some stocking questions

[psariandras]

preparing to stock my 15 gallon tank(some plants with some rocks with caves)

1) will zebra danios, golden barbs and rosy tetras swim in the same schoal? will golden barbs or rosy tetras hurt inverts or ADFs?

2) turquoise rainbowfish questions
is it a messy fish?
is my 15 to small to keep 3 if I have a shoal of small fishes already?
Wil they eat shrimp or ADFs?

generally speaking, what would be an appropirate size for a shoal in my 15 gallon tank, I want to have zebra danios for sure, and either some tetras and/or golden barbs.

oh one more thing: my aquarium magazine says platies do well in hard water and does not mention adding salt, the LFS chains instruct adding salt to the water for platies. Do platies need salt?
thanks

[Dwarf Puffers]

1) will zebra danios, golden barbs and rosy tetras swim in the same schoal? will golden barbs or rosy tetras hurt inverts or ADFs?

I wouldn't suggest golden barbs, as they need large schools and get 3" or so long. The danios might pick at the ADFs.

2) turquoise rainbowfish questions
is it a messy fish?
is my 15 to small to keep 3 if I have a shoal of small fishes already?
Will they eat shrimp or ADFs?

I don't think you should put rainbows in a tank that small. Even dwarf rainbows, which grow to 2-2.5", are very, very active, and most of the others get from 4-6" long.
generally speaking, what would be an appropirate size for a shoal in my 15 gallon tank, I want to have zebra danios for sure, and either some tetras and/or golden barbs.

You can only have 1 school of mid-range swimmers in a tank that small. If you wanted the danios, you could have 6-8 of them, tetras, 8, white clouds, 6-8, cherry barbs, 6-8.

Oh one more thing: my aquarium magazine says platies do well in hard water and does not mention adding salt, the LFS chains instruct adding salt to the water for platies. Do platies need salt?
thanks

Platies don't need salt, and it is deffinately not good for them to have it. I would suggest you confirm info given by the LFS, and I deffinately wouldn't trust a chain's info without AC approval.

Hope I was helpful ;)

-DP

[severum mama]

I also don't think 15 gallon is large enough for turquoise rainbows. They grow to about 4 inches and are very active.

Gold barbs don't need a large school, but they will need a group of 6+ to be happy. That's not a great idea for a 15 gallon, I'm afraid. I'm not sure whether the danios will pick at ADFs, as I have never kept them together, but it is possible I'd say.

If I were you, I'd skip the ADFs, and go for a couple of platies and 6-8 danios. I think it will be fine stocking-wise, as long as you take it slow.

[Dwarf Puffers]

I've always thought of a 15g with 6-8 cherries and 2 red female bettas full of RCS, all that beautiful redness from a lot of cheap and personality-packed fish (and inverts) :drool:

[Nolapete]

1) no they won't swim together
golden barbs get too big
I have no clue what rosy tetras are...that's a first for me. Rosy barbs sure, but never heard of rosy tetras in 35 years.

2) turquoise rainbows get far to big 4-6" Praecox rainbows only get to be 2-2.5" and you could have 3 in a 15.

danios will not pick on ADFs

[Dwarf Puffers]

danios will not pick on ADFs

I'd still be careful. With the intelligance level of ADFs, they're begging to be sampled as food.

[Kyohti]

ROSY TETRA

Images: http://www.aqua-fish.net/imgs/fish/rosy-tetra-profile.jpg
http://article.discusnews.com/images/fresh-3.jpg
http://animal-world.com/encyclo/fresh/characins/images/BentosTetraWFCh_Ap4AT.jpg

Scientific Name: Hyphessobrycon rosaceus
Other Names: Rosey Tetra, Rose-tiped Tetra, Rosey Pink Tetra
Origin: Lower Amazon, Guyana and Brazil

Description: Rosey body with black, curving dorsal fin. ventral and pectoral fins are red with white tips and tail is transleucent with two red spots on the upper and lower lobes of the caudal (tail) fin. *** Ornate versions of this tetra feature either enlongated finnage or absence of black coloring (aka 'white-tipped' rosey tetra).
Maximum Size: Up to 4cm / 1.75 inches
Temperament: Peaceful
Care: Conditions (pH 6.0-7.5), the temperature should be 24.5-26.5 C / 76-80 F.
Environment: Planted aquariums preferred with driftwood, rocks, and open swimming space.
Feeding: The usual flakes which can be supplemented with, Tubifex worms, water fleas and blood worms.

Breeding: Moderately difficult. Needs higher temps to breed.
Sexing: The males have longer finnage and risher colors.
Comments: Active schooling species that likes open swimming areas, ideal for the community with nice colouration. Very peaceful fish and not aggressive.

Information Links: http://www.popular-freshwater-tropical-fish.com/fish/hyphessobrycon_rosaceus.htm
http://www.fishforever.co.uk/rosytetra.html
http://www.aqua-fish.net/show.php?what=fish&cur_lang=2&id=158
http://www.fishbase.org/Summary/SpeciesSummary.php?id=12383

~~~~~~~~~~~~

:dance2: This has been another installment of 'Kyo has too much time on her hands'... :dance2:

[jm1212]

theres a link in my sig with some stokcing ideas. the 10 gallon ideas can be expanded to fit the needs of the 15 gallon, or the 20 gallon ideas can be downsized to meet the needs of a 15 gallon

[psariandras]

thanks for the replies, the info is a great help. I have some new questions based on the responses.

are their a type of tetra that I could add that would swim with the danios? If not maybe I could have a another shoal of tetras(one of the ones that grow only to 1 1/2 inches).


If it is not possible to have a shoal of danios and tetras or have one school of both, I think I will have danios and platies.

I almost forgot I am going to have a few snails, so I need fish that won't be chomping on my snails. I was planning on adding ghost shrimp or cherry shrimp too.(I have some nice caves and wanted something that will hide and hang out in the caves) IF I could have shrimp or frogs I could do without the other.
Thanks again for the help. :)

[Dwarf Puffers]

The frogs usually need to be hand fed frozen bloodworms, IME. My ghosties are amazing, they'll swim to the surface and grab bloodworms and flakes...

If you ordered from www.Franksaquarium.com or whatever it's called, you could get sparkle-eye white clouds (similar to danios) and a kind of dwarf tetra or rasbora :)

And srry, no you can't have more than 1 school of fish in there, unless they're 2 tiny fish species, and no, danios only school with danios.

[jm1212]

a 20 gallon long is a good place to start with danios because they are so hyperactive.

[psariandras]

I think I will try to find some other danios so they will swim in the same school. maybe some turquoise danios or a glowlight danios that would be great if they will swim together. I would probably just choose danios if they all swim in one school.
I guess it would be nice to have one or two other fish for variety if the school is not to large. I like this fish for this purpose:
http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_Display.cfm?pCatId=901

[Dwarf Puffers]

I don't think zebras and spotteds would school with "Glo-Fish", y'know, with the mutationous color that was added while they were in an egg, and are now a sickly green, pink, or orange color...

[jm1212]

I think I will try to find some other danios so they will swim in the same school. maybe some turquoise danios or a glowlight danios that would be great if they will swim together. I would probably just choose danios if they all swim in one school.
I guess it would be nice to have one or two other fish for variety if the school is not to large. I like this fish for this purpose:
http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_Display.cfm?pCatId=901
you'll need to get danios of the same species

[psariandras]

okay. I was not sure if danos would swim together or if they had to be the same type of danio, are all other FW fish generally the same in this manner?

[jm1212]

if they are schoolers, yes.

not all FW fish are schooling fish. in fact, some will not toperate the presence of another of their species in the same tank