Questions about stocking a 16gal bowfront.

[MountainAsh87]

So, my sweetie wants to try having tropical fish again, despite a failed attempt a couple years ago. (Poor tetras. I know what all I did wrong, now. :/) I've been doing a TON of research, both on here and on other sites like this one, but I'd like to have feedback on our idea.

We got a 16 gallon bowfront kit that is currently cycling. Here's what we'd like to have:

4 turquoise danios
4 leopard cory cats
1 red wag platy

Here are my questions:

1) Would 16 gallons be enough swimming room for the danios? I understand they're pretty active.
2) Would 4 be enough of the cory cats? Some sources recommend 6, some 4. I think 6 would be too many for the tank.
3) Again, I've seen different stats for the max size of turquoise danios and leaopard cories. Are they only 2", or more? I don't want to get something that will outgrow the tank.
4) If 16 gallons isn't enough for the danios, are there any other small, blue schooling fish that would be better?
5) I've seen no less that 3 different species of fish listed as "leopard cory cats." Is there one species that would work better than the others, and how do I make sure to get that one?
6) Will one red wag be happy without other platy tank mates? Ours is female, and we do NOT want fry.
7) Is there any advice or info you think is relevant that I might not have thought of, yet?

Sorry for the plethora of questions. I'm usually like this when it comes to new things. Thanks in advance!!

 

[xxwolfpackof1xx]

how big to the leopard corys get some cories get up to 3in so those four may be a no go

 

[MountainAsh87]

how big to the leopard corys get some cories get up to 3in so those four may be a no go

Exactly! That's one of the things that confused me. Two of the species with the common name "leopard cory" were listed as having a max size of 2", and one was listed as 3". I'm not sure which one is correct, if they both are, or how to make sure I'm getting the right one. :/

 

[xxwolfpackof1xx]

check for a scientific name or search around on google useing the common name youl get better info than what your seeing at the lfs

 

[MountainAsh87]

check for a scientific name or search around on google useing the common name youl get better info than what your seeing at the lfs

That's what I was doing when I got all confused. Different sites list different species as "leopard cory," and it lists different max sizes for the different species.

 

[MountainAsh87]

Finally got my hands on an API Master Freshwater Testing Kit. It feels like every place in town was out of stock for ages. Levels are higher than I'd like, but not bad since I'm still cycling. :/

Any further insight on my eventual stocking plans? I don't mind weekly or bi-weekly PWCs, but I don't want to stress the little guys out with overcrowding.

 

[Rosenweiss]

IMO, 16 is enough for a school of danios, but you'll want to get at least 6. If you'd prefer a slightly smaller fish, you can do maybe a harlequin rasbora, a type of microrasbora, or a smaller tetra.

 

[siva]

So, my sweetie wants to try having tropical fish again, despite a failed attempt a couple years ago. (Poor tetras. I know what all I did wrong, now. :/) I've been doing a TON of research, both on here and on other sites like this one, but I'd like to have feedback on our idea.

We got a 16 gallon bowfront kit that is currently cycling. Here's what we'd like to have:

4 turquoise danios
4 leopard cory cats
1 red wag platy

Here are my questions:

1) Would 16 gallons be enough swimming room for the danios? I understand they're pretty active.
2) Would 4 be enough of the cory cats? Some sources recommend 6, some 4. I think 6 would be too many for the tank.
3) Again, I've seen different stats for the max size of turquoise danios and leaopard cories. Are they only 2", or more? I don't want to get something that will outgrow the tank.
4) If 16 gallons isn't enough for the danios, are there any other small, blue schooling fish that would be better?
5) I've seen no less that 3 different species of fish listed as "leopard cory cats." Is there one species that would work better than the others, and how do I make sure to get that one?
6) Will one red wag be happy without other platy tank mates? Ours is female, and we do NOT want fry.
7) Is there any advice or info you think is relevant that I might not have thought of, yet?

Sorry for the plethora of questions. I'm usually like this when it comes to new things. Thanks in advance!!

1. No - 20 long/29 as a minimum, it's length they need not so much height.
2. Yes
3. The danios will not exceed 2". The cories may exceed 2".
4. Yes there is, blue tetras, cardinal tetras, and neon tetras.
5. I too have seen several species listed as leopard, all of them are in the 2" range. Corydoras are very active little catfish and I would not keep any but the tiny dwarfs in a 16 gal.
6. I would not keep one platy. They are social. You could get another female but there is a chance any female could already be pregnant or holding sperm. To lessen the chance, pick a small female that doesn't appear full grown yet. If she does drop fry take them back to the store you bought her from.
7. Good fish to mix with the platy in there would be a small tetra like one of the three blue ones I listed above, I would go with a school of 6-7 of them and you could also add 3 fancy male guppies, just as an example. Other fish appropriate for the tank would be micro rasboras, harlequin rasbora, dwarf gourami, betta, dario dario aka scarlet badis, sparkling gourami, celestial pearl danio aka galaxy rasbora, ember tetra. For bottom dwellers you could do 4-6 of a very small cory such as hasbrosus or pygmeaus would be good or 4 kuhli loaches. For algae eaters I would add a few nerite snails and some red cherry shrimp. Make sure you add the fish to the tank slowly once it's cycled...no more than one group per week. Acclimate new fish slowly by floating the bag for 20-30 minutes and then start removing a bit of bag water and adding a bit of tank water every 10 minutes until you fell the bag has become all tank water, then add the fish to the tank.

 

[MountainAsh87]

1. No - 20 long/29 as a minimum, it's length they need not so much height.
2. Yes
3. The danios will not exceed 2". The cories may exceed 2".
4. Yes there is, blue tetras, cardinal tetras, and neon tetras.
5. I too have seen several species listed as leopard, all of them are in the 2" range. Corydoras are very active little catfish and I would not keep any but the tiny dwarfs in a 16 gal.
6. I would not keep one platy. They are social. You could get another female but there is a chance any female could already be pregnant or holding sperm. To lessen the chance, pick a small female that doesn't appear full grown yet. If she does drop fry take them back to the store you bought her from.
7. Good fish to mix with the platy in there would be a small tetra like one of the three blue ones I listed above, I would go with a school of 6-7 of them and you could also add 3 fancy male guppies, just as an example. Other fish appropriate for the tank would be micro rasboras, harlequin rasbora, dwarf gourami, betta, dario dario aka scarlet badis, sparkling gourami, celestial pearl danio aka galaxy rasbora, ember tetra. For bottom dwellers you could do 4-6 of a very small cory such as hasbrosus or pygmeaus would be good or 4 kuhli loaches. For algae eaters I would add a few nerite snails and some red cherry shrimp. Make sure you add the fish to the tank slowly once it's cycled...no more than one group per week. Acclimate new fish slowly by floating the bag for 20-30 minutes and then start removing a bit of bag water and adding a bit of tank water every 10 minutes until you fell the bag has become all tank water, then add the fish to the tank.

I think I'm in love. Thank you! Frankly, you confirmed a lot of the stuff I was already worried about. I've been concerned about the length of the tank from the start, but a 20 long wouldn't fit in our townhome as well as this one does. I'll start researching the fish I'm less familiar with, so we can start picking out a better fit for our tank.

...Is it bad that I'm almost as excited at the prospect of learning about new fish as I am about getting them?

 

[Bettababe1011]

It's not bad at all. It's good that you're doing your research.

 

[MountainAsh87]

Okay, so I finally convinced MalkavianDream that we do NOT need to keep the red platy the LFS gave us. We're taking it back today and doing the rest of the cycle fish-less, the way I wanted to.

We definitely want to have a more active tank, so micro fish seem like the way to go. Here's the new plan:

6-8 Chili rasboras
6-8 Axlerod rasboras ( I know they're not really rasboras, but whatever)
4-5 Dainty cories

That way we'll have lots of motion in our tank without overstocking. Sound better?

 

[siva]

I think I'm in love. Thank you! Frankly, you confirmed a lot of the stuff I was already worried about. I've been concerned about the length of the tank from the start, but a 20 long wouldn't fit in our townhome as well as this one does. I'll start researching the fish I'm less familiar with, so we can start picking out a better fit for our tank.

...Is it bad that I'm almost as excited at the prospect of learning about new fish as I am about getting them?

That is ideal! If only I had been that way when I started this hobby years ago I wouldn't have made so many mistakes along the way

Your stock list is golden. The boraras brigittae is so teeny tiny that you could get away with even more. And this is coming from someone who stocks pretty conservatively. So I have been told about them anyway...my order of 12 should be delivered Friday. I've been told by highly respected members of this forum that they are so small that 15-20 in a 10 gal tank is fine. So if you are ordering them, and paying out the wazoo for shipping like I am, you may want to include more in your order. If you are lucky enough to pick them up locally, no biggie you can always go back for more if you want We are doing very similar tanks! I am stocking a 14 gal with nano fish. I'm doing 12 of the brigittae (chili rasbora), 3 scarlet badis, and 5 corydoras hasbrosus

 

[MountainAsh87]

The boraras brigittae is so teeny tiny that you could get away with even more. I've been told by highly respected members of this forum that they are so small that 15-20 in a 10 gal tank is fine.

Excellent! That will make MalkavianDream happy. He'll be the one with more time to stay home watching them, lol.

I am stocking a 14 gal with nano fish. I'm doing 12 of the brigittae (chili rasbora), 3 scarlet badis, and 5 corydoras hasbrosus

Nifty! It sounds like it will be beautiful once it's all set up.