What are my options for stocking?

[nvan2]

So my 10 gallon is finally cycled. Right now i have a pair of balloon bodied mollies, 1 albino cory, and 4 ghost shrimp. I intend to get at least one, maybe 2 more albino corys (these stay small right?) There are also no real plants, and several hiding spots.

some things im intereted in are: neons, dwarf gouramis, ottos, glo-fish danios. I was also looking at some dwarf cichlids, but im not sure if they are really a great choice for a 10 gallon, even if theya re dwarfs. Oh, and khuli loaches.

I want to make sure i dont overstock, so any advice is excelent.

also, I have the opportunity to get an aqua-clear filter for very cheap. Right now i ahve a whisper, adn from what i hear aquaclears are better. Would it be worth it to switch?

 

[nvan2]

btw, ghost shrimp are alright if theres about 2ppm of salt in the water, and the ph is about 8, right?

 

[theop]

You obviously have many options for stocking. What you choose may depend on your experience level and how willing you are to test and maintain your tank.

First, note that mollies like medium to hard water and some salt is really necessary. These are somewhat different from what a neon tetra would like, and these fish are notoriously fragile as well. While pretty, I don't keep them or recommend them.

Another issue with the mollies is that will likely reproduce. Are you planning on raising fry? If not you may want to make sure there are some fish big enough to eat them.

A dwarf gourami would work well. Lots of color and quite active. I would recommend only one. Oto's are a bit hard to feed and I haven't had luck keeping them long-term. Danios are great fish, either the normal or glowfish type. Get at least 3 so that they can school. Khuli loaches are fine too and won't grow too big. I'd recommend some sinking food pellets for them and for your cories.

Overall, I would recommend adding 4" or so of additional fish. Above all, my advice is to invest in a decent 50-75W submersible heater and a pH test kit, and maybe a KH/GH and Nitrate test kit. Pick a plan for water changes (example 20% a month) and stick with it.

Good luck!

 

[nvan2]

One step ahead of you. I have a master test kit, and an extra nitrate kit, theres 2ppm salt in the tank now, due to an ich problem a couple weeks back. when i do the next water cahnge ill leave some salt int here fro the mollies. I also have a 50 watt visi-therm delux, and the temp now is about 80, but im lowering it to 78 (it was higher for the ich treatment). A dwarf gourami was one of hte fish i especially wanted, so thats good.

so, assuming i have what i ahve now, and add a dwarf gourami, would i then have enough room for a small school (about 3-4) glofish danios, 1-2 more albino corys, and a khuli loach (do they require special substrate?)? In some other post i read about there being pygmi corys, does that mean regular corys get bigger, or are pygmis just really small?

Im also willing to do weekly water changes, and i have no problem doing tests whenever needed.

 

[nvan2]

bump