Am I overstocked?

[notwabbitseason]

30 Gallon Tank

Due to mistaken identity at LFS I may need to add 4 more pygmy Cory's. I would also like to add 5 blue shrimp also. Would this be possible?

I currently have:
1 Betta
5 Glofish Danios
10 Neon Tetras
2 African Dwarf Frogs
5 Cory (1 pygmy 4 salt and pepper)
2 Ghost Shrimp

 

[Rits]

I'd say that shouldnt be a problem. The fish you have are pretty small and what you want to add will be at the bottom for the most part. Besides, that lonely pygmy cory needs some friends!

The only thing I am worried about is the African Dwarf frogs and the shrimp. ADF will sometimes eat shrimp if given the chance and I have sadly learned that by beginner experience.

 

[Jack B Nimble]

Unless you want shrimp as a treat for the rest of your tank inhabitants you will not be able to have shrimp.

 

[RyanC14]

I personally don't think it's overstocked. I agree that blue shrimp will likely become snacks for the frogs or fish though.

 

[MissPanda]

The blue shrimp would be okay bioload wise..
but dinnerwise they wouldn't last long.

My betta desemated all my blue velvet shrimp. Big mistake on my part. RIP shrimpingtons.

 

[notwabbitseason]

The blue shrimp would be okay bioload wise..
but dinnerwise they wouldn't last long.

My betta desemated all my blue velvet shrimp. Big mistake on my part. RIP shrimpingtons.

Well he has left the 2 ghost shrimp alone and has not once seemed interested in them. Is it different with blue shrimp because of their color?

 

[e_watson09]

Personally I'd add more pygmys and add a few more of the danios to up the school

 

[notwabbitseason]

I'd say that shouldnt be a problem. The fish you have are pretty small and what you want to add will be at the bottom for the most part. Besides, that lonely pygmy cory needs some friends!

The only thing I am worried about is the African Dwarf frogs and the shrimp. ADF will sometimes eat shrimp if given the chance and I have sadly learned that by beginner experience.

The ADF's sometimes will lunge at cory or the shrimp, but never actively going after them. Only of they stay in front of them for a few seconds.

Unless you want shrimp as a treat for the rest of your tank inhabitants you will not be able to have shrimp.

I've been reading a lot of how they fish each have their own personality. Would it be fine if the betta is more relaxed and not aggressive? The ADF's don't seem like they'd eat the shrimp either.

 

[MissPanda]

Well he has left the 2 ghost shrimp alone and has not once seemed interested in them. Is it different with blue shrimp because of their color?

Yeah, that same betta left amano alone and it was almost as if he couldn't see them.

 

[Rits]

Just because your ADF haven't gone after you r shrimp now, doesn't mean they won't in the future. My yoyo loaches ignored my pest snails until one day one accidentally brushed up with their barbels and realized "that's a really tasty squishy thing!" Cleared the whole tank in a day and any pest snails I throw in only last a few seconds.

If you wanted Algae eaters, Nerites snails are a good option. They do a really good job of cleaning the tank glass and will live solely on algae.

You could also get Platies. 1 Male and 2 Females. I personally have one of my tanks as a 29 gallon with a betta, Platies, and Panda Cories. All of them get along. If you get platies they will become pregnant and drop fry for your adf and betta. It will be like hunting season.

 

[Jack B Nimble]

Its all a gamble, sometimes if you have a large colony of shrimp in tank first for months then their population can at times sustain a fish eating them.

 

[Sien]

30 Gallon Tank

Due to mistaken identity at LFS I may need to add 4 more pygmy Cory's. I would also like to add 5 blue shrimp also. Would this be possible?

I currently have:
1 Betta
5 Glofish Danios
10 Neon Tetras
2 African Dwarf Frogs
5 Cory (1 pygmy 4 salt and pepper)
2 Ghost Shrimp

Your stock is totally fine! Definitely add 2 more salt pepper Cory and 5 more Pygmy Corys. Both these guys will appreciate a proper school, they will live longer, be out more, stress free, and act more naturally . I would also add more shrimp if they are not being picked on. I found with my ghost shrimp, once I added more (up to 14 now) they are way more active and out of hiding. Up to you tho regarding the shrimp as they don’t absolutely need to be in a larger group. Lastly I would add 1-2 more danios to complete the school ! After all that you still won’t be over stocked/near fully stocked. Good luck!

 

[Feohw]

It all depends on individuals really. All 7 of the bettas I've had have been fine with shrimp. My three ADF were alright too. Whether yours will be too is another story. You may very well be spending money on an expensive meal. Or not. Its a risk either way. Many people don't share in the success I've experienced with keeping shrimp with these guys.