Filter upgrade & additional stock

[KTpoopenstein]

As it stands, I have a 15g column planted tank with a tetra whisper 20 filter. I was thinking of upgrading the filter to at least the whisper 30, possibly a 40 so that I can add a few more fish. I'm pretty much at capacity for my filter as it is with the following stock:

1 sunset platy (male)
1 peppered Cory
6 serpae tetra
5-6 nerite snails (en route...i ordered 5, they include an extra in case somebody doesn't make the trip)

I'd like to add at least a few more cories (corys?) since I know they're happiest in a shoal, and perhaps another platy or two since my one guy spends half his day chasing the tetras around.

So my questions are...
- would going with a 40 be excessive? I was leaning in that direction because I have a 30g tank in storage and was thinking I could move it to that one if/when I have the money to get it up and running again.
- as I understand it, cories will shoal with pretty much any other cories, but they're happiest with their own species...does the same apply for platys (and is that really true about cories)?
- would two (or more) male platys be ok with each other? I don't really want to deal with babies if I can avoid it.

 

[KTpoopenstein]

Thoughts? I ended up ordering the whisper 40 today...

 

[Legit Fish]

um you could totally add more cories and platies like 2 female platies and 4 more cories i once had arround 60 plus platies, mollies, and guppies in a 15 planted tank because of breeding but no problems and the filter was a cascade 30 just make sure the filter fits and do your water changes

 

[KTpoopenstein]

um you could totally add more cories and platies like 2 female platies and 4 more cories i once had arround 60 plus platies, mollies, and guppies in a 15 planted tank because of breeding but no problems and the filter was a cascade 30 just make sure the filter fits and do your water changes

The 40 should fit ok. I've got a good 2" of extra room for the filter I have so that should be plenty. From what I recall, there isn't too much of a size difference between the 20/30/40.

 

[Mrs.h2012]

First question, is your tank cycled? If not don't add anymore fish until it's cycled (if you don't know about cycling I will gladly explain ).

Definitely add more cories when you can, they will be much more comfortable. And I wouldn't increase your numbers by too much, and honestly mollies should have a minimum of 30g because of their activity level. Platies and mollies have huge bioloads, so stay on top of water changes.

 

[KTpoopenstein]

First question, is your tank cycled? If not don't add anymore fish until it's cycled (if you don't know about cycling I will gladly explain ).

Definitely add more cories when you can, they will be much more comfortable. And I wouldn't increase your numbers by too much, and honestly mollies should have a minimum of 30g because of their activity level. Platies and mollies have huge bioloads, so stay on top of water changes.

It's in the process. It was fully cycled but I ended up having to treat for a bacterial infection a couple months back and that killed pretty much all my BB and I ended up having to deal with a fish-in cycle. I've had some issues with keeping the pH stable (it kept dropping below 5) for a while but that has finally been addressed and things are progressing.

I was only thinking of adding one or two more platies, depending on whether I can find males or females. I assume males can coexist happily together? I'd rather not have to deal with babies if I can avoid it, but my guy needs at least one friend so he'll stop picking on the tetras!

 

[Mrs.h2012]

It's in the process. It was fully cycled but I ended up having to treat for a bacterial infection a couple months back and that killed pretty much all my BB and I ended up having to deal with a fish-in cycle. I've had some issues with keeping the pH stable (it kept dropping below 5) for a while but that has finally been addressed and things are progressing.

I was only thinking of adding one or two more platies, depending on whether I can find males or females. I assume males can coexist happily together? I'd rather not have to deal with babies if I can avoid it, but my guy needs at least one friend so he'll stop picking on the tetras!

You should would be fine to add another one. You must have a rambunctious platy! I had a male and female platy and the male I had was very laid back. But then again maybe because there was a female in the tank lol. Honestly even if you got a female and as long as you didn't take any special measures for the fry to survive I would be willing to bet that nature would take its course with you having other fish in the tank. When I first started with my little 10g I cycled it with 2 platy's.