only had one decoration so no hiding there. Only fish to ever disappear on me.

 

[simplicitysarah]

I'm alil bummed! I went to mom and pop lfs, and he said he doesn't even carry cardinal tetras bc they always die. He recommended I get a different school :-( what does everyone think of this?

 

[Hholly]

Try a different store? Cardinals are great.

 

[simplicitysarah]

I'll either have to drive an hr or get online... If I wanted to get 20 tetras should I get all 20 at once or half and half

 

[ztigris]

Aren't cardinals wild caught?

 

[simplicitysarah]

Aquariumfish. net have tank raised