Stocking advice

[zenkatydid]

Hello! I haven't been around in a long time!

I have a 50gal tank with 2 yoyo loaches, 2 bristlenoses, 1 SAE, 9 odessa barbs and a handful of guppies. I have an Eheim 2215 and do 50% water changes every 2 weeks. How stocked am I? I would like to add another loach - I've just found one of comparable size to mine, which has been difficult; they're always so tiny at the LFS.

Next; in a different tank, a 28gal, I have 5 corydoras habrosus, 5 corydoras hastatus, 5 sparkling gouramis and 2 otos. I would like to add some dwarf cichlids - perhaps something like; a pair of blue rams, a pair of apistos and a pair of checkered lyretails. Will this many small, territorial fish work in this tank, or should I pare that list down? Would I be better or worse just getting 1 of each rather than pairs?

Thanks very much!

 

[patryuji]

The 50 gallon sounds like it should have room for more fish. Another Yo-yo probably won't be a problem in the slightest. How fast do nitrates build up and how is the aggression? If the yo-yo's nip at the guppies than it might not be a good idea (if you want to keep the guppies) I'm guessing with those animals and plants you actually might have to dose nitrates in that tank so the bioload shouldn't be too bad more a question of living space which aggression can key you in on.

 

[JustOneMore20]

I definitely think you have enough room in the 50g for 1 or 2 more Yoyos and I'd actually recommend adding a couple. They are less aggressive the more you have, so its best to keep them in groups of 4-5 or more.

For the 28g I would not add in that many dwarf cichlids. There would not be enough room in the tank for all of them to establish territories....not even singly IMO.

I'd stick to 1 pair of something. I'm not sure how the Checkerboards compare with the Apistos and Rams, but you could possibly have 2 pair of them.

 

[zenkatydid]

Thanks for the advice - I brought home a nice yoyo today. Bonuses of working in an aquarium store - I get first picks This guy had been living in a filter for who knows how many months; we can't order them in this big, so he's a bit of a once-off. My yoyos aren't aggressive in the slightest. They're playful and plays chaseys with each other and sometimes the barbs, but never in aggression. And yes, you're right - I do have to dose nitrates. I just worry because my filter seems to get filthy. I clean it one a month and it's always so dirty.

Sucks about the cichlids - I'll have to make a choice! Ha!

On a related note - how do you think honey gouramis would go with sparkling gouramis in this tank? Would both these species be ok with a pair of dwarf cichlids? Any other suggestions for this tank? (Not schoolers, I think)