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Hello all,

I am putting the finishing touches on my 20 gal high tank (I want bigger but that is the max my apartment complex will allow on the 2nd floor). I am using an Emperor 280 for filtration.

I would like to do 6 cardinal, 6 Lemon and 2-3 cory cats.

I know this number should be safe but could I get away with 8 of each tetra? I want them to be happy.

Thanks
Kyle

Can't see any immediate reason why not. And, I've had Cardinals and Lemons together for something like 7, maybe 8 years now. A nice combination.

Be advised that your Lemons are a good deal more perky and boisterous than your Cardinals. Your Cardinals will, by comparison, seem pretty lacklustre in personality terms, simply because the Lemons are so vivacious. But, they'll complement each other nicely, and if you have decent amounts of space for them, two shoals of 8 each should work fine. And, you'l be able to integrate any of dozens of Corydoras species with them. My Cardinals and Lemons occupy the now infamous Panda Fun Palace™, and the resulting spectacle is a joy to behold.

If you decide to copy my Panda Fun Palace™, be advised that scrupulous attention to water changes and gravel vacs will be much more important with these than with more domesticated Corydoras species. If you have a rounded gravel substrate, and NOT sand (because Cory_Di has had bad issues with sand and some Corydoras species) then a nice small one to look out for would be Corydoras habrosus if you can find it. Remember that the smaller Corys need to shoal almost as much as your Characins, and should therefore be in groups. With a species as small as habrosus, you could theoretically integrate six. The resulting display will be pretty impressive once it's finished!

Oh, and remember also to try and arrange your decor to provide plant thickets interspersed with open swimming space. If you can get some suitably shaped bogwood pieces, and create arches and caves, drape some Java Ferns amd Java Moss over them as I've done in the Panda Fun Palace™, and not only will all your fishes be happy because they have nice, well planted and carefully planned surroundings, but the Lemons, when they mature, will probably spawn in your Java Moss for you!


Last edited by Calilasseia at 04-Mar-2005 12:55

Panda Catfish fan and keeper/breeder since Christmas 2002

Yup, you can certainly go with eight of each tetra. I keep cardinal and lemon tetras together, with no problems at all. Since the fish aren't similarly shaped, they leave each other alone all of the time.
Cal is right in that the cardinals will seem tame alongside the lemon tetras, lemons are so much more boisterous. The lemons tetras might start to hog all the food, so you do need to make sure that your cardinals get enough.

Are the tetras and cories the only fish you plan to keep in there? If so, I'd have about six cories, instead of two-three. Cories definitely should be kept in shoals of at least six as previously stated, and will be much healthier that way. They are very active, social fish, and like their company!

---

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

Bump up the Tetra's to 8 each & also make the Corydoras a school of 6.



http://uk.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/s8xi5heh/album?.dir=b5f2

http://www.deathbydyeing.org/


http://www.flickr.com/photos/corydoras/
Member of the Malta Aquarist Society - 1970.
http://www.maltaaquarist.com

Thanks guys,

22 fish in a 20 high. That sounds crowded.

With regular water changes & gravel cleaning, it should be fine.




http://uk.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/s8xi5heh/album?.dir=b5f2

http://www.deathbydyeing.org/




http://www.flickr.com/photos/corydoras/
Member of the Malta Aquarist Society - 1970.
http://www.maltaaquarist.com

That's true, it does sound a little crowded. However, tetras and Corydoras catfish put out very little waste, and don't weigh as heavily on the bioload as most other fish do. Therefore, you can have more of these little fish per tank. As long as you keep doing weekly water changes and vacuum the tank's substrate, you shouldn't have any problems.

Though I forgot to say it before, welcome to the site!

---

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

Yes, a welcome from me is also overdue! Join the happy throng and hopefully, you'll enjoy happy fishkeeping! You'll find a fair brace of knowledgeable people here, who have kept a range of species from the simple ones such as Black Widow Tetras, Gymnocorymbus ternetzi, to challenging species such as Discus and Chocolate Gouramis.

Panda Catfish fan and keeper/breeder since Christmas 2002

Thanks for the info guys.