Tropical Fish Forum

Tropical Fish Keeping Help and Advice => General Fishkeeping advice => Topic started by: heather62 on May 08, 2018, 02:58:57 PM

Title: Stocking questions about my 64 litre interpet aquarium
Post by: heather62 on May 08, 2018, 02:58:57 PM
Hi guys,
I'm looking to pick your knowledgeable brains again! I have a few questions (that may be a bit silly sorry!)
64 litre interpet aquarium, 64 cm long, soft water area.

I've had my tank for 18 months, but have had to move it twice in that time due to a drawn out house move. When I moved to the new house I bought a slighter bigger tank. With your previous advice I set the new tank up with live plants and left it for a few weeks, then transferred the fish across with the old filter media. The fish have been in for 4-5 weeks now and water quality seems good and steady. Due to the move I haven't restocked so am very light (2 slender rasbora and 1 false julli Cory, all of which I have had since the beginning). The Cory is doing well, but the 2 rasbora not so much..... I just don't think they have dealt with the moving very well.

Going into the future, I think I would eventually like to try having 2 electric blue rams, although they will be the last thing I stock wanting to establish the tank as much as possible first.
I feel now is the time to start restocking my tank slowly.

Questions !!:

1. I'd like to get some friends for the Cory. Can I have different types of Cory, or is it best to have the same type? I wasn't sure on their social behaviour when it comes to mixing types, e.g. False julli, panda, albino etc.

2. I would like to have some tetra as a shoaling fish rather than the rasbora. My problem is I feel a bit sorry for the 2 I have there at the moment. They are fluctuating in colour, are skinny and hide all the time. They never used to be like this. My water quality and temperature are all ok. I have been keeping the lights off and they are in a very quiet room. I'm not sure if adding more rasbora to form a shoal would help? But then I will be in a rasbora cycle rather than being able to have some tetra.  !Or are they just older and been through a rough time? Would adding a shoal of another type of fish help? Any opinions or advice on this would be appreciated.
If tetra is a possibility, which type would you recommend to be with rams in the future?

Thanks for any advice!
Title: Re: A few questions!
Post by: Sue on May 08, 2018, 03:21:24 PM
It is better to have all the same species of cory. Different species will shoal together to some extent, but out of necessity. They do better with others of the same species.

I have Espe's rasboras which are related to harlequins. I found that mine were not happy without a cover on top of the water in the shape of floating plants. How does the new tank compare to the old in terms of light intensity, and also plants on the surface?
If they are stressed by too much light, adding more won't help. But if they are just stressed by there not being enough of them, than adding more would help.

Depending on how big the new tank is, you could always get more cories and harlequins, and a shoal of tetras. There are just so many tetras to choose from, it's hard to suggest a species.



When you are ready to buy rams, you need to buy a bonded pair not just a male and a female. They are picky about partners. The way to buy them is to stand quietly in front of the shop tank until the fish forget you are there - this will take up to half an hour. Now watch the fish. Males will be displaying to each other and pushing at each other. Females just get on with life. If a male allows a female to stay near him, they are more likely to be a bonded pair - get them. It also helps to take someone with you to go for a sales person while you keep your eyes on your chosen fish.
Title: Re: A few questions!
Post by: Matt on May 08, 2018, 11:30:15 PM
Not much to add here though if you are feeling limited for space but want a schoaling species perhaps look at 2cm fish such as the chilli raabora, celestial pearl danio, or ember tetra for example.

I would agree that adding more harlequins might help, I suppose the real question is whether you want to keep these fish long term?
Title: Re: A few questions!
Post by: heather62 on May 09, 2018, 09:54:40 AM
Thanks for the great advice.
The tank is 64 litres, so not all that big.
The rasbora have never had any floating plants, and I would say they are in a much quieter area and I have more or less constantly had the lights off because of their behaviour.
I will get some floating plants and probably some other tall plants to provide more cover and see how they are with that. If no improvement I'll get a few more and see if that helps.
Good advice with rams  :cheers:
Title: Re: A few questions!
Post by: Sue on May 09, 2018, 10:01:29 AM
When I got my espe's rasboras I did not have any floating plants and the fish just huddled together in the back corner. After reading that they appreciate cover, I got some water sprite. As the plants covered more of the surface, they ventured further and further from the corner but only to the edge of the plants.

I would not recommend water sprite for a 64 litre tank as it grows quite big but there are smaller floating plants, starting as small as duckweed. I find that hornwort also works well as a floating plants and I've read that Brazilian pennywort can be used that way as well.
Title: Re: Stocking questions about my 64 litre interpet aquarium
Post by: Matt on May 10, 2018, 07:00:59 AM
Brazilian pennywort makes a great floating plant!

By the way, I forgot to mention before that I have the same tank as you!!
Title: Re: Stocking questions about my 64 litre interpet aquarium
Post by: heather62 on May 11, 2018, 01:16:27 PM
Thank you!
I went out to get some floating plants but apart from salvinia I couldn't find any of the recommended plants (I'll have to buy online). Instead I got a large plastic plant and a floating Lilly thing I found in pets at home just to see if it helped. Is made a massive difference already! I can actually see fish in my tank now  :rotfl: and they ate pellets for the first time (that I've seen) in a few weeks, plus their colour is much better over the last 48 hours.
Will definitely try some pennywort!
i went to about 5 fish shops and no one have false julii cories so will have to wait to stock!

Out of interest Matt, what have you got stocked in your tank?
Title: Re: Stocking questions about my 64 litre interpet aquarium
Post by: Matt on May 12, 2018, 06:39:39 AM
Take a look at my signature at the bottom of this post  :cheers:

When this was my only tank, I used to have 2 rams, 4 harlequin tetra, 4 cardinal tetra, 6 celestial pearl danios, 2 false julii corys, 2 otocinclus

Must admit over the last month the celestial pearl danios have been dropping like flies. I'm down to about 4 now. I think the ones I transferred from my old tank have simply reached old age, the new ones I added when I set this tank up were clearly a bad batch, they have had multiple different illnesses from ulcers to fungal infections which none of the other fish in the tank have picked up.  :(