Stocking question?! Please help!

[YaBuddyHuddie]

Okay so I have a 29 gallon planted. I had an albino bristlenose pleco that passed. He was my cleaner upper. It was young though and obviously didn't do much yet. Right now I have 6 gold longfinned zebra danios. I've decided I don't like how active they are, it's just ridiculous. So would it be a good idea to trade them out for 6 albino cories? Here's what the stock is right now:

The 6 zebras
A pair of platies (Thursday going to LFS)
1 female black molly
1 male guppy (adding another male Thursday)
3 male endler's livebearers (1 cobra hybrid)
15+ cherry shrimp

I'm hoping my LFS will give me a trade in value for the platies and zebras, if so I'll be getting the cories.

So, I want my stock to look like this:

6 albino cories
2 male guppies
1 female Molly
A pair of swordtails
3 endlers
Cherry shrimp colony
(other various shrimp breeds and micro crabs)
And maybe, eventually, a school of celestial danios

Will this stock work? And even bigger question is, how do the cories do in cleaning things up? Do they eat algae? Are they hard to care for? I just don't wanna spend 20 bucks on another bristlenose. Will they outcompete my shrimp for food? Please help.

 

[Rivercats]

Okay so I have a 29 gallon planted. I had an albino bristlenose pleco that passed. He was my cleaner upper. It was young though and obviously didn't do much yet. Right now I have 6 gold longfinned zebra danios. I've decided I don't like how active they are, it's just ridiculous. So would it be a good idea to trade them out for 6 albino cories? Here's what the stock is right now:
I'm hoping my LFS will give me a trade in value for the platies and zebras, if so I'll be getting the cories.

So, I want my stock to look like this:

6 albino cories
2 male guppies
1 female Molly
A pair of swordtails
3 endlers
Cherry shrimp colony
(other various shrimp breeds and micro crabs)
And maybe, eventually, a school of celestial danios

Will this stock work? And even bigger question is, how do the cories do in cleaning things up? Do they eat algae? Are they hard to care for? I just don't wanna spend 20 bucks on another bristlenose. Will they outcompete my shrimp for food? Please help.

A 29g is 30 inches long correct? I "think" 6 albino cory's would work but they are one of the larger cory's. They forage for left over food but they do not eat algae. You could still do them but why not get some nerite snails? They can't breed in freshwater, they eat the biggest variety of algae, and they won't add anything to your bio-load. You could do 10 IMO.

Back to cory's the will compete but don't know if they will outcompete your shrimp. You may have to go to adding algae tablets and shrimp pellets to ensure everyone gets enough food.

 

[YaBuddyHuddie]

A 29g is 30 inches long correct? I "think" 6 albino cory's would work but they are one of the larger cory's. They forage for left over food but they do not eat algae. You could still do them but why not get some nerite snails? They can't breed in freshwater, they eat the biggest variety of algae, and they won't add anything to your bio-load. You could do 10 IMO.

Back to cory's the will compete but don't know if they will outcompete your shrimp. You may have to go to adding algae tablets and shrimp pellets to ensure everyone gets enough food.

Hm. Do you think that the corries would have a heavier bioload than the zebras?

 

[YaBuddyHuddie]

A 29g is 30 inches long correct? I "think" 6 albino cory's would work but they are one of the larger cory's. They forage for left over food but they do not eat algae. You could still do them but why not get some nerite snails? They can't breed in freshwater, they eat the biggest variety of algae, and they won't add anything to your bio-load. You could do 10 IMO.

Back to cory's the will compete but don't know if they will outcompete your shrimp. You may have to go to adding algae tablets and shrimp pellets to ensure everyone gets enough food.

And what is their max size? Liveaquaria.com says 2 inches but I rarely trust their opinions on max size.

 

[Rivercats]

Cory's are heavier bodied than the danios so they will most likely have a slightly heavier bio-load. I'm pretty sure that albino's get larger than that, I know females do. Have you throught about Panda's? They are smaller and very active, not shy either. Julii's are another nice one thats alittle smaller, active, and not shy. I recently added 5 Julii's to the 220g and of 5 species represented the Julii's are the most active, followed by the Panda's.

 

[YaBuddyHuddie]

Cory's are heavier bodied than the danios so they will most likely have a slightly heavier bio-load. I'm pretty sure that albino's get larger than that, I know females do. Have you throught about Panda's? They are smaller and very active, not shy either. Julii's are another nice one thats alittle smaller, active, and not shy. I recently added 5 Julii's to the 220g and of 5 species represented the Julii's are the most active, followed by the Panda's.

I just love albino fish. Do you think the albino cories would work with my stock? I do 20-30% water changes weekly and gravel vacuum as needed.

What I want the final stock to look like:
6 albino cories
Cherry shrimp colony
2 male guppies
A pair of swordtails
1 female black molly
3 endlers
And maybe a celestial danio school (5-6)

Also will probably get the nerites eventually. Already have 2 Malaysian trumpets and other various hitchhikers.

Micro crabs, amano shrimp, Singapore flower shrimp are also likely.

The tank has driftwood and christmas moss in profess...

 

[YaBuddyHuddie]

Progress*

 

[Cynic]

Would say the shrimp and cories are too large a number of bottom feeders for such a small tank.

 

[YaBuddyHuddie]

Would say the shrimp and cories are too large a number of bottom feeders for such a small tank.

I mean I'm sure it could work if I just supplied them with sufficient food, no?

 

[Dreadz]

I've got three albino cory's and 6 sterbai and they very rarely stop moving. If they're not scavenging the sand they're chasing each other back and forth or up and down the front of my tank. I love watching them but if you want fish that aren't particularly active they may not be what your looking for

 

[YaBuddyHuddie]

I've got three albino cory's and 6 sterbai and they very rarely stop moving. If they're not scavenging the sand they're chasing each other back and forth or up and down the front of my tank. I love watching them but if you want fish that aren't particularly active they may not be what your looking for

I fell like the danios are just taking too much attention from the rest of the stock. For instance, I'm adding a Black Moscow guppy Thursday. Show grade. And I'm gonna order a pair of blood red swordtails off liveaquaria eventually. These are breathtaking fish, so I didn't want the danios flying around partaking in their nonsense. I want the focus on my showcase fish. There is virtually no activity at the bottom because the shrimp usually chill under the driftwood, so I just thought cories might be better. I love the albinos...also I figured I wouldn't have to vacuum so often with them in there.

 

[Dreadz]

I can't fault my cory's, the sand in my tank always looks spotless and they do entertain me chasing each other around. If you want some new additions to your clean up crew then you really can't beat cory's, but as someone said earlier they won't munch your algae.

 

[YaBuddyHuddie]

I don't really have an algae problem, I was just wondering what they'd do if I ever had an outbreak. Mollies love algae so she'll take care of some. Also after I get some amanos and stuff I feel like it'll be fine. I does with excel anyway, and it keeps the tank algae free. (so far)

 

[YaBuddyHuddie]

Oh and I have play sand substrate. Seems like a no brainier to get cories.

 

[Rivercats]

Still think it would be wise to stay with the smaller cories.

 

[YaBuddyHuddie]

Still think it would be wise to stay with the smaller cories.

Don't know what smaller cories there are.

 

[Rivercats]

Must have been on another thread... sorry. Panda cory's are a good choice. They are very active, not shy, and stay pretty small. My little group is constantly on the move foraging everywhere. My tank is 30" tall with plants that are that tall and it's not uncommon to see them up high in the plants checking each leaf for goodies. They work well in tanks with a smaller foot print. Plus you always have the option of pygmy or dwarf cory's.

 

[YaBuddyHuddie]

I'm just afraid I won't like the looks of them.

 

[Rivercats]

I'm just afraid I won't like the looks of them.

You won't know till you look. It's your tank and your decision but is it fair to add fish to a tank where they will be cramped for space due to their size? That is the question you need to ask yourself.

 

[hcourts]

I have four albino cories and they are all full grown at about an inch and a half. I also have four three lined cories and they are full grown and not as big. So specialty pets will give ya some store credit for the ones your taking in. They also have( or did have amano shrimp. I just got three Pygmy cories and they are pretty awsome!! Here are some pics of my cories...












I love these guys!! They are so active and they each rest with their respective counterparts!!