Stocking - feedback pls!

[sallyjano]

60g with AC70 filter

I have a stocking plan and thought I would get feedback in case I am proposing anything which is not a good idea or in case there are better ideas! Aqadvisor says this is fine but I know that's not 100 accurate.

I have already (some in QT)

3 mollies
5 guppies
7 neon tetras
2 dwarf gouramis
1 swordtail
3 julii cories

Planning to add

2 more julii cories
School of black or white skirt tetras (6 or 7)
Possibly 5 emerald cories

Any thoughts?

 

[BBradbury]

Hello sal...

Your livebearing fish Guppies, Swordtails and especially Mollies will need a bit of standard aquarium salt added to their water, roughly a teaspoon or so for every 5 gallons of replacement water. Actually, any aquarium fish could do with a little. Salt is a tonic that's been used for decades as an immune system stimulant and has calming properties, perfect for introducing new fish to a tank. A 60 gallon tank is about right. Your Livebearing fish will reproduce quickly in the right conditions. You'll need to heavily plant with both planted and floating plants. Disagreements will happen often especially during pregnancies, so the more plants to hide the fish and their fry, the better.

Large, frequent water changes will be critical. Your Mollies will be very sensitive to their water conditions and their food. You'll need to change half the water every couple of weeks. The Mollies would likely vote for a 50 percent water change weekly.

B

 

[sallyjano]

Hello sal...

Your livebearing fish Guppies, Swordtails and especially Mollies will need a bit of standard aquarium salt added to their water, roughly a teaspoon or so for every 5 gallons of replacement water. Actually, any aquarium fish could do with a little. Salt is a tonic that's been used for decades as an immune system stimulant and has calming properties, perfect for introducing new fish to a tank. A 60 gallon tank is about right. Your Livebearing fish will reproduce quickly in the right conditions. You'll need to heavily plant with both planted and floating plants. Disagreements will happen often especially during pregnancies, so the more plants to hide the fish and their fry, the better.

Large, frequent water changes will be critical. Your Mollies will be very sensitive to their water conditions and their food. You'll need to change half the water every couple of weeks. The Mollies would likely vote for a 50 percent water change weekly.

B

Hi B!

Thanks for the response. Yes I have been doing water changes weekly - I was doing 25% but based on advice from others going to up that to 50%. I have a water changer thankfully so not a big deal. (Will confess that when I only had a 10g I was doing 50% every 4 weeks - yikes - better educated now......).

Re the salt - I did look into that before but was told that some fish including cories and some tetras are not tolerant to salt, even a little? Plus it's no good for plants (so I was told.....I don't know)? I only have plastic plants now but since seeing tanks in the planted forum of course now I realize how awful they are and plan to plant at some point.

Re the livebearers, I bought a female molly 18 months ago and got 2 fry which survived. So that's my 3 mollies. The 2 newer ones are males. All my guppies are males and I also have a male sword tail. Momma Molly seems to have no issue right now - maybe because she a good 2.5 inches and the males are only 1? She bosses them around and they do not bother her. Anyway, the Qs are: do you think Momma molly will eventually get bothered by the other 2? And is it a problem to have all males of the others?

Thanks so much!!

Sally

 

[pip walters]

Your livebearers will be fine without salt.

Not sure I would trust black skirt tetras with guppies as they tend to be a little nippy -not normally a problem when they are in a shoal, but some fish with long and showy fins are often too tempting for them!

As far as salt and plants are concerned, some plants will tolerate salt, even in brackish aquaria. Vallisneria, Anubias, Hornwort for instance.

 

[sallyjano]

Your livebearers will be fine without salt.

Not sure I would trust black skirt tetras with guppies as they tend to be a little nippy -not normally a problem when they are in a shoal, but some fish with long and showy fins are often too tempting for them!

As far as salt and plants are concerned, some plants will tolerate salt, even in brackish aquaria. Vallisneria is one example.

Thanks!

Question - are white skirt tetras equally nippy?

 

[pip walters]

Thanks!

Question - are white skirt tetras equally nippy?

Yes, they are the same fish. The white ones are just a colour mutation

 

[sallyjano]

Yes, they are the same fish. The white ones are just a colour mutation

Ok thanks. I will rethink the tetras. Bummer as I love them!! Anything you can think of that is similar?

 

[pip walters]

Black phantom tetras ..... their colour doesn't dull with age like black skirts. Much nicer all round IMO

 

[sallyjano]

Black phantom tetras ..... their colour doesn't dull with age like black skirts. Much nicer all round IMO

OK thanks I'll look into them!