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As you might know I have a 30 gallon tank setup. At the moment I have:
2 pearl gouramis-female
4 pristella tetras
3 schwartzi corys
5 panda corys
2 bristle nose
I will be adding a school of 6 tetras. Firstly I wanted rummy nose, then black neons. Today I saw some Cochus Blue Tetras at my LFS and thought they were magnificent! I need some information on these, and wheither you think Black Neons or Cochus would be better for my tank?

Please do not tell me my tank is overstocked if you are thinking of. I do weekly water changes and I have a 2213 Classic Eheim cannister filter.

Last edited by labrakitty at 30-Apr-2005 01:33

You're overstocked.

And... I'd go with more pristella tetras and cories instead, if you add anything. Most people here wisely recommend keeping schooling and shoaling fish (tetras and cories included) in groups of at least six, so I think you should run with that. They will be happier, less susceptible to disease, and more active. Besides, adding a few tetras and cories will have less effect on a tank's bioload than another school of tetras will.

Let me at least dissuade you from getting the Cochu's blue tetras. I love these little things, they're very colorful and boisterous, as I'm sure you saw. However, they aren't great schooling fish when you take them home. They seem to have more fun chasing other tetras and each other than being well-mannered schoolers. A single blue tetra in my tank harassed my seven lemons constantly, and stressed them out a good deal. I personally won't put blue tetras with other tetras again, at least not until I buy a larger tank. These are some of the only anti-social Characins out there, as I found out. You don't need to make the same mistake that I did.

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And when he gets to Heaven, to Saint Peter he will tell: "One more Marine reporting, Sir! I've served my time in Hell."

You can add more Corydoras & more Tetra's to make them good schools. More that thet, don't add anything, as you're already overstocked.



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I would really get more pristellas.I have 10 in a 29 and they are great fish with little impact on the bio-load.They do school really nicely.

If I am overstocked,then why are all my fish very brightly coloured and active? When I got the Pristella tetras, their tails were clear, now they are turning a deep reddish colour. Probably from the bloodworms I feed them.

My gouramis have become a lot more peaceful and do not chase each other any more AT ALL. There has been no disease and NO deaths. The corys are very happy, as they are surfing the bubble wall and playing with the tetras.

Nitrates are zero when before i do a water change. I sometimes do it every 2 weeks instead of every week. No complaints from anyone about this, and nitrates are still zero even at 2 weeks without a water change.

The pristellas seem happy as they school and play chasey with the corys.

My Ph and GH are stable at 6.8 and 6dGH.

Why is my tank overstocked?

It would be because your fish aren't full grown. A 40 gallon with a 2" oscar is overstocked, even though the oscar's a baby, because we all know he'll outgrow the tank. Same deal with other species.

-Molly
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labrakitty your fish are still growing, and if you want them to be their happiest and healthiest then you will take everyone's advice and not add anything else, because you are overstocked...even doing weekly water changes, and having good filtration won't make the tank any better. what we are thinking is how big the fish will get in proper conditions and tank size...just because we can fit say 100 neon tetras into a 10 gallon, and we have wonderful filtration, along with water changes to keep up with the waste doesn't mean that they will remain healthy for long term. And by long term we are talking about several years down the road, not just next month...heidi

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40 gallon with 2 2" oscars is overstocked. Because the oscars are going to grow to 12"+. My fish are only going to get to 5-6cm. Except for the gouramis which will get to around 5". They are already 4" and fine.

Some one suggested making the tetras and corys complete schools. That would be addin 2 more pristella tetras, and 4 more corys. This is 6 small fish. This would be the same as adding 6 black neon tetras. (Been talked out of the Cuchus by Sirbooks)

I do not undestand why you tell me to do something,and say it is ok. Then when i suggest something the same, and you say it isn't ok.

Okey-doke. The main reason that you're overstocked is those two bristlenose plecos. They typically grow to 11-12 cm, and put out huge amounts of waste. I'm sure that by now you've seen pleco poop, and you'll be seeing lots of it in the future. Two fully-grown bristlenose plecs can put a big toll on a tank's bioload, especially a small one like yours. We aren't trying to be harsh, we just want your tank to be successful long-term.

Adding two pristellas and four cories would not be the same as adding six black neons. As I already explained, social fish like cories and tetras are happier the larger their school/shoal is. If you think your fish are happy and active now, they'll be even more so in greater numbers. Again, not trying to be down on you, but we want you and your fish to be happy in the long run.

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And when he gets to Heaven, to Saint Peter he will tell: "One more Marine reporting, Sir! I've served my time in Hell."