Stocking my 10g - suggestions? (modified from last time)

[99RedSi]

Hi everyone -

I've changed my 10g stocking plan from:

3 Hatchets
4-6 Cardinal Tetras
3-4 Cories


to


6 Cardinal Tetras
2 Khuli Loaches
3-4 Cories

I've always liked Khuli loaches but I'm not sure they would work well in a 10g tank - what do you think? If so, are buying them in pairs ok? Or are they better in 3-4s like cories?

 

[rubysoho]

I'm not 100% sure about this, but I beleive having the cories AND the loaches, which are both bottom dwellers, in a 10 gallon tank is a bit tcrowded. Maybe someone will come by and support/correct me.

 

[Menagerie]

I can't talk, I love khulis and have 10+ in my 50 with @10 cories. I would get 3 khulis, so you have a chance at seeing them and 3 of a smaller cory cat species. I have 5 pygmy cats and they are great, they don't stick to the bottom of the tank like most cories. They zip around and only get to 1". That would be great for bottom/mid dwellers and get only 5 Cardinals. The tank will be FULL, so keep on top of the water parameters.

 

[99RedSi]

Great info, thanks!

What if I do:

3 Khuli loaches
3 small cory's
4 Tetras (Cardinal's probably, not sure though)

Instead of 5 cardinals, I would get 4. Does this help me a little as far as capacity? Even though I could do 5, 4 would seem safer to me!

 

[Menagerie]

There is a "rule" with schooling fish--they like to be in odd numbers. No one has ever explained this rule to me, but I have heard enough to keep my schooling fish in 3s, 5s, 7s.... You may want to go with 3 fish. Since it is a small tank, they probably will not school, but shoal and in a group of 3, they should feel secure enough to be out and about. Carndinals stay small and they are colorful, so I would stick with them. Then you will have red/blue fish, orange/black (if you go with the striped khulis and not the all black ones) and little brown darts (pygmies are fast , but they also show the normal "grazing" behavior of regular cories).

 

[99RedSi]

What is a good water temperature to keep for Khuli's and Cardinals? The reason I'm asking is because I just read on Loaches Online that Khuli's prefer 75F. I also remember that Cardinals prefer 78F-80F. Maybe 76F for a compromise?