36 Gallon !
So, I have:
7 neon tetras, 5 corydoras, 1 super red bristle nose pleco, 1 Bamboo shrimp, And I think 6/7 oto cats, and I just got a Congo tetra on a whim. now I realize they’re schooling so am wondering if I can get more or if I should give him back.
(the most recent picture of the tank is the last one, it’s just a bit foggy from a water change)
Posted by UpbeatTax6922
12 Comments
What size is it?
Nope, looks good.
If its less than 20 to 25 gallons, it might be a tad bit small
You my friend, are understocked.
I am overstocked. Hek I am screwed.
I just rescued some Cory’s from a really terrible living situation (black mold and rock substrate) and now my tank has nearly your stocking levels, and it’s a mf 10 gallon.
Im desperately hunting new tanks on FB marketplace to get cycling immediately!
You can get more! Overstocking is such a controversy, if your parameters are fine and the fish aren’t stressed then the amount of fish means nothing!
The tank isn’t big enough for the Congo tetra (which should be in a group of 8+, yes).
I have them in my 4’ long 55 gallon and it’s tight for them. They’re very fast, active swimmers and need as much space as you can give them. (I would not get them for a 4’ tank again because of it).
You should be fine to get 5-6 more Congos. Personally I’d keeping the stocking close to that number. You probably have wiggle room above, but I prefer stopping before finding out I have too many fish.
A personal aesthetic choice I would make, is a tall background plant. *Ceratophylum submersum* is a personal favorite. Red *Rotala rotundifolia* would also be gorgeous with the contrasting red. I’d do more research on that about whether you need CO2 or not, I think they do fine though.
Not at all, your fish look happy and healthy and by the looks of it, there no massive waste generators in there. You’d probably get away with a few more tetras in there!
Bamboo shrimp looks crazy big! Nice!!
I think your tank looks awesome and can even be stocked a bit more
No
I like using aqadvisor for my tank stocking needs, as it will tell you if you’re overstocked/how many of each fish you should have/extra tips on care, like if some fish are jumpers or need to graze on driftwood. In the event you are overstocked, I would use aqadvisor to see how many waterchanges you need to do to keep the tank stable and do frequent water testing.
I also would recommend rehoming or returning the congo tetra as they are a schooling fish and do best with others of their kind. They also get fairly large for a tetra, so if you *do* end up getting more, your tank will not be able to comfortably accommodate them with how much stock you currently have.