# Is this a good amount of fish to put in a 33 gallon



## heatran15 (Apr 12, 2010)

6 Hatchetfish
6 black mollies
6 balloon mollies
5 albino corydora catfish


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## Corwin (May 23, 2010)

the thing with bettas is that they are only good with certain species


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## toddnbecka (Jun 30, 2006)

Hatchet fish need very soft water and are delicate critters in general. Mollies need hard, alkaline water, just the opposite of the hatchets. Putting 12 mollies in a tank will likely result in 120 mollies when they start breeding unless the fry are eaten.


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## Plecostomus (Jul 31, 2006)

I wouldn't say hatchetfish are delicate creatures in general. At least for me they are easy fish to keep and I even had them while my tank was cycling.


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## Peeps (May 24, 2010)

I would say you would be okay. BUT like toddnbeca said they will breed like crazy so be prepared for that.


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## Ghost Knife (Mar 12, 2008)

heatran15 said:


> 6 Hatchetfish
> 6 black mollies
> 6 balloon mollies
> 5 albino corydora catfish


Cut out the Mollies and try 7 Albinos Cories instead of 5. Hatchets are top dwelling so you could get something for the middle area such as a 5-7 school of Red Glass Barbs.


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## jclee (Jun 6, 2010)

Ghost Knife said:


> Cut out the Mollies and try 7 Albinos Cories instead of 5. Hatchets are top dwelling so you could get something for the middle area such as a 5-7 school of Red Glass Barbs.


I think the hatchets are a good choice _because_ they are top dwelling. It looks like you really thought about distributing movement throughout the strata of the tank, so that you have fish using all levels and staying out of each others' way. 

I agree, though, that mollies will breed like crazy, so I wouldn't get them unless (a) you have a species that will eat the fry or (b) you are ready to cull the fry yourself or (c) you know your lfs will take them for cash or credit.

The other thing I would point out is that mollies are not really schooling fish (if I am remembering correctly), so having 12 of them will not do much except create a rapid reproductive rate. Personally, I would either create one school or, if not getting schooling fish, I would mix-up the species more. 

Regarding the water hardness needs of the fish, I was recently reading that a lot of the freshwater fish in the trade (especially those that are CB) have more of a range than we often realize, and that the more important aspect than the hardness itself is how long the fish have to acclimate to changes in water hardness. While one particular degree of hardness/softness might be optimal (especially for breeding), many species can readily be flexible, and live outside that parameter, as long as they are given a long acclimation period, rather than a sudden change. 

*I'm sure you already would have done this, but remember to get only one or two fish at a time, and to acclimate them slowly before adding them to the tank -- especially the hatchets.


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## Ghost Knife (Mar 12, 2008)

jclee said:


> I think the hatchets are a good choice _because_ they are top dwelling. It looks like you really thought about distributing movement throughout the strata of the tank, so that you have fish using all levels and staying out of each others' way.
> 
> I agree, though, that mollies will breed like crazy, so I wouldn't get them unless (a) you have a species that will eat the fry or (b) you are ready to cull the fry yourself or (c) you know your lfs will take them for cash or credit.
> 
> ...


That's what I was saying. Go with the Hatchets, Red Glass Barbs, and a shoal of Corydoras.


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## jclee (Jun 6, 2010)

Ghost Knife said:


> That's what I was saying. Go with the Hatchets, Red Glass Barbs, and a shoal of Corydoras.


Don't I feel silly. I think I read that in reverse. That's what I get for hopping onto forums before I am fully caffeinated. I've really got to nip that habit in the bud.


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## emc7 (Jul 23, 2005)

Agree, pick either hatchets and cories, or mollies. I suggest avoiding balloon mollies just because they are really prone to death in childbirth and can breed with other mollies. Pick one type, put in lots of plant (doesn't have to be real) for cover and solve the population problem by trading fry back to a store for credit. Buy the parents from a store that will take your fry, not a chain.


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