Stocking 37gal

[Killian]

Ok so I think I'm ready to start stocking my tank. Tank is 37gal bow front (aq advisor says its actually about 40 gal since its 15in tall not the 13in that comes up on default). It's running 2 filters - a penguin 200 and an aqueon quiet flow 30. There is also an airstone. Here's what I would like to put in:

6 zebra danios (already in tank)
6 cardinal tetras
5 diamond tetras
6 harlequin rasbora
4 otos
8 cherry shrimp
1 platy

Aq advisor says its not over stocked but I know that is just a very basic guideline. I'm looking for other opinions as to if it's overstocked or ok or any other suggestions.

Thanks!

 

[librarygirl]

Probably not overstocked but to capacity anyway. Personally I'd leave out one of the schools....might be too crowded with 4 schools of fish in there. I'm sure others will have opinions too

 

[Killian]

Thanks! Also which fish would be best to add next? I'm fairly certain my tank is cycled as my numbers have now been 0 ammo, 0 nitrites and 5 nitrates for 24 hours now. I don't want to make the mistake of putting an overly sensitive fish in next

 

[librarygirl]

So you cycled with fish? If you're just getting 0 ammonia and 0 nitrite readings I"d wait at least a few days, a week or two is better; keep testing and make sure those levels stay at 0. When that's good, then you can add fish slowly. It's tricky adding schools of fish b/c they'll add to your bioload faster than adding a few fish at once. I would do the platy next; it's just one fish and it'll give you a chance to test the tank and see how the bacteria responds to adding a fish. Test daily for 1-2 weeks and do water changes as needed. Once ammo and nitrite stay at 0 for at leat a few days consecutively then you can add more. If you add schools, do them one at a time (e.g. a group of tetras). Test daily, etc, repeat the process. Shrimp have almost no bioload but they can be sensitive to water parameter changes so you might want to add them last once the tank is stable and you're done adding fish. I'd add the Otos last before the shrimp; this might give the tank some time to build up some algae which they prefer and they can be sensitive fish too.

 

[Killian]

Sounds good, thanks for the advice