Stocking Help

[tmg996]

My nitrites are finally going down!!! My ammonia is 0 nitrites between 1-2 and they were at 4-5, nitrates at 5-10 and i do have live plants. Christmas moss, some vals, and a queen sword i believe is the name. I was planning on stocking my 30 gal this way:
1 parkinsoni rainbow
1 red rainbow
1 australian rainbow
1 random rainbow from their overstocked sale tank
6 odessa barbs
3 julii corys
1 clown pleco or 1 bristlenose pleco
i have a penguin 170 biowheel and will do a 25% PWC every week, is this overstocked? if so what do you recommend? i really want the odessa barbs!!

 

[Homedog98]

Well, this is what I'm doing in my 30... If it helps any:
6 black skirt tetras
6 rummy nose tetras
6 orange laser cories
2 Bolivian rams (pair)
1 male Betta
1 starlight bristlenose pleco
I don't know anything about rainbows, but I do know you should do more like a 50% water change weekly.

 

[HUKIT]

My nitrites are finally going down!!! My ammonia is 0 nitrites between 1-2 and they were at 4-5, nitrates at 5-10 and i do have live plants. Christmas moss, some vals, and a queen sword i believe is the name. I was planning on stocking my 30 gal this way:
1 parkinsoni rainbow
1 red rainbow
1 australian rainbow
1 random rainbow from their overstocked sale tank
6 odessa barbs
3 julii corys
1 clown pleco or 1 bristlenose pleco
i have a penguin 170 biowheel and will do a 25% PWC every week, is this overstocked? if so what do you recommend? i really want the odessa barbs!!

I'm afraid those fish won't do well in a 30g. Rainbows are grow up to 6", they are a schooling fish thats much better in groups of five or more, plus they also require ample swimming room, so should be in a 4ft tank. Odessa barbs easily reach the 4" range and are much better suited for a 55g minimum, the stocking numbers look good though. I would add 4-5 more corys and research some more smaller tropicals. Congrats on nearing the end of of your cycle, the first one stinks.

 

[tmg996]

Well what do you guys think i should get? I want a tank this way:
1-2 Centerpiece beautiful fish(es)
1-2 schoals of fish
a pleco and my cories,
i am wondering how the rainbows couldnt do well, they get up to 6in long, and my tank is 30 in long and 18in high, how isnt that enough room? Only decor i have is a log in the middle black and a small river rock cave to the right, with plants.

 

[tmg996]

I'm afraid those fish won't do well in a 30g. Rainbows are grow up to 6", they are a schooling fish thats much better in groups of five or more, plus they also require ample swimming room, so should be in a 4ft tank. Odessa barbs easily reach the 4" range and are much better suited for a 55g minimum, the stocking numbers look good though. I would add 4-5 more corys and research some more smaller tropicals. Congrats on nearing the end of of your cycle, the first one stinks.

And ive done my research and 5 different websites state that odessa barbs MAX. size is 4 in and the rainbows i listed MAX. size is 6 in. When i hear MAX. I hear thats the biggest they can get, with an inch or two less being normal, am i wrong?

 

[tmg996]

Geez, harsh crowd eh? Guess ill have to take things into my own hands

 

[allaboutfish]

the thing is you dont have much square footage in that size tank what about this?
6-cardinal tetras
6-green fire tetras
2-bolivian rams
6-juli corys
maybe a bristlenose pleco

 

[tmg996]

the thing is you dont have much square footage in that size tank what about this?
6-cardinal tetras
6-green fire tetras
2-bolivian rams
6-juli corys
maybe a bristlenose pleco

I like that, but now i HAVE to incorporate the odessa barbs, my dad when out of his was to special order them down at my LFS, will be there in a week. I cant say sorry for spending 20 bucks but send them back, im getting 4 more to make a schoal of 6. Any other ideas??

 

[Aquatic_Adam]

I like that, but now i HAVE to incorporate the odessa barbs, my dad when out of his was to special order them down at my LFS, will be there in a week. I cant say sorry for spending 20 bucks but send them back, im getting 4 more to make a schoal of 6. Any other ideas??

How many males you got in this shoal?

 

[allaboutfish]

6-odessa barbs
6-juli corys
2-bolivian rams
1-bristlenose pleco

 

[tmg996]

How many males you got in this shoal?

If odessa barbs are like most fish, the more colorful ones would be males, so i assume 6 males

 

[allaboutfish]

oh and just so you know you have a 29 gallon fish tank

 

[tmg996]

Ohh yea i got a pic of my fish before they went for shipping! Gota love LFS!!! Yes they all seem to be males because of the vibrant red stripe down the middle

 

[tmg996]

oh and just so you know you have a 29 gallon fish tank

Strange, but i dont think 1 gal would make a difference huh?

 

[Aquatic_Adam]

If odessa barbs are like most fish, the more colorful ones would be males, so i assume 6 males

Oh dear lord I hope not! Haha. Male odessas are ridiculously pretty. In my opinion . Females are also kinda pretty. You have a male when it's dark red while females are a lighter red. You need to get about 2 or 3 females for every male. Or at least that usually lightens aggression of barbs...

 

[Aquatic_Adam]

Ohh yea i got a pic of my fish before they went for shipping! Gota love LFS!!! Yes they all seem to be males because of the vibrant red stripe down the middle

Hmmmm...you might still be ok? I have a 20 long aquarium with 2 males and 1 female and they seem to be ok...

 

[tmg996]

Hmmmm...you might still be ok? I have a 20 long aquarium with 2 males and 1 female and they seem to be ok...

Im not positive their all males, the pic was taken with a cell phone couldnt tell they had dark or light stripes

 

[Aquatic_Adam]

Im not positive their all males, the pic was taken with a cell phone couldnt tell they had dark or light stripes

Well I personally like my odessas because the males are ridiculously pretty, and the females are still pretty too. So. You have hope! Haha

 

[tmg996]

Well I personally like my odessas because the males are ridiculously pretty, and the females are still pretty too. So. You have hope! Haha

You seem to be knowledgeable with odessas! Is it true their hard to find in LFS? And what would make good tank mates in a 29 gal?

 

[Aquatic_Adam]

Haha thanks! They haven't been much of a menace to any of my fish (some lemons tetras, neons, bloodfin tetras and some other randoms) although I did notice a lemon that was beat up. They can be nippy because they are pretty quick but personally they have been good tank mates! Some corys at the bottom, I liked the blue of the neons to contrast the beautiful red of the odessas.