# Compatibility/Stocking Help



## TheLurkingNinja (Feb 5, 2013)

Hello All,

I am looking to acquire some new fish to add to my 39gal tank. I need some help choosing new fish to add to my tank.

Existing:
1 x Angelfish
2 x German Blue Rams
2 x Zebra Danios
1 x Siamese Algae eater

I am looking to add quite a few more.

I am looking to add Odessa Barbs and Mollies. Do you think if I got 5 or 6 Odessas that they would be fine with the existing fish? Where is my overstocking limit?

thanks,

Ninja


----------



## lohachata (Jan 27, 2006)

odessa barbs are a great fish..i breed and sell them..but they really do better in temps below 78F.when the males are happy they are pretty spectacular..


----------



## TheLurkingNinja (Feb 5, 2013)

I have my temp around 80F. So youre saying they wouldnt do well?


----------



## lohachata (Jan 27, 2006)

not really..odessa barbs like cooler water..i live in northern ohio and i don't have heaters in their tanks..they will breed at 65F....


----------



## TheLurkingNinja (Feb 5, 2013)

Well then I need to look for another choice of fish. I'm looking for more colorful fish. I was looking at hatchet fish, but they look too plain. What are some good colored fish ( tetras or something of the sort) 

What's my stocking limit?


----------



## lohachata (Jan 27, 2006)

bleeding heart tetras are pretty cool fish maybe a couple of congos or yellow congos..
stay away from serpae tetras though, they are like piranhas..


----------



## emc7 (Jul 23, 2005)

I wouldn't do mollies with angels and rams, their water needs are opposite. Look at tetra and cories.


----------



## TheLurkingNinja (Feb 5, 2013)

What needs do mollies have compared to rams and angels?


----------



## emc7 (Jul 23, 2005)

They need more ions in their water and less protein in their diet. Mollies like hard, alkaline water, rams and angels like soft, acid water. Many people keep mollies in somewhat brackish water, rams are blackwater, they'd do okay in nearly RO. 

Yes, you can keep them together in halfway water and have everybody a little unhappy, but why do it? IME mollies in soft water catch fungus or columnaris or ich and die. Rams in hardwater don't spawn or their eggs don't hatch. The "community tank" is a myth created by stores to sell fish. Match your fish to your water and watch them thrive with less effort.

Anyway the tank is about full stocked anyway. Get a second tank, then you can give the rams the whole tank when they spawn.


----------



## TheLurkingNinja (Feb 5, 2013)

so what is my stocking limit?


----------



## emc7 (Jul 23, 2005)

Eventual or right now? Are you willing to rehome fish or get another tank?


----------



## TheLurkingNinja (Feb 5, 2013)

Right now. I do plan on getting a bigger tank. However, it will be around two years.


----------



## C. King (Dec 14, 2012)

Emc is so right about the mollies--never a good idea to mix mollies with angels and the other fish in your tank, due to such differing water needs. However, I respectfully disagree about the tank having nearly reached its stocking limit. Depending upon your filtration system and your water changing habits, you could add more fish easily. Since you want some color, check out cherry barbs. The adult males are bright, rich red all over, and the females, while not so bright, are attractive. If you decide to get some, be sure to buy equal numbers of males and females, (or more females) or the males will pester the poor females half to death.
Another colorful fish is the Cardinal tetra. They are bigger than neon tetras, have fewer health problems, and the blue and red stripes are more vivid than neons. Like Cherry Barbs, they may not look all that impressive in the fish store, because they are usually juveniles, and their full color does not develope until they reach maturity. However, when buying them, choose the brightest, most deeply colored ones in the store tank-- it has been my experience with both tetras and barbs that the more brightly colored juvies turn into more brightly colored adults. Tetras are healthier and happier in schools, so I would buy no less than five. There are other colorful fish I can think of, but you are limited by the angelfish; his long, flowing fins are too great a temptation to many of the "nippy" fish. I have had angels with cherries and cardinals with no problems. Of course, add all those new fish slowly, over several weeks' time, to allow your tanks bacterial balance to adjust.


----------



## emc7 (Jul 23, 2005)

You have a lot of fish in a 20, C. I consider a pair of angels completely stocked. Because I'll soon have 100 fry. And shrimp, rasboras, and maybe even the cardinals may someday be on the angel's menu. On the other hand, skinny litter tetra, rasboras and shrimp aren't much of a bio-load, you can put a lot in healthy, cycled tank. I know one person who buys dime size angels and sells them when they reach breeding size so she never have aggression issues in her tank.

While neither the angel or rams are breeding size, you likely have room for one more group of small fish, LN. A peaceful barb (not tiger barbarians), small tetra, or some nice, small cories. A larger number of the same small fish will show you schooling behavior and be more interesting than a few one-of-this one-of-that fish hiding in separate corners. Eventually, though, I'd say move most of the fish to a 55 (a nice size to set in front of the fireplace) and let the rams spawn in the 20.


----------



## C. King (Dec 14, 2012)

emc, my 20 is heavily stocked! The angel is sold, and like your friend, I sell when they are breeding size. I would not recommend Angels in a 20gal. for any length of time--way too small a tank, for adult angels! However, I have had many tanks over the past thirty years, and have never had an angel eat a tetra or rasbora. I get by with stocking heavy because I have a big filter, heavily planted tank, and am faithful about water changes. I also add air stone bubbles at night, to increase aeration. 

Howerver, the tank in question is actually a 39 gal., not a 20.


----------

