Stocking?

Taratron · Post by **Taratron** » 12 Sep 2003, 01:29

In my 20 gallon planted tank (well, there's a ton of floating hornwort and some "planted" java moss), I have 2 mollies, 2 bristlenose plecos, and 3 albino cories.

I'm looking to add one more cory, possibly two.

If I nix one of the plecos, will I have enough space for a school of tetras? Leaning toward cardinals myself.....

Caol_ila · Post by **Caol_ila** » 12 Sep 2003, 05:45

hmm imo you can even leave the bristle in cauz the tetras will be in a totally different level...but maybe you want to stock up the corys rather than add some tetras....

Taratron · Post by **Taratron** » 12 Sep 2003, 06:52

I was worried more as to the bioload myself....

Christina · Post by **Christina** » 12 Sep 2003, 16:23

What type of filtration do you have?

As long as you do your regular water changes, and have adequate filtration, you'll be fine leaving the plec in and adding the tetra's and two more cories.

BUT, I would do one at a time, add the cories....wait a week and add the tetra's. This is to give your tank enough time to accept the added bioload.

S. Allen · Post by **S. Allen** » 12 Sep 2003, 20:24

yeah, you're really limited in what you can do with these fish more by what water change schedule you want to keep... if you find the nitrates climb too fast, it's time to rethink your plan.

Taratron · Post by **Taratron** » 12 Sep 2003, 21:36

I do around 25% twice a week, sometimes just one 30% if I'm in a hurry.

I don't think I could add all the fish in at once even if I was stupid enough to think so! Cardinals are rare down in AZ, and come in to lfs maybe once a month or less....so no worries for that. ;)

Still not to sure what I'll do with the pleco. I didn't plan on having *4* bristlenose....I just saw these two as the last in their tank, snagged them up, then found a male and another female elsewhere that needed Out of That Store Pronto (put it this way, the male was munching on another pleco skeleton....there was no veges in there for them).