Stocking/Planting your new Tank

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Dwarf Puffers

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Dec 11, 2006
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Ok, I think I'll try my hand at a sticky. Seeing as so many people are always asking how to stock small tanks, and there is only 1 article about it that doesn't give as many suggestions as I'd like, I'll spend a good half hour coming up with stocking plans. I'll also mention a few plants.

Hardy Fish Stocking:

These tanks are for the beginner who wants attractive, hardy fish, that will accept a few mistakes, and that are commonly replaceable if something goes wrong.

5g set-ups:

1 Male Betta, 5 Ghost Shrimp -This is a very common stocking plan. Sometimes, the betta will eat the ghost shrimp. If he does, you don't have to worry, because he is getting a nutricious meal, and the ghost shrimp arn't a huge loss at 10 cents to a dollar each. This set-up should have at least a minimal amount of cover for the shrimps. Not for the nervous beginner.

Male bettas grow around 2.5", ghost shrimp 1.5"

2 Female Bettas, 5 Ghost Shrimp -This set-up is deffinately less risky than with the larger and more agressive Male Betta, although there are rare cases of female bettas eating ghost shrimp aswell. It should have at least minimal cover for the shrimp and bettas to hide.

Female bettas typically grow to 2" long, ghost shrimp 1.5"

3 Endler's Livebearers/Male Guppies, 5 Ghost Shrimp -This stocking plan involves no risks for the shrimp, and very colorful fish. The only problem that may arise is that the endlers may breed. This can be solved by either getting all males or bringing the babies to the LFS, which will usually be more than happy to have some free merchandise. It's always good to check first though. The ghost shrimp will probably eat some of the fry.

Endlers/Male Guppies tend to grow to 1.5" lengthwise, ghost shrimp 1.5"

2 Dwarf Platies, 5 Ghost Shrimp -This is a colorful, effective way to stock a 5g, and has no more risk to the shrimp than with the above list. If you happen to get a male and female, you can always bring the babies to your LFS, but check first. The ghosties may take care of a few for you.

Dwarf Platies tend to grow to a length of 1.5-2", ghost shrimp 1.5"

2 ADFs, 2 Endlers -This stocking plan will be trickier for some, but is still good for beginners.The LFS should take any babies, but always make sure beforehand. Do not mistake ADFs for ACF, which grow 5-8" long.

ADFs tend to grow to 1.5" long, Endlers 1.5"

8 Ghost Shrimp, 8 RCS, 1 Dwarf Platie -This stocking plan has a lot of motion involved with the substrate and decorations, and a pretty little fish to make it more interesting. This set-up works well because there will be vertually no leftovers, and the RCS will probably breed. If you are being over-run with RCS, your LFS should take or even buy some from you, and you can sell them locally for some nice extra $$$.

Ghost shrimp max out at 1.5-2", RCS 1", Dwarf Platies 1.5"

1 True Honey Gourami, 5 Ghost Shrimp -This stocking plan is a little less hardy than some of the others, but is still good for the beginner. The tank should have a few plants, and prefferably a piece of driftwood or rock in the middle for the shrimp to climb on or the honey gourami to use as cover.

Honies get around 2", Ghosties 1.5"


10g set-ups:

1 Male Betta, 6 Neon/Cardinal Tetras, 10 Ghost Shrimp -This stocking plan is very common, and usually works out fine. I suggest you over-filter a bit, providing adequate filtration for a 15 or 20g tank. Purchase the betta at the same time or after you buy the ghost shrimp and neons, or he may be able to swallow them before they outgrow his mouth.

Male bettas get to be around 2.5", Neons/Cards 1-1.5", Ghosties 1.5"

2 Female Bettas, 6 Neon/Cardinal Tetras, 10 Ghost Shrimp -This set-up is similar to the above. Provide filtration adequate to a 20g, for example 2 10 gallon filters on either side, for pristine water.

Female bettas grow about 2", Neons/Cards 1-1.5", ghosties 1.5"

2 Dwarf Platies, 6 Neon/Cardinal Tetras, 10 Ghost Shrimp -This is a colorful set-up that is easy to maintain, active, and colorful. There are next to no chances of the fish being predatory to the shrimp.

Dwarf Plates grow to 1.5-2", Neons/Cards 1-1.5", ghosties 1.5"

1 Dwarf Gourami, 6 Neon/Cardinal Tetras, 10 Ghost Shrimp - This set-up is similar to the above, with minimal chances of shrimp becoming snacks.

DGs grow up to 2.5", Neons/Cards 1-1.5", ghosties 1.5"

4 Sparkling Gouramis, 2 True Honey Gouramis, 10 RCS -This would be a calm tank, full of fish that are the opposite of agressive and sometimes rather shy. Provide some plant cover, driftwood would make excellant cover.

Sparkling Gouramis max out about 1.5" long, Honeys 2", RCS 1"

1 Male Honey Gourami, 3 Females, 10 RCS -Species tanks such as this are usually not achievable in anything less than a 15g aquarium, but a heavily planted 10g stocked with the fish listed would be quite plausible. Honey Gourami females have a black bar down their sides, but when young, all honey gouramis have these. IMO, pick out 3 bared "females", and make sure that they have no hints of blackness around their stomachs. Bring them home and watch them, and if any of them show a black belly, you'll have a male. It could take several fish returns to get the right stocking, but it would be worth it.

Honey Gouramis get to 2", RCS 1"

1 Male Dwarf Gourami, 2 Females, 10 Ghost Shrimp -This is similar to the above, except with a bigger, more agressive gourami. This tank should be planted and have a few hiding spots, such as driftwood or rock cover.

DGs max out at 2.5", ghosties 1.5"


15g set-ups:

8 Cherry Barbs (3 Male, 5 Female), 10 RCS -Cherry Barbs are active, colorful, and will breed in the aquarium. Males are bright red, while females are very yellow, with a large black bar on their side. Having more females reduces fighting and makes your flirty males glow.

Cherries get 1.5-2" long, RCS 1

1 Male Betta, 10 Neon/Cardinal Tetras, 10 Ghost Shrimp -This is a common set-up similar to others I have mentioned. Great for the beginner.

Male Bettas get about 2.5", Neons/Cards 1-1.5", ghosties 1.5"

2 Platies, 8 Neons/Cards, 10 RCS -A common, hardy set-up, this tank includes regular platies, which are bigger than their dwarf varieties.

Platies get to 2.5", Neons/Cards 1-1.5", RCS 1"

3 Female Bettas, 8 Neons/Cards, 10 Ghost Shrimp -This is pretty much like the male betta suggestion, and is a hardy and easily maintained set-up.

Female bettas get to about 2", Neons/Cards 1-1.5", Ghosties to 1.5"

2 Red Female Bettas, 8 Cherry Barbs (3 male, 5 female), 10 RCS -This all-red tank is a dream I've been playing with, and it would rival many discus tanks to see a tank with these inhabitants, some nice driftwood, and a lot of plants.

Female bettas get around 2", Cherries 1.5-2", RCS 1"

1 Male True Honey Gourami, 2 Females, 5 Sparkling Gouramis, 12 RCS -This set-up is much like one suggested in the 10g stocking, with the expection of more fish and a good male to female ratio. Make sure this tank is heavily planted for these shy, docile fish.

Honeys get 2", Sparklings 1.5", RCS 1"


20g set-ups:

3 Guppies, 6 Danios, 4 Peppered Cories, 10 Ghost Shrimp -Yes, finally you can have 3 kinds of fish in you're tank at once. Every one of the listed fish are tough as nails, and are all very active and entertaining. If the guppies breed, ask your LFS to take them.

Guppies get 1.5" males, 2" females, Danios 2", Cories 2.5", Ghosties 1.5"

6 Lemon Tetras, 1 Male Betta, 4 Peppered Cories, 10 Ghost Shrimp -A second set-up that includes fish for every level of the tank. All pretty hardy and packed with color.

Lemons get 1.5", male bettas 2.5", cories 2.5", and ghosties 1.5"

2 Swordtails, 8 Glowlight Tetras, 4 Peppered Cories, 10 Ghost Shrimp -A third hardy community with new fish on the list, this is a pretty tank much like the others mentioned. If babies appear from the swordtails, your LFS should take them. Ask first.

STs (not counting tails), males 2.5", females 3", Glowlights 1.5", Cories 2.5", ghosties 1.5"

3 Platies, 8 Black Neons, 4 Peppered Cories, 10 Ghost Shrimp -Yes, more new fishies to consider in this nice little community. The platies may spawn, so ask your LFS if they'll take them if anything happens.

Platies get 2.5", BNs 1.5", Cories 2.5", Ghosties 1.5"

8 Cherry Barbs, 10 Pygmy Cories, 10 RCS -Back down to 2 fish, this tank is interesting for it's multiple schools of fish, tiny catfish and also small cherry barbs.

Cherries 1.5-2", Pygmies 1", RCS 1"

1 Dwarf Gourami, 8 White Clouds, 6 Panda Cories -Adding Panda Cories to the tank, along with a school of White Cloud Mountain Minnows really makes a nice looking tank.

DGs get 2.5", White Clouds 1.5", Panda Cories 2"

2 Otocinclus, 8 Danios, 3 Female Bettas -Otocinclus are a small, algae gobbling catfish that should be trained to take fish food, and are pretty easy to keep. This tank would be a fast-moving tank, with quirky movements coming around from all the speedy fish.

Otos get 1.5", Danios 2", and female bettas 2"

I'll now list some easily taken care of plants for the aquarium. Remember that you should have a fine gravel for your plant's roots to travel through. Here is the list of plants:

Java Moss, Low-Light plant, spreads slowly until it carpets the tank.

Java fern, somewhat tall, low-light plant, very common, grows plantlets on leaves.

Dwarf Sag, fairly common plant, short, foreground, medium-light plant, may make a carpet on the substrate of the tank.

Anubias, Low- to Medium-light plant, middle or back plant in the aquarium.

I don't know enough about plants to list any more, so I just want to say:

Members of AC, please post any stocking ideas or beginner plants you want to add to my list, it is greatly appreciated.
 

Dwarf Puffers

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Dec 11, 2006
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i wrote an article similar to that...had to keep it short because i didnt want to have an overly long article. there are another two in the works though
I wanted to post my own, plus I figured this one wouldn't be stuck in teh article corner. It would be a sticky in the section all the noobs look at :D
 

jm1212

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Jul 22, 2006
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im still writing them if anyone has any suggestions that they would like to see in them

one is for odd galloned (is that a word?) tanks (3,6,7,12,15,25)
and the oter is for tanks 30 gallons to 45 gallons, including the 40 breeder.

im debating if i should make another article with some breedingstocks (10, 20H, 20L, 29, 30, 40B), or if i should just incorperate them into the rest of the stocking lists. im also debating if i should make them like my fist article (in my sig) with only easy stockings or if i should just put them all together. i have another article that has a whole bunch of stockings for a 55 gallon tank that is being edited right now, ranging from stricly beginner to expert stockings.
 

jm1212

Pterophyllum scalare
Jul 22, 2006
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also, its a great thread. i read over it a couple of times and theres alot of good info here. keep up the good work Dwarf Puffers!!



BTW, i decided to make a different breeding stocking article, otherwise id be up to my neck in 2 fish stockings in all of the tanks. having a seperate article can help focus on the stocking and what the fish need rather then just stocking in general. ill have the breeding pairs like rams or possibly angels, but others like aspistos, cons, or firemouths will wait to the next article
 

Dwarf Puffers

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Dec 11, 2006
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Oh well, it was worth a try...
 

leoslizards

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Great thread DP.
How about a male betta and a couple fancy guppies? Is this plausible or will the guppies become food?
 

Taysius

Research first, buy later.
Nov 10, 2009
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Great thread DP.
How about a male betta and a couple fancy guppies? Is this plausible or will the guppies become food?

It all depends on the betta. Keep in mind that a fancy male guppy with it's long flowing tail might look a lot like another male betta and cause issues. Endlers and a betta would be a safer choice though once again, it all depends on the betta.
 
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