Feeding guide & buddies for my new community tank

[Benwestie]

Hi everyone

I finally began stocking my new fish free cycled 14 gallon tank last weekend, adding 6 guppies and 3 very cute peppered cory's. They all seem to be enjoiying life although the nitrate levels rose quite high this week. Amonia was 0 and Nitrate 40. (I did a 20% water change this evening) Im a bit paranoid about over feeding / under feeding. I know there is a rule about a pinch or two of food that the fish should eat within 2 minutes but how big is a pinch? Can anyone help please?

Im also thinking of adding some more small fish this weekend. Does anyone have any suggestions on what good fish for beginners would be good buddies for the guppies and cory's. I was thinking of some danio's, or white cloud mountain minnows, or some mollies or swordtails. What does anyone think? Im conscious of 1 inch to 1 gallon stocking.

Many thanks everyone

[bruiser]

Congrats on your tank! Did your water change bring your nitrates down any?

If your worried about over feeding, just give them a little bit at a time making sure they all get some food until you think its enough. Keep in mind a fish's stomach is only as big as 1 of it eyes. (in most cases..) so what seems like very little to you could be a meal to them.

you could add a small school of tetra's.. neons, cardinals, rummynose, etc.. maybe a dwarf gourami.. Other members will have many more suggestions I'm sure..

and the 1" per gallon rule is a great place to start.. But I would take it more as a guideline.. When stocking your tank you also need to consider how much waste a fish produces..(Goldies for example are incredibly messy fish..)

Hopefully thats helpful!

[potatos]

feed as much as can be eaten in two min. not so there is left over food floating around afterward.
this site is good for stoking tanks, and better than the 1in per gal rule
http://aqadvisor.com/

[Etcetera]

If anything, you should get more peppered cories. They are a schooling fish and are healthier, more comfortable, and more entertaining in groups of 6 or more. I would be cautious about adding a lot of fish very quickly to a newly cycled tank. You'll have plenty of guppy fry soon enough too, lol.

Remember that cories are omnivorous, I'm sure they'd love it if you added veggies like peas and zucchini to their diet. Just deshell/peel frozen peas/zucchini and put it in the microwave with a little tank water. The guppies might enjoy it as well.

[Benwestie]

Thanks for the suggestions guys. Ive just tested the nitrates again this morning at it is now reading 20. WE have very alkaline water in this part of Essex and the reading this morning was 7.6

I am supplimenting the Cory's diet with an algae wafer every other day and its good fun seeing them go at it. I think I will get at least another Cory today and see what else from your suggestions that the aquatic centre has. I will be mindful of not adding too many so quickly though

Many thanks

[Llama]

Ah cories, I like them so much. If you want you can look into different 'species' of cories as well - but some of them don't shoal together for some reason - my bronze and albino keep to themselves - but it might be fun to have a second shoal.

Platies are also nice for a tank like that - and they're good beginner fish. Neon/Cardinal tetras might give the tank a nice bit of colour too. Careful if you're buying swordtails, the males can get really aggressive for some reason.

Good luck, and be sure to post pictures

[Benwestie]

Hi everyone

Couldn't resist adding another baby peppered Cory and 4 small Red wagtail Platties. Going to leave it at that now.

In the future (say 4 / 6 months time) with what I have in my 14 gallon tank (4peppered Cries, 6 Guppies and 4 Red Wagtail Platties) would there be room for anything else without overcrowding the tank?

Thanks guys

[Cichlidude]

Your tank is full.

[GoGreen]

I would keep a close eye on your parameters right now, 4 platies, IMO, is a lot to add at once, are they full grown already? More frequent water changes might be in order.
Your tank is definitely full now, if the platies are full grown I would just keep it at two. Are they all females? Or is one a male. With them and the guppies you may be looking at lots of fry.
Time for another tank!

[Benwestie]

Hi

All the Platties are fully grown and all males and all the Guppies are males so not expecting any more additions.

I will keep a close eye on the parameters and continue water changes as normal

Thanks