Can I add more fish?

[mykidsmylife]

Okay...tank is completely cycled and has been for a while. It is a 40 gallon tall tank with an eclipse filter system/hood. Water test perfect. I have in it

4 neons
3 Rasbora's
3 Rummy nosed tetras
2 albino cory
2 lepord cory
1 female beta (beautiful and placid)

I would really like to add a gold nugget pleco. I have a gorgeous peice of driftwood in it just for the nugget. Plus, I would like to add something that will help control algea. Not the regular pleco's who get huge. Any suggestions for algea control?Whatever I put in the tank I want to make sure will not outgrow it and have to be moved on. I want my fish to be comfortable..not cramped.
SO the questions are-

Is my tank already overstocked??
Would a gold nugget be happy in this set-up? (too expensive a fish to let it waste away)
What is a good algea eater besides pleco's?
If not overstocked can you suggest some nice mild fish to go with what I have? (not interested in live bearers....don't want to worry about babies and finding them homes).


I am not interested in a fish that will outgrow the tank and need a bigger tank or new home. I want fish that are the right size for the tank when they are grown. I have even thought about getting two baby angel fish. Ideally white ones. Would they mix with what I have?? (I know the neon's make that a little sketchy) and when grown is my tank big enough for them to be comfortable?
Thank you all so much for taking the time to answer my newbie questions. I LOVE my tank!
mykidsmylife

P.S. Is it a general rule of them that after anyone has been in this hobby they start dreaming of bigger tanks?? LOL...I think I am seeing a 75 gallon in my distant future..if I could only find the $$ and the room for it.

 

[YoFishboy]

You are far from being overcrowded - I think the Gold nugget would be fine, and it will work the algae for you. Supplement with algae wafers. Some ottos would help too. maybe add a few more cories - they like to be in large groups..there are a lot more colorful tetras you can get to round out your tank. Black neons are cool too. There are really a lot of options when it comes to small, peaceful , colorful community fish.

As too the later part of your question - yes, everyone in the hobby dreams of larger tanks - its a disease really - I'd say don't start, BUT ITS TOO LATE FOR YOU! MUUHAHAHA! :devil:

 

[Holly9937]

I don't think you are overstocked, personally, I would just add to your existing fish, most appreciate the company of their own kind and you will find that they school together better that way. I would bump up the first 3 fish to 6 each and then get 2-3 more each of the 2 kinds of corys that you have. Otos are really good for algae control, or if you were not set on a gold nugget you could get a bristlenose pleco, when mine was in a 50g tank he had the place algae free within 3 days. (by the way, I now have a 180g tank which seems small, I don't think you're ever happy with your tank size )

And good for you for choosing appropriate fish, it seems like everyone buys fish that are not appropriate for their tank. Have any pics?

 

[mykidsmylife]

maybe add a few more cories - they like to be in large groups..


I'm so glad you said that! LOL. I've been eyeing these cute little skunk cory's at the LFS but was afraid 4 was too many already. Thanks for the response. How many cory's would be comfortable in my tank?
They are going to order in my gold nugget. They don't normally keep them because they are expensive enough most people don't go for them (Around $35)..then when it comes in..they keep it for a month before sending it home with me to make sure it's okay. They promised me visitation rights when it gets there. LOL.
I haven't seen any black neons around, but if I find something I really want, the LFS will order that for me too.
Thanks again,
mykidsmylife

 

[wataugachicken]

I agree with all of that ^. your fish are schooling fish, and will appreciate more tankmates of their own kind.
gold nugget plecos are beautiful, but they are very hard to acclimate. sometimes they just don't want to eat, or have gone too long without eating during transport to survive. being relocated stresses them out a lot.

 

[mykidsmylife]

IAnd good for you for choosing appropriate fish, it seems like everyone buys fish that are not appropriate for their tank. Have any pics?

Thanks Holly. I kept aquariums for years prior to children and this is my first set-up since kids. I would watch people at pet stores buying pacu's and oscars for their 10 gallons and I would get so upset. I really think that LFS should ask what kind of tank certain species are going into prior to selling...but then again, sales would go down and they wouldn't want that!!

I have a few pics but have no idea on how to put them up. Perhaps I will put them on a page of my site and link to it?? (Would that work?)

mykidsmylife

 

[YoFishboy]

maybe add a few more cories - they like to be in large groups..


I'm so glad you said that! LOL. I've been eyeing these cute little skunk cory's at the LFS but was afraid 4 was too many already. Thanks for the response. How many cory's would be comfortable in my tank?
They are going to order in my gold nugget. They don't normally keep them because they are expensive enough most people don't go for them (Around $35)..then when it comes in..they keep it for a month before sending it home with me to make sure it's okay. They promised me visitation rights when it gets there. LOL.
I haven't seen any black neons around, but if I find something I really want, the LFS will order that for me too.
Thanks again,
mykidsmylife

I think you could add another 3 or 4 cories - no problem!

 

[Holly9937]

Corys tend to be partial to schooling with their own kind, so if you get any of the skunk corys, I would still consider at least one more of each of the kind you already have. My spotted corys and green corys totally ignore each other