thoughts on stocking

[BlazedSaint]

so i have a 29 gallon biocube with some plants

currently i have 6 platys, but im thinking i might add some fish this sunday, im thinking i want 6 platys(currently have) 6 cherry barbs and 2 dwarf gourami

anyone thinking ill add 3 cherry barbs sunday and 3 cherry barbs the next sunday as i know adding 6 cherry barbs at once is a bad idea

but does anything have thoughts of experience on if this is a good or bad mix, it keeps me withing my stocking size limits, (14 2 inch fish- 28 inchs) i have 29 gallon tank, but im concerned about cherry barbs and gourami together, and i know gourami perfer the top of the tank and platys seem to be low-mid, cherry barbs are low-mid too is that too much low-mid?

 

[jwh0818]

Id stick to 1 DG

 

[Goldfish loach boy]

+1 I would stick with only one

6 platys is pushing it, as they have a pretty high bio load but since you already have them I guess it's ok
Cherry barbs will be fine, IMO a ram and some kuhli loaches would look nice

 

[Fishperson]

I would get the 6 barbs and nothing else. And yeah, 2 dgs would fight. But other than that, it sounds good!

 

[BlazedSaint]

So 1 dwarf gourami with the 6 cherry barbs is to much, also can't decide between the 5-6 Cherry barbs or 3 swordtails

 

[Fishperson]

So 1 dwarf gourami with the 6 cherry barbs is to much, also can't decide between the 5-6 Cherry barbs or 3 swordtails

No, I meant (and I think the others too) that you could have:

6 platys
6 cherry barbs OR 3 swordtails
1 dg

 

[BlazedSaint]

10-4 so u think cherry barbs for swordtails?

 

[Fishperson]

Cherry barbs or swordtails.

 

[BlazedSaint]

Right on, Think im going SwordTails as they will be more of a center piece

 

[Luananeko]

A word of warning... The platies will hybridize with the swordtails. Not sure what your plan is for the inevitable fry, but most people don't want to take platy/sword mixes, they want pure sword or pure platy.

 

[Kristian Tombs]

I would get the 6 barbs and nothing else. And yeah, 2 dgs would fight. But other than that, it sounds good!

Two female DG wouldn't

 

[Fishperson]

Two female DG wouldn't

True, but female dgs are almost never sold in stores.

 

[BlazedSaint]

Ya just gunna do one DG and 3 swordtails

 

[Oohitsae]

I think the plan sounds good. I wouldn't go with swordtails myself, that would add much more bioload than the barbs would.
Plus swords can grow to 5", I have 5 of them in my 29 and can't keep much else because at that size they eat and poop a lot!!

If it were my tank I'd do your 6 platys, 6 barbs. And then maybe some loaches or a pair of rams for the bottom and call it quits.

 

[BlazedSaint]

What kind of loach would u recommend? And might do guppies for the kids instead of barbs unless guppies are a bad idea otherwise the barbs might be the best idea I want the DG but if I can get a cool loach I'd do that do

 

[BlazedSaint]

Instead sorry stupid auto correct

 

[Luananeko]

If you go with 3 varieties of livebearers (guppy/platy/sword) in one tank, be prepared for a LOT of fry. Livebearers are the tribbles of the fish world They will quickly overpopulate the tank if you don't regularly rehome/remove the babies. Many will be hybrids too, as I mentioned before.

 

[BlazedSaint]

Hrm good call I didn't think of that I knew that about live bearers just slipped my mind, so platys cherry barbs and 1 DG it is