Stocking a 38 gal

[jevousdeteste]

I have nine mollies: one black, one silver, two black/silver speckled!, three beige, one black/white/yellow, and one male sailfin. They're all between six months and one year old, 1" to 2.5". I also have four mickey mouse platies (1.5"). I'm thinking about trading or selling the platies, even though they're absolutely adorable and have finally started coming up to greet me when I walk by (SO CUTE!). I want bottom feeders to help with the algae and extra food, but I'm so absolutely paranoid about overstocking. Any ideas as to what I should do?

 

[Blucat]

4 or 5 corydoras catfish.
They are really funny schooling fish that are bottom feeders. Maybe some otos for algae?

 

[Heiko]

Overstocking is always a problem for everyone starting out i think. Ive already been told off

Id go with the Inches per gallon method. If i had known that to begin with i wouldnt have been in the mess im in now.


Heiko

 

[RoK]

How many gallons is the tank?

Edit: Oops, I didn't really look at the thread title.

 

[Blazeherd2306]

If you get rid of the platies, you should be able to hold about 9 more inches of fish (after not calculating the tails on all of your fish).

For cleaning fish, I would go with 3 cory cats and 2 otos.

Here are some links of the fish:
http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/scateg.cfm?pCatId=1161
http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_Display.cfm?pCatId=923

 

[jersysman]

For cleaning fish, I would go with 3 cory cats and 2 otos.

I would go with at least 3 otos along with the cories. Otos, like cories, prefer to be in groups. Three is the minimum number to get, and this tank should be able to support the 3/3.