# 36g stocking?



## dazydaizee (Sep 28, 2010)

I'm looking for some suggestions for a new tank. Currently I have a 20L & 10 with plenty of plants. They also house: Endler's Livebearers, Kuhli Loaches, Red Cherry Shrimp, Ghost Shrimp, (Green Shrimp on the way), Dwarf Crayfish (CPO & Cajun), and a variety of snails (Japanese Trapdoor, Ramshorn, Pond, Trumpet, Apple). The list is divided up between the 2 tanks. 
I'm not sure if I'll be taking down the 10 or keeping it, so what I choose to keep in the new 36 bowfront may make a difference. I've already got some plants going for it, but waiting on the stand to be delivered before setting it up & cycling.. so I've got some time to decide what I want to do with it. 
I know I'll need some space for the endler's, and I'm probably going to add the CPOs. Originally my plan was to put my male endler's, shrimp, and loaches in the new tank... but the idea of catching all of them is less than appealing. So I'm looking into other possibilities for this new tank. I appreciate any suggestions. I love what I've got at this point and I'm looking for fish/inverts that would peacefully coexist and would add more activity & variety to the tank. I'm fine with mild risks of lost fry/shrimplets, but I don't want to add anything that will really bother the other tankmates. (In fact, female endler's are even too much for my cherry shrimp. They were incredibly active, endler's were added, they went into hiding. Female endler's only were moved and the shrimp became much more active. So I definitely don't want to add a predatory creature or something pushy enough to move everything else into hiding, but it'd be nice to add a few more compatible animals to the tank).
Thanks!


----------



## Tanan (Mar 11, 2009)

Dwarf Rainbows/Blue eyes/Threadfins etc
Rasboras
Boraras sp
Neons/Cardinals
Dwarf Cories
Celestial Pearl Danios
Otoniculus

Dont overstock or make a Noah's Ark.Schooling fishes will be happier & healthier in schools so consider that too.
Read about them and see what you like.


----------



## Cvurb (May 23, 2010)

Tanan said:


> Dwarf Rainbows/Blue eyes/Threadfins etc (NO)
> Rasboras (Will eat your shimplets)
> Boraras sp (YES, these will stay small, the smaller the fish, the less they will eat the shrimplets)
> Neons/Cardinals (Neons are smaller, but both will happily eat your shrimplets)
> ...


After those notes, I will strongly suggest Boraras and otocinclus, BUT with all fish that are omnivores, they will eat your shrimplets or try to, including th Boraras. 
But other people can give you more fish names that will do well with Boraras.


----------



## mfgann (Nov 10, 2010)

All I have in mine are some otocinclus, which are just fine. I plan on adding a few kuhlis, maybe next week. I think the kuhlis would eat a few, but I've heard others say they won't have a huge impact on the population. We'll see.

I am trying to grow in some dense, low-laying plants to give plenty of places to hide. I've got java moss, pellia, subwassertang, and am going to add some dwarf sag and dwarf hairgrass after the holidays. Perhaps with all this in place perhaps I can add some of the mid-high swimmers and they'll be less able to hunt the shrimp down.

I've got ghosts in with zebra danios and platies.. had a betta and some neons in there too with no trouble, but the neons came with some disease that took out some of my population. 

Good luck


----------



## dazydaizee (Sep 28, 2010)

Thanks for the suggestions, I appreciate the input on compatibility as well. I've been very interested in Otos since I first saw them, but I've been hesitant after reading about them being very delicate and sensitive fish... 
I only know of one local pet store that has had them and I would not purchase from them. All of my fish (with the exception of a betta I felt guilted into) have come from online sources and have been remarkably healthy versus the pet store fish I had years ago... But I've been worried about shipping these guys and they seem hard to come by...


----------



## ddavila06 (Jan 31, 2009)

i had a bad experience in the past by adding ottos too soon after setting the tank up. i would recommend pigmy cories, they are tiny! very cute, active and do not seem agresive. i also keep least killiefish, a little tiny livebearer that i have kept with cherry shrimp.


----------



## dazydaizee (Sep 28, 2010)

I've read a similar suggestion regarding Kuhli loaches- that they're not difficult to keep, but they require a more mature tank since they can adapt to many water parameters but cannot handle frequent fluctuations. If otos are similar, then I'm more comfortable trying them. My loaches are doing fantastic, I just added them after the tank had been cycled and stable for over a month or so... (after most of the other inhabitants had been added).. and of course made sure they had plenty of hiding places..

I have had cories in the past and I do like them, but I was just more drawn to the otos...


----------



## gBOYsc2 (Nov 26, 2010)

In my experience otto's aren't as delicate as people make them out to be. Maybe I am just lucky and the store I purchase my fish from are generally hardy and well taken care of but my otto's seem to be quite hardy.

I have lost a few threadfin rainbows and a couple cories over the past 2 months(not sure why maybe just lifespan) but my ottos are safe and sound. They even went through a major move and all prevailed. My only problem with them is that they are very skittish and they like to hide alot. When I come into the room I see them quickly zoom away and hide.

Nevertheless they are very cute and a great peaceful fish to any peaceful community aquarium. I think you should give them a try if possible.


----------



## Tanan (Mar 11, 2009)

You can have otos the moment you see diatoms.


----------



## OVT (Aug 26, 2010)

+1 for a school of dwarf cories: cute and totally harmless. Or try a small school (7-12) of Black Neons: they mostly hang in the upper strata and are semi-decent schoolers. My experience with ottos is hit and miss, maybe you will have better luck. Regardless, I would not put them in a tank that has not been up and very stable for 4 months or so.


----------



## TAB (Feb 7, 2009)

I love my threadfins. the are very pretty, and they display basicly non stop. I've spawned several times, never tried to keep any of the fry.


----------



## Seattle_Aquarist (Mar 7, 2008)

Hi Tab,

And good jumpers too!


----------



## TAB (Feb 7, 2009)

I've never had that happen, but my water level to top of the tank is about 2"


----------



## dazydaizee (Sep 28, 2010)

Tanan said:


> You can have otos the moment you see diatoms.


Still a lot to learn, I guess... quick search tells me I'll notice this as brownish slime? So is this because they eat this or because it's a sign that the tank is established enough? I usually see this kind of stuff growing on parts of the filter in my established tanks. The new tank is pretty much cycled according to the water tests, but it's far from ready for inhabitants. It's got a good amount of "algae" but it's tough to tell what color cause I've also had some huge new pieces of driftwood soaking in it, so the whole tank is pretty much tea colored.

On Oto behavior... do they tend to hide on everyone or is it an issue of tankmates? I've read about Khuli loaches being shy, skittish, and easily spooked, yet I haven't had that experience at all. They took about a week or two to settle in where I didn't see many of them and they'd go flying across the tank if I leaned in too close and startled them.. but now they're out and about all the time. I've even had a few of them come over and nibble at my hands when I'm reaching into the tank. The tank they're in is very peaceful, though, now that the female endler's are separated. So I wonder if the Otos may be more active in the tank if I am sure not to add anything that will spook them.

I've heard some mixed things on the Threadfin Rainbows, so I have been thinking about them a bit. I'm also sort of considering keeping the shrimp in the 20 gallon and/or setting up a smaller tank specifically for them. If that's the case, then I would be able to consider more types of fish, but would still want peaceful fish. As far as jumping, I've heard this for the loaches as well, but haven't had an issue. I have a full hood on the new tank and the current tank, but there is a gap for the filter. My only issue so far has been on over-adventurous apple snail who I found crawling across the floor after I accidentally left the lid open one day.
The other upside is that I'm setting up a 46 gallon for my work and I plan to add some of what I have, but I could easily have shrimp in one tank and not the other.. so it does expand my options a bit.

Lastly, I did just get a few young bristlenose plecos (about 1.5 inches), so I do plan to put 2 in each of the new tanks, but I do believe they tend to be peaceful towards others, so I don't think it impacts the other species too much. They're doing great with everyone in the current tank now.


----------



## mfgann (Nov 10, 2010)

I've had very good luck with otos. Only one loss out of 5, and that was due to a nasty disease that wiped out half my tank population. They are, to my knowledge, the only fish you can be sure won't munch on shrimplets. I have a 10G planted with RCS and otos. I'll probably try kuhlis in it, but I cant think of what else I would trust in there. The 10G is cycling with RCS and 2 otos, so they've survived the whole ammonia->nitrite->nitrate cycle.... mine aren't too delicate.

One thing I wanted to mention, you may need to evaluate your shrimp choices/tanks. If I read right you have/plan to have RCS and green shrimp in the same tank? If they're the same species (neocaridina) they could crossbreed, and I don't think the results are supposed to be as attractive. Just something to watch out for.


----------



## dazydaizee (Sep 28, 2010)

It does make me feel better about Otos that people seem to have had luck with them... Maybe when it gets a little warmer I'll be able to find a good source that can ship them and by that point the tank will be more mature, anyway. I'll keep an eye out... I would love to have these guys...
I do have RCS & green shrimp in the same tank, but I did read into it before I added them... Green shrimp are Caridina and the RCS are Neocaridina, so I've read that they can't crossbreed. Hope that's right. I've been wanting some yellows or other variations of Neocaridina, but I didn't add any others exactly for that reason... which is why I was happy to be able to add the green shrimp.


----------



## mfgann (Nov 10, 2010)

dazydaizee said:


> It does make me feel better about Otos that people seem to have had luck with them... Maybe when it gets a little warmer I'll be able to find a good source that can ship them and by that point the tank will be more mature, anyway. I'll keep an eye out... I would love to have these guys...


Yep, they're cute critters. I've always had plecos before, but decided to try these since I had shrimp. So far they're hard-working and harmless. Hope you have as much luck as I have.


dazydaizee said:


> I do have RCS & green shrimp in the same tank, but I did read into it before I added them... Green shrimp are Caridina and the RCS are Neocaridina, so I've read that they can't crossbreed. Hope that's right. I've been wanting some yellows or other variations of Neocaridina, but I didn't add any others exactly for that reason... which is why I was happy to be able to add the green shrimp.


Ah, good. You should be fine. I'd thought the green were neocaridina, but I must have been thinking of the yellows. Of everything in my tanks right now, I've enjoyed the RCS the most. I think I'll eventually try a more exotic shrimp, but I want to work out the kinks with my RCS first.
Also.. my last betta never bothered them.. the new betta hunted down the three RCS I put in the tank with him and ate them one by one. He had a good thanksgiving. Whoops.


----------

