Can I add more fish?

[itsgracia]

Hey guys! So I am thinking of adding some more fishes in my tank. Maybe a nice centerpiece fish? Let me know if its possible and if it is, what are your suggestions.

I have a 29 gallon with an AC70

Currently stocking:

3 Zebra Danios
4 X-ray (Pristella) Tetras
7 Neon Tetras
6 Albino Cories
1 Black Molly

Last PWC (done weekly) was last Friday 50%.

This morning's test results (today is PWC day and will be doing that later today):

Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 5
pH 8.2 (it has always been like that and won't be doing anything to change it)

 

[Luna112]

You should at least hear people out on ways to lower ph. You don't have to add chemicals. Driftwood is always an option and makes a tank look good.
Most people would say your overstocked. But maybe try a gourami.

Sent from my iPhone

 

[itsgracia]

I have 2 pieces of DW in there...they have only been there maybe 2-3 weeks and no changes in the pH.

You think im already overstocked? My Nitrates never go past 5 when my weekly PWC comes around...you got me thinking now. Is it spacewise?

 

[James_in_MN]

I wouldn't say that was overstocked for a 29g tank. It has plenty of filtration, and all of those fish are small-ish.

Before adding another type of fish, I'd consider increasing the number of pristella tetras. Tetras are a schooling fish that should be in a group of 6 or more. You might want to get another zebra danio or two as well. I think they shoal rather than school, and shoaling fish are typically better with a group of 4 or more.

Other than that, you could add a centerpiece fish to your tank. Some options to consider would be a dwarf gourami or female betta. Your pH may be too high to consider adding a ram as a centerpiece fish.

I wouldn't add any chemicals to change your pH level. If the driftwood isn't releasing any tannis, then it won't affect your pH. I have a tank with a couple pieces of driftwood that is releasing some tannis, and that isn't even affecting the pH all that much. There are other natural items you could try to lower the pH the right way, but if the fish you have in there now aren't negatively affected, then I wouldn't worry too much about it.

 

[itsgracia]

To be honest, I was thinking of returning my remaining 3 Danios to the LFS for a trade or something, I just don't know if they do that. I used to have 6 and they were always harrasing each other or ganging up on the other fishes. I lost 3 of them, 2 due to ich and 1 just did a disappearing act and I still dont know where it is now. I had 5 Pristellas and 1 of them disappeared too. I might get 2 more Pristellas and just take the Danios back to the store.

The DW is not leaching any tannis. My water is crystal clear. The fishes are fine with the high pH and I never had any problems of them getting used to it. I buy my fishes locally and the tanks they came from has the same pH.

The betta suggestion sounds great.

 

[severum mama]

No reason to mess with pH at all unless you are doing a more specialized setup or looking to breed something like rams. I'd bump up the number of pristellas and leave it at that.