How to stock... hmm.

[bluerose]

My 8gal planted tank has become very stable in its parameters (ammonia/nitrite never budge, nitrates have never gone above 10-15ppm) and I'm thinking it would be time to add another fish or two to round out my schools.

I have:

1 female betta (and a big girl at that)
2 neon tetras
1 glowlight tetra
2 cory cats (one peppered and one I have no idea... looks sort of like a panda but only has big gray splotches on it's sides, rather triangular shaped)
3 amano shrimp

Everyone gets along ok but with the loss of 1 neon, the tetras aren't really schooling (the glowlight would school with the neons about half the time). I'm thinking maybe another glowlight and another neon? What about a third cory?

I'm also thinking of adding more amanos for algae-munching duties (although if I can find RCS big enough that my betta won't munch them immediately I may go that route instead).


Also-- my new male betta is in a ~3gal planted tank... I was thinking he might like a friend who could do double duty as an algae eater. My first thought was otos but they probably need more algae than will grow in that tank and it's a bit small for a betta and three otos (although I may eventually move him into a 5gal when I rustle up the $$). I could either move some amanos in there, try to nab some big RCS from the one store I know of that has them, or get a snail... just need one that won't munch on the Anacharis in there. Suggestions?

 

[booginish]

you should try a type of danios there an awsome addition to aquariums, there very outgoing fish so your betta might be hostile at first but it will get used to it. and i would research putting an algae eater in such close vecinity to a betta, they might not agree with eachother right away, especially a chinese algae eater as they tend to get very agressive after the first year of life.

 

[bluerose]

Except for the fact that danios are not suited for 8gal tanks and I need to complete my schools instead of add more schooling fish... and there are many other algae-eating creatures than CAEs...

Anyone else?

 

[mike47517]

I would get another neon and 2 more danios. i wouldnt get any more corys as 2 in an 8g is already pushin it. for the 3g i wold go with the ottos if you ever think they are running low on food then just get some algea pellets and break off a peice for them.

 

[bluerose]

I don't *have* any danios.

Looking at the 3gal (it's here on my desk), I really don't know if I could do more than two otos unless they're smaller than I'm thinking. Would they clean up the plants or just the walls/decos? It's a planted tank and I am concerned with algae on the plants now that it will be getting regular lighting.

 

[mike47517]

my bad i was thinking about glow light danios not tetreas my mistake. yes otttos will cleant your walls but they will clean your plants too. for cryn out loud mine even clean the tip of the filter

 

[bluerose]

I suppose another option I could try is putting the glowlight in with the male betta, see how that goes, and if that works out switching to all neons in the 8gal.

The glowlight really doesn't seem to be bothered being by himself, he's a mellow little guy. I'm just afraid he might jump (I don't cover the betta tank although I could while it's not being lit I suppose).

 

[bluerose]

OK... put the glolight in with Mr. Betta to see what he thought.

He's currently distracted by a mirror while little glolight settles in, but if he doesn't calm down in a few hours, Mr. Betta is slated for a bachelor's life (if he's lucky he may have a pet snail; maybe I should rename him SpongeBob?).

His fins have finally healed properly though-- he's brilliant in full flare.