another "too many fish?" question!

[BeavisMom62]

I have a 60 gal tank with 4 angels, 2 apple snails, 1 small ivory snail, 1 raphael cat, 1 rainbow shark, 2 BN's, 1 platy, 1 DG and 1 serpae tetra. I know the last three should be in schools, but somehow this tank ended up as a respository for fish from other tanks or fish whose schoolmates have died. Its kind of boring since the angels are usually on one side or the other, the snails don't move alot, the shark, the cat and BN's are on the bottom and the other three are small.

I would like to have at least one school of something in this tank but have two questions. I think I'm close to my max as far as stocking goes. Could I add a school without overstocking too badly? And also, since the angels and shark have the potential to be aggressive, is there anything that I could put in there that either wouldn't attack the angels or end up being attacked themselves? I was thinking either cherry barbs or harlequin rasboras but I'm open to suggestions.

 

[rich311k]

I think you could put a small school of a mid size tetra. Lemons, Columbians, rummys there would be a lot of choices that would fit.

 

[BeavisMom62]

what about serpaes since I have one in there? Do you think if there was a school it would be aggressive to the angels or no? I'm assuming the single serpae that I have in there isn't being aggressive because he is one of the smallest fish and by himself. NO strength in numbers! But funny, I was actually wondering about a tetra of some sort. I knew that neons were out, but wondered about other kinds of tetras. Neons, glowlights and serpaes are the only tetras that I have ever had.

 

[BeavisMom62]

Since I already have only one serpae and one platy, could I have a school of either of them? Not sure if a school of serpaes would be more aggressive or less aggressive than a single serpae? And what about platys? I know they aren't really aggressive at all. The angels don't really bother either the serpae or the platy but not sure what would happen if they were in a school? I probably couldn't add more DG's, huh? They don't really school anyway and I seem to remember that they can be aggressive towards each other. But that poor single DG gets chased by both the shark and the angels.

I wouldn't mind those tetras that you suggested. Its just that, as I said, I already have a platy and serpae and wondered about adding more rather than having just singles.

Another question. Since my betta is rather laid back, I wonder if I could put my platy in there, or would the betta probably go after him? A single wouldn't look as bad in my 23 gal betta tank as it does in a 55.

 

[rich311k]

I have a thing about serpeas since I had a group almost kill 4 juvenile angels on me. In a larger group they are supposed to be mellower. You could certainly add more platies and that would provide free live angel food. It is general not a good idea to get two male DG in the same tank.

 

[BeavisMom62]

I have a thing about serpeas since I had a group almost kill 4 juvenile angels on me.
I could certainly see how that could happen from what I've read. But my angels are rather large adults.
In a larger group they are supposed to be mellower.
That was my hope. I know my single is mellow, but figured it was because he was rather intimidated being the only one in there. Just wondered if a group would be more or less aggressive than a single in a tank with four large angels and a rainbow shark.
You could certainly add more platies and that would provide free live angel food.
That was pretty much what I thought. I just wondered if a group would be safer than a single, who they don't bother with at all. Athough admittedly, I did have 2 or 3 (can't remember) platies in there and only have one left now! Never found any bodies though. Ixnay on the atieplay.

I wonder if my betta would bother the platy? Although since he isn't being bothered with now, I really dont want to stress him out by moving him. But there is alot of aggression in that tank with the angels and the shark so even if it isn't directed at the platy, I wonder if they can feel the negative energy.

So other than your personal experience with serpaes and young angels, I wonder if that would work?

It is general not a good idea to get two male DG in the same tank.

Yep, already knew that (quoting self) "I probably couldn't add more DG's, huh? They don't really school anyway and I seem to remember that they can be aggressive towards each other. But that poor single DG gets chased by both the shark and the angels".

At one time I did have two DG's in that tank and they didn't bother with each other, but I bought them at the same time from the same tank (danged if I can remember what happened to the other one!). Adding a new DG wouldn't be a good idea.

Im starting to lean towards more serpaes. The only other schooling fish that I really like for this tank would be h. rasboras, but I've never had those in this tank and being mellower fish I would hate to have a whole school decimated by the angels/shark.

 

[BeavisMom62]

I'm bumping my own thread, hoping for a reply about adding more serpaes to this tank. Should I? If so, how many?