Hypothetical situation but one which is floating around my head as a possibility, so I'd appreciate your thoughts on it.
Tank is 54 litres but, taking into account the slightly lower waterline (minimises the risk of fish jumping out) and decor, is probably more like 45 litres of water. It has 2 filters in it, and pre- water change readings are consistently 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite, 20/25 nitrates.
Currently 5 x-ray tetras (2 females, 3 males) and 6 harlequins (can't make up my mind on the sexing - the shape of the wedge doesn't seem to tally up with the body shape but there are 4 large and 2 smaller ones).
As you know, I've toyed back and forth about whether to fit more fish in (but this doesn't seem do-able without overstocking) or whether to wait until nature takes its course and then get a new species (cherry barbs or cardinal tetras being the most likely - I'd err on the former; Mr FCMF prefers the latter).
Another option which has been playing on my mind is whether I should increase the shoal sizes, in particular to add more female x-ray tetras to calm the males down from chasing the females and to give the females some breathing space (and the injured one an opportunity to heal). If so, my options would be:
* add 2 female tetras (one on its own in a QT for a month would probably stress it out, and I wouldn't do any less than a month's quarantine after Sue's experience with import whitespot and Fiona's experience with whitespot setting in near the 3-week point) - 85% stocking according to the CC
* add 2 female tetras and 2 harlequins (as the harlequins might feel better in larger numbers .v. the boisterous x-ray tetras who tend to take over the tank with their chasing antics in the mornings; also, the small harlequins might give the 2 existing small harlequins some similar sized company, and presumably one on its own with 2 tetras in the QT wouldn't be a wise idea) - 96% stocking according to the CC
Thoughts welcome on each of the above two possibilities - or indeed anything else which I may not have thought of; thanks.