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Hello!

I am currently in the process of cycling my brand new 16 gallon aquarium (see pic below). Equipment: Eheim 2213 filter (so quite strong for 16 gallon). I plan to plant the aquarium quite heavily, and to create many hiding spots.

Regarding the future inhabitants, I realize that fish enjoy being in large groups, but its so darn hard to resist the temptation of getting different types of fish! do you guys think this combination is ok: ? ()

- 8 neons
- 2 or 4 tiger barbs
- 1 small red-tail black shark
- 1 small green/yellow puffer fish (that is currently in a big aquarium at the pet store, full of tetras and barbs - the store owner told me they are quite gentle with the rest of the fish)
- 1 or 2 small kuhli loaches
- 1 algae eater, like a pleco
- 2 (male/female) small/peaceful/hardy kind of cichlids (any suggestions??)

Thanks!!

hi,
red tail shark and pleco will quickly outgrow the tank. Leave the cichlids out of the list. I think you should get one small (4 to 6) school of either neons or barbs and some ottos. Not sure about the puffer though.

Hi twinturbo11,

I did the mistake of adding 4 tiger barbs to my tank a month ago. They continually picked on the little one and caused damage in just a few days. 2 or 4 is not enough to curb their, lets call it assertive, nature. They are very hierarchical and need to live in a larger school. I'd say 6 is the minimum number. I tried five and that didn't work out. I now have seven and they have formed a solid little community with diffused pecking throughout. They are beautiful to watch since they school and swim together. However, in your small tank, getting 6 or 7 tiger barbs will limit your choice of other fish. How 'bout 2 or three small gouramis?

Daphnis

If I were you I would stock your tank with this:
8 Neons
Pair of Dwarf Cichlids
4 kuhli loaches

It is better to start out with a smaller stock list and get used to your bioload on the tank before adding more fish than this. The tiger barbs need a large school and a large tank and are very nippy. The red tail black shark will be too aggressive and get too large for your tank. I wouldn't get an algae eater unless you have algae problems first, and if you do make sure you get otos or a very small pleco. As for the puffer it is better to leave him out of this tank as you don't know the species and with this stocking list the tank is already well stocked.

Some dwarf Cichlids to check out would be:
Bolivion rams
Blue rams
The apistogramma genus
Keyhole cichlids
make sure to stay away from african or aggressive cichlids

Well, the list as you have it is overstocked.

Kuhlis, like other loaches, prefer to have company of their own kind and are more active when kept in groups.

Tiger barbs are less nippy when kept in larger schools and I personally would keep them in a larger tank.

I wouldn't take a chance with the puffer either. Do you know exactly what species it is? Some are brackish but can adapt for freshwater; they often don't thrive under those conditions.

I had a RTBS that was relatively peaceful but my son just bought a small/young one that goes after every fish in his 20g.





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There is water at the bottom of the ocean

In a tank that size it is best to stick to fish that stay under two inches, preferably a single species:
Glow lights
harleys
pristellas
lemons
cardinals (neons are often sickly and die of)
cherry barbs
You can have a showcase fish like one dwarf gourami or a male / or female/ betta. An otto or two would also, be OK.
The puffers would be ok, if kept in a single species only tank (if you add nothing else) because they are aggressive to other fish, need salt, and need snails (to eat) to keep their teeth worn down. There are several species and I do not know what your LFS is selling. They do not belong in a community tank.
Stay away from fish labeled as algae eaters, unless they are ottos. A store here in NC, is selling Chinese algae eaters as ottos, so watch out.... they are not the same.
The gold or Chinese algae eaters get huge and will go after your othe fish.
The smaller cichlids Ethen 14, mentioned would be ok, but you would most likely be over stocked.
I hope this helps.

I say go all south east asian with

white clouds(long finned if you can get them)
harlequin rasboras(love them harleys)
kuhli loaches

and them you can add shrimp and snails to add variety, some amanos and cherry shrimp maybe add some trumpet snails.

A 16 gall isnt enough space. I think that you should go for cardinals as well, especially in a community tank. I would do this:

6-8 Cardinals
2 Cherry Barbs
3 Kuhli Loaches
3 Ottos (if you have alge)

Inky

You have a few suggestions for fish above, so I won't confuse you any more. But, I would suggest you wait until the tank is cycled before adding the Neons. Also, a 2213 (440l/h) is going to create a whirlpool. Go with something smaller.....way smaller.

Good Luck,
Patrick



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Just one more tank........

its strange, i was also expecting the eheim 2213 filter to be too strong for my aquarium (it was the smallest my shop had to offer me) - but it doesnt seem to be too strong at all at the end... when i follow a floating piece in the aquarium, it doesnt move that fast... what is kind of annoying is my air pump, i feel like its too violent for my aquarium... i dont think it will scare the fish, but maybe the area that it covers will surely be wasted as no fish will get close to there....

You can try putting a valve in the air line between the pump and the air stone. Shouldn't cost too much and it will allow you to control the strength of the flow.

Be very careful about putting fish that will become large in your tank. I did that with my shark and he outgrew the tank very quickly. Fish that become too large for their environment came become stunted and have shorter lives. In the case of the sharks, I have also seen that they will become frantic to have somewhere to swim and smash their noses up against the side of the tank. Not good.

I have glowlight tetras and I really like them. They will have beautiful coloration once you get them home and settled. Neons are not very hardy IMO. I also have had diamond tetras in the past. They are very beautiful, but sensitive to water quality. They are also very peaceful and easily picked on. Do not keep them with tiger barbs. I tried to keep them with serpaes and it didn't work out. In fact, tiger barbs are so active and fiesty I wouldn't keep them with any peaceful tetras.

- Meow -

Your list is way overstocked as it is, but lets tackle the air first. take it out, with the powerful filter you have you really shouldn't need it. The turbulence from the filter will add enough oxygen to the water.
I don't know what your lfs is selling, but puffers are aggressive and will continuously nip at your other fish. Also, only the dwarf puffer is fresh water the rest require some salt, and if it isn't a dp then it will get large and chomp everything else to shreds.
Go with a nice pair of ottos, remember a common pleco will get very large, around 18" or more but there are a few species that stay small.
If you go with neons, add them last as they are not that hardy at all and probably won't survive a cycling tank, I'd go with cardinals, but still add last.
The rtbs may look cool but they will grow fast and somewhat large for a 16. Too large.
As was mentioned before I'd stay away from cichlids as some can become very large and very aggressive. A nice pair of dwarf gouramis would add color and size and they are ideal community fish. Be careful though as they don't fare too well in smaller tanks and DO REQUIRE pristine water conditions. ALso add these after the tank is cycled. Not the hardiest of species, they are e to all sorts of maladies preventable by a very strict water changing/gravel vacuuming schedule. Once the tank is cycled I'd recommend 3 gallons twice a week.
Be careful with the khulis, they like to burrow so a nice soft small substrate would be best and cover the inlet of the filter because they will find their way into it.
I think I'd stick with a nice school of cards, or even harlies (a colorful, yet quite hardy species), the khulies and a nice pair of ottos. Good luck with your new tank.

I agree with what divertran said, however I'd say either get the khulis or the ottos, both like to be in schools and you don't have room for both.

thanks so much all - i really appreciate your advice!

Divertran: regarding my filter, you know how there is two ends : (1) a tube that sucks water out of my tank and (2) a tube with 6 holes that spit the water back into the tank. In the picture on the box and in the manual, it says to stick the (2) tube outside of the tank and let the water fall into the tank. But I found that the filter water hitting the tank water to be too noisy (i like my aquarium quiet) and so I put the (2) tube inside the water. Is that ok? does that mean the water is not getting oxyginated? does that mean that i cannot turn off my air pump? Thanks for your help

I'm with you twin, I like my tanks quiet !

The easiest way to tell if your tank is oxygenated enough is to have a peek at the fish first thing in the morning. If you get it before the tank lights come on even better, especially for tanks that have live plants.
If the fish seem to be gasping for breath at the surface or gulping for air then you know there isnt enough oxygen dissolved into the water.
It's best to check first thing in the morning as that's when the tank has been the longest without any added oxygenation from any plants that might be in the tank.

If there's any type of surface agitation you'll be getting some oxygenation. I have my outflow set so that it's just at the edge of the water line so it ripples up a bit.

^_^

Barbs I have never kept.

Puffer I suspect will need special water conditions.

Tank that size if you want little neons and another bigger fish why not put a betta with it. Can get it in blue or red to bring out the colour of the neons. Nice combo

Neons will school and the betta will be a showfish

Neons are often kept with bettas in lfs showtanks but the betta experts will tell us if this is too dangerous. Wouldn't want betta to get fins nipped.

I am sorry but I am not a fan of trying to do too much in the one (small) tank. If there are species you want to keep set them up in their own tanks (if money, time for maintenance and space in your home/room allows for it).... if not then you will just have to choose.... *sigh* curse of all aquarists. Having to choose between so many faves....

Good luck with whatever you decide.

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~~~ My fish blow kisses at me all day long ~~~

Neons do school and they are kept with bettas but my experience is they often die. They don't nip at the fins though. Good fish to keep with bettas but aren't very hardy. And it is sad to see them go belly up...

OK, about water oxygenation... People tend to think that an air pump and airstones will put oxygen into the water. It won't. When the bubbles burst at the tank's top as they reach the top there is an air exchange that puts the oxygen into the water. It will also get in with the water still, but much more efficiently when there is a disturbance at the surface(a much thinner layer of water for the air to penetrate). Any agitation at the surface will increase the air exchange. The best way to check, as Babel added before, is just to look at your fish. Do they seem to hanging out near the top? gasping for air? If so you need more oxygen in the water but if they seem to be acting normally then there is probably enough oxygen in the water.