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Subscribe10g to 60g!
Potto09
Small Fry
Posts: 4
Kudos: 5
Votes: 0
Registered: 06-Aug-2011
male
Hi. I'm not an expert of Aquariums but I do have a small ten gallon. It currently has toooooo many fish and I've decided to ditch the "small desk corner" tank to a full 60gallon tank. My current residents are:

1 Pleco, about 4inches
5 Green Corys
7 Zebra danios
3 Neon Tetras(had more but they died)
4 Mollies(adults) + ~10 fry

So My question is, How many fish is too many for a 60 gallon. I know I want a large variety in my tank but I also want the specific species to have the appropriate numbers. I was thinking of changing my numbers to this:

1 Pleco
10 Green Corys
10 Zebra Danios
15 Neon Tetras
7-10 Mollies (ALL FEMALES!)

Is that about my limit? I want tiger barbs or Angels but I can assume there will be problems and fins will be nipped, and do you think a Redtail Black Shark is out of the question? Also maybe Ghost shrimp to help with cleanup? I'm a notorious overfeeder.

Also, I was definatly wanting REAL plants in my 60gal. I currently have small sized gravel in my 10gal aquarium. is Rocks or sand better for plants. Also, when I vaccumm, how to I avoid uprooting my plants?

Thanks for your responses up front. I know I asked a lot of questions..
Post InfoPosted 07-Aug-2011 01:45Profile PM Edit Report 
Babelfish
 
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Small Fry with Ketchup
Posts: 6833
Kudos: 8324
Votes: 1570
Registered: 17-Apr-2003
female australia us-maryland
With that stock list you really do need to upgrade so congrats on the 60!

Your suggested stocking list is good, 10 green corys is a lot considering they're some of the biggest corys out there. I would say 8 would be better sized, 10 will be pushing it. The pleco and corys are your bottom feeders you won't need ghost shrimp for pickup (they'd be turned into dinner anyway). Measure the food into a small measuring cup or other clear container then put it into the tank, never dump straight from the container into the tank.

I wouldn't add anything else. Tiger barbs would be a bad idea, the neons and mollies would get harassed too much, they might go after the corys too. Angels can be nippy and bossy as well, they'd also turn the neons into lunch (that's their main food source in the wild).

If you want a one large fish, you can keep the danio numbers where they are at. Danios are shoalers rather than schoolers meaning they like to be with their own but they won't freak out and die if not kept in a big school. Corys are the similar, some will be willing to spread out around the tank, other corys will keep to their schools tightly. If you want to increase your neons to have a full sized school of them the 15 is good. You could also go with a larger tetra like the congo tetra, and just fill in the neon school to 6-8. Congos are large and really active and fun to watch and shouldn't pick on the neons, though depending on the temperament of your danios they may get their fins nipped a bit

There are some who are big fans of sand for plants, I am not one of them. Sand is hard to clean, will destroy your filters, and can compact enough to not only kill the plants by crushing the roots but also the fish by trapping anerobic gas in little pockets that bubble up and kill the fish. I had sand once and had no end of trouble with it.

Best is to get a plant substrate if you're planning on serious plants (lots of light and CO2 injections). If you just want some easy live plants any small gravel is fine. A few big pieces of driftwood with some java fern and anubis tied to them (they don't like to be planted) is an easy low light (under 2watts per gallon, so in your case less than 120 watts of fluorescent light) solution.

It's good you're doing your research Upgrading your tank will make your current fish a lot happier.

^_^

Post InfoPosted 07-Aug-2011 05:43Profile Homepage AIM MSN PM Edit Delete Report 
Potto09
Small Fry
Posts: 4
Kudos: 5
Votes: 0
Registered: 06-Aug-2011
male
Alright, so Tiger Barbs and Angels are out. I forgot to mention that this is also my girlfriend's aquarium as well, and SHEs the one that wants the tiger barbs. But at the end of the day I decide what's going in the tank

What if I keep the Corys at their current number and got Clown Loaches. He likes the pattern the Tiger Barbs have and I know she'll be satisfied with 3-4 Clown Loaches. I've read up on them and they're very peaceful, but im scared because it says the dont have scales? Does that make them easier to other fish to injure them?

I'll look into the Congos! My LFS is a real DUMP so I have to drive an hour to the nearest GOOD Fish shop, so I try to find the fish I like online before planning a trip. I believe they sell good driftwood too, but what is "Plant substrate?"

Right now i'm looking at
1 Pleco
5 Green Corys
6 Zebra Danios (one just died)
4 Mollies
15 Neon Tetras
3 Clown Loaches

I think im maxed after I add the Congos?
Post InfoPosted 07-Aug-2011 16:15Profile PM Edit Delete Report 
Babelfish
 
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Small Fry with Ketchup
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Registered: 17-Apr-2003
female australia us-maryland
I'm hesitant to suggest clown loaches for a 60, they really need a 125 as a minimum, they're very active fish, and they get large. If you're interested in loaches Yoyo loaches have a very interesting pattern, not the black and orange that the other half likes from tiger barbs but it's still a nice pattern. Check them out in the profiles section.

Since this is an additional tank, you could leave the neons and mollies in the smaller tank. The pleco and the corys really do need a larger tank so they should move to the 60. Zebra danios are fast and active so they should also move over to the 60. If you do want TBs still you may be able to with the danios. Make sure you get a large enough school of them, at least 10. They will be your main centerpiece of the tank. Do NOT buy 3 'albino' and 3 regular and 3 'green' ones as I saw someone do. Make sure they are all regular normal healthy active tiger barbs. Fish use color and pattern to determine schooling and if you mix regular and albino with green they will nip each others insides out (yes, I've seen it happen it's not pretty!)

Judging by your post in hospital about the fish you purchased from the LFS I'd highly suggest looking for another store. I've lived in areas where there were plenty of LFS and chain stores in the area but I chose to drive 90 to the good ones. Purchasing ill and diseased fish, or from stores that have ich or dying fish in some or all of their tanks is not good (seen them do it, walked out disgusted).

Plant substrates are ones designed specifically for plants. Unless you're really planning on going full planted with CO2 and lots of lights it's not really needed, and can be rather expensive. Shultz's Aquatic Plant Soil can be a cheaper alternative. Should be found easily in any hardware or gardening store that sells pond supplies. Your LFS will likely have eco-complete and other aquarium geared ones but they're pretty pricy. Normal pea gravel works fine though. You want it small but not too small, sand grain size compacts way too much.

Good luck! If you are planning on purchasing a lot of gravel Id' say call and ask beforehand since it's a long drive. You can ask first if they have it in stock, how many bags ect, and then follow up by asking what their price is and if they do bulk discounts. Not sure the dimensions of your tank but you can use this calculator to find out how much you'd need. Select 'small diameter rocks' from the dropdown.


^_^

Post InfoPosted 08-Aug-2011 00:39Profile Homepage AIM MSN PM Edit Delete Report 
DeletedPosted 08-Aug-2011 00:39
This post has been deleted
Potto09
Small Fry
Posts: 4
Kudos: 5
Votes: 0
Registered: 06-Aug-2011
male
I really appreciate all of your advice
Post InfoPosted 09-Aug-2011 03:34Profile PM Edit Delete Report 
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