Schoolers, but fear of overstocking

[derail]

I've been toying around with this idea for a long time, and honestly was slightly embarrassed to ask since I didn't want to feel like a newbie, but oh well.
In my 30g tank, I have a stock list as follows:
3-mollys
6-guppies
3-platys
1-blue gourami.
I'm interested in adding a school of cherry barbs (prev wanted corys but scratched the idea), but I honestly feel like the tank might be overstocked as it is. I've got a pair of airstones (for max surface irritation and a 50g filter on the tank now, and parameters are in check, with weekly 5-7g water changes weekly.
Am I overstocked?
Are there any other schooling fish I could consider? Cherry barbs were the only schooling fish I could find that might tolerate my slightly basic water (8.4).
Any help highly appreciated.

 

[Ponch]

According to aqadvisor you are~80% stocked. But not sure about it's a accuracy.... And I'm still pretty noob myself. Id wait for one of the vets around here to weigh in

 

[Barakis]

According to aqadvisor you are~80% stocked. But not sure about it's a accuracy.... And I'm still pretty noob myself. Id wait for one of the vets around here to weigh in

from what i have worked out, aqadvisor is over cautious more than anything, it puts me at 130% stocking despite everyone i talk to telling me i'm fine. so to be honest if that puts you at 80%, i recon you could go for it.

 

[jcolon]

I've been toying around with this idea for a long time, and honestly was slightly embarrassed to ask since I didn't want to feel like a newbie, but oh well.
In my 30g tank, I have a stock list as follows:
3-mollys
6-guppies
3-platys
1-blue gourami.
I'm interested in adding a school of cherry barbs

I'd say your fine, a school of 4-5 CherryBarbs (to start) are a great choice. They stay small, have relatively small bio-loads and the males get a great cherry like color. CherryBarbs are one of the few Barbs that do fine in small number .. even in pairs when kept with peaceful fish.

 

[derail]

Thanks for the responses everyone. Obviously I have to deal with fry sometimes, but nature usually takes care of it. Those fry that grow old enough are donated to my lfs anyway.
Any other fish aside from cherry barbs that I can consider? I'm needing some ideas for schooling fish that can tolerate basic water (8.4). I've had disasters with neons, so no to those

 

[George9]

Nah you got lots of room there! You could really do any schooling fish like a species of tetras or barbs. Ph doesn't matter. Fish will adapt to most ph. As long as it's not 5 or 9, yours good

There's lots you could try. Look on liveaquaria to start. It's a good place to find species you like in one place, then look for them in your lfs next time

 

[Barakis]

Thanks for the responses everyone. Obviously I have to deal with fry sometimes, but nature usually takes care of it. Those fry that grow old enough are donated to my lfs anyway.
Any other fish aside from cherry barbs that I can consider? I'm needing some ideas for schooling fish that can tolerate basic water (8.4). I've had disasters with neons, so no to those

my neons are perfect and i run 8.2ph and very hard water.

 

[derail]

That's good to know, appreciate the info once again. I might try black widow tetras, but again, I've had nothing but trouble with neons (ph 8.4, dh 18) in my water.

 

[jcolon]

Look at gold barbs... Similar size to cherry barbs, but are a nice yellow color.
Bloodfin tetras also come to mind.

 

[derail]

Ok thanks again, plenty of research to do.

 

[Barakis]

That's good to know, appreciate the info once again. I might try black widow tetras, but again, I've had nothing but trouble with neons (ph 8.4, dh 18) in my water.

fish will adapt to most ph, as long as it's stable. as far as hardness, the water in my area is ridiculously hard, the 3 LFS near me, and myself, run at about 16-20DH. IMO if you have had a bad exp with fish, you tend to worry a lot more, but honestly, your water should be fine.