# My 15 gallon community tank



## karate626 (Dec 31, 2010)

Is it overstocked?

It has 2 fluval 2 plus internal filters at opposite sides of the tank. My heater is set at 71 degrees. 

Stocking List:

2 neon tetras
1 golden barb
1 black skirt tetra
4 black neon tetras
3 cherry barbs
3 platys
2 otos

I know most of my fish are schooling fish but none seem overly stressed. The 2 neon tetras seem really close and often school with the 4 black neon tetras. The black skirt seems to like schooling with the platys but also does with the other tetras. My cherry barbs (2 female 1 male) all chase each other and the golden barb hangs with them loosely. All in all I think it looks like a cool habitat. My tank is 1 year old. The platys, 1 neon tetra, 4 black tetras, and all 3 cherry barbs have been there since I started it. I added the rest this weekend and there are no real aggression issues. I may add one rosy minnow just because I love the look of goldfish but know they are bad to have in the tank with small tropicals. This way I get the goldfish look without the bad effects. For the most part they all stick together the tetra's in one group, the cherry barbs in another group, and they platys and the golden barb in the last group. All seem to be fine in their groups. I do have a 35 gallon that is cycling now. Here is a list fish I would have: Black neon tetras, cherry barbs, golden barbs, black skirt tetras, neon tetras, platys, otos, pleco, and rosy minnows. What numbers of the fish above could I add to fill the 35 gallon? 

Thanks!


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## karate626 (Dec 31, 2010)

Out of the 3 platys in the tank the largest female one died. There is some kind of white thing protruding from her anal fin. With one less platy is it still overstocked? Could I replace the platy with one more black skirt to avoid aggression (I'm not seeing any though)?

Thank you


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## cossie (Dec 19, 2010)

i dont know anything bout why they died but as for overstocked and it is on the high end but i wouldnt say overstocked.


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## PostShawn (Dec 22, 2009)

I wouldn't add more but I wouldn't say it's crazy overstocked. You don't always want to stock a tank to 100%. The more room the less stress. If there is currently no aggression I would leave it alone. The tetras often will school with other types of tetras if not enough of their own kind are around. Some people like the rainbow tetra school look where you take one or two of each kind and put them all in one tank. Over time they all group together and you get a school tetra with lots of colors. 

It does sound like a cool setup. Do you have any tank photos?


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## lohachata (Jan 27, 2006)

i would think that you might want to raise the temp a little....like 76-78tetras and otocinclus are not exactly cool water fish..


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## karate626 (Dec 31, 2010)

I raised the temp to 76 degrees this morning. I love the tank. I'm still debating replacing the platy or not. I think I won't with another platy. The platys I have don't seem to school at all (Despite being male and female) so I may add either another neon, gold barb, oto or black skirt tetra. Out of those three would you add any? I have 2 neons, 2 oto, 1 black skirt, and 1 gold barb (all of that is also listed on my original post along with the rest of the fish). Those are the fish I think would benefit the most with having a pal as they have less others of their kind. I'm just not sure which would benefit the most.

Thanks for any advice.


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## PostShawn (Dec 22, 2009)

Platys are not schooling fish. Not all fish school. Platys, Mollies, Guppies, all not schooling fish. They may hang with their kind sometimes especially if male and female but probably not all the time, just during mating season or imitated times. If a fish just died then let the tank sit for a while first. Make sure no other fish die and make sure the water is good before you put in another fish right away.


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## karate626 (Dec 31, 2010)

Okay I understand my tank is overstocked with the wrong amounts of fish. I bought a 20 gallon to go along with my 15 gallon. I am only adding one new species to this mix. Can you tell me what you think about these tanks. Here is a list of the fish species I want to have in whatever numbers are best between the 15 and 20 gallon. Neon, black neon, black skirt, cherry barb, gold barb, rosy minnow, otto, platy

Here is what I came up with

15 Gallon

6 neon tetras
3 Cherry barbs (1 male, 2 female)
3 rosy minnows (I've read they can survive up to 85 degrees. My tanks are set at 76)
2 ottos (to help with algae on the rocks) 

20 gallon (will add objects and filter from my turtle and 15 gallon to speed cycling)

4 black neons tetras
4 black skirt tetras 
3 gold barbs
2 platys
2 otos

Is that any better? Thanks for the help!


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## karate626 (Dec 31, 2010)

I just finished the tanks. A few changes. How does this sound?

15 Gallon:

6 neon tetras
3 cherry barbs (1 male 2 female)
2 ottos
2 platys (1 male 1 female) (the male is stunted  and doesn't try to breed with the female platy. He tries with the neons...)

20 Gallon:

6 black neon tetras
2 gold barbs
2 black skirt tetras
1 bristle nose pleco


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## karate626 (Dec 31, 2010)

I do not want to stress my fish. Would it be better to put all the tetras I have in the 15 and put the barbs and platys I have in the 20? Here is a list of the fish I have. Can you guys tell me what fish you would have in what tank? One is 15 gallon and the other is a 20 gallon long. I truly appreciate everyones input. I can up fish in numbers but I can not return them to the pet store. I can not return any live animals so that isn't an option. I'm trying my best with my limited resources. What fish would you have in each tank? I can split them up in what ever is best. The list is below:

2 platys
3 cherry barbs
4 ottos
6 neon tetras
6 black neon tetras
2 black skirt tetras
1 bristle nose pleco
2 gold barbs


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