JustFishingAround

I just recently bought a new 30gal tank and i want to know if the following fish would be considered over stocking and if so what might you recommend.

30gal (36-12-16)

4 black skirt tetra
4 serpae red minor tetra
2 siamese algea eaters
2 fancy tailed guppies (male)
7 cardinals
1 bristle nose pleco
5-10 cherry fire red shrimp

That`s the lot, thanks for looking.

Here_fishy_fishy

well i read the siamese get 4-6in and the BN pleco gets up to 4 1/2 in. but why would u want so many algae eaters? just wondering..i am new to fish so my info is prolly wrong..lol but that is wut i read

sirdarksol

In my (limited) experience, black skirts can be pretty belligerent, so I'd think carefully about including them with other, more peaceful fish.

All of the tetras, as far as I know, tend to be fin nippers, which makes the male guppies potential targets.

I'm not saying that this setup won't work, just saying that there are some potential problems.

Siamese algae eaters tend to be jumpers, so make sure you've got a tight-fitting lid.

JustFishingAround

Yea what you read seems to be about the same sizes of those fish that i read, and the reason i want so many is because i currently have the 2 siamese and have a chance to get the BN from a friend who is moving and would rather give him up to me then have to figure out what to do with him. Besides i think BNs are really unique looking and it never hurts to have an elite cleaning crew.

Here_fishy_fishy

ohh i see that is nice of u to take him lol i agree the more clearers the better lol ....i think well i will try to help ya out more i just have more reading to do with the fish u want..be back soon

JustFishingAround

Well currently i have 4 BS, 2 siamese, 1 guppy and 4 cardinals and i have never seen an of the Bs chase or attempt to nip the guppy, who is actually the craziest fish of them all and at times thinks he`s a BS. Of course adding the minors might change that, and as for the siamese being jumpers, they sure look like they could become airborn but call me lucky, i`ve had them 3 months and i have a half open top and never once seen either of them even attempt a jump.
But let`s say nobody gets fin hungry and my siamese stay grounded, would the combo work in this sized tank

JustFishingAround

Well seems everyone has given up on answering my stocking question lol, so i'll ask another one. I have the chance to get a free stand for my new 30gal tank (currently don't have one) but it onl'y measures 30" and the tank is 36" . Would 3" on either side hanging off be any cause for alarm or should i just keep looking till i find one that is 36" or bigger?

Thanks

MissMTS

I can't help you with your second question. I would guess that it would be okay, but definetly don't hold me to it I can offer stocking advice though. In a 30 gallon tank you want to have about 30 (maybe 35 if you really stay on top of the water changes) inches of adult fish. Your tank would be overstocked with the above stocking list. I'll show you how many inches you are currently working with and then give you an idea on how to modify it so that it works

Current List:
4 Black Skirt Tetra (2.5 inches each)= 10 inches
4 Serpae Tetras (2 inches each)= 8 inches
2 Siamese Algae Eaters (6 inches each)= 12 inches
2 Fancy Guppies (1.5 inches each)= 3 inches
7 Cardinal Tetras (1.5 inches each)= 10.5 inches
1 BN Pleco= 4 inches
The cherry shrimp won't hurt the bioload of your tank much, so I would probably go with 5 of them and no more than that.
Total Inches: 47.5 inches

Working with the fish that you already have in your tank, here's what I would do:
4 Black Skirts: 10 Inches
2 siamese algae eaters: 12 Inches
1 guppy: 1.5 Inch
4 Cardinal Tetras: 6 Inches
1 BN Pleco: 4 Inches
Total: 33.5 Inches
You could probably add in a few cherry shrimp and you would be all set.

I hope that I was helpful to you Just for the record, I have had a really good experience with black skirt tetras and have come to really like them. I also love bn plecos. I just got a LFBN about a month ago and he is so cool! Good luck with your tank! Post some pics when you get a chance.

Here_fishy_fishy

i dunno about the one guppy tho i think u need like 5 gupps..i could be wrong tho

MissMTS

Ideally yes, but I had one guppy in a tank with tetras for a long time and she was fine. In fact, she was pretty darn happy, but that's just my

JustFishingAround:
You could forgo the BN Pleco and get 3 more guppies.........depending on what you want. I really love my pleco though so I guess I am partial to them

Here_fishy_fishy

indeed, i mean who knows really fish are odd..lol... a smaller fish i like is the fancytail gupps and the scissortail one too!! so maybe u can add those instead of tetra
just a thought tho

JustFishingAround

Well thanks to everyone who put thier in and i will let you know what i finally decide on and of course get pics once it's all setup.

Cheers