Opinions on Tank Set-Up?

I have finally got my tank all settled out. All of my fish are great. All levels are perfect. Just wanting opinions on looks pretty much. I have 2 mollies, 5 Zebra danios, 3 cories, and 2 tiger barbs. My quest is to make my barbs and danios schools much bigger. I love the schooling fish. I’m not sure where I’m going from there though. My daughter had to add Moana and MauI on the left as well

 

Hello Brandy...

Nicely done tank. To keep it nice, you'll need to get into the habit of removing and replacing half the tank water every week. This will keep your fish healthy. Just a heads up for you, none of these fish are schooling types. They're shoaling fish. They may swim around together sometimes, but they're movements are individual. Once they become used to their tank, they'll swim together less often. Didn't want you to be disappointed.

Old

 

Hello Brandy...

Nicely done tank. To keep it nice, you'll need to get into the habit of removing and replacing half the tank water every week. This will keep your fish healthy. Just a heads up for you, none of these fish are schooling types. They're shoaling fish. They may swim around together sometimes, but they're movements are individual. Once they become used to their tank, they'll swim together less often. Didn't want you to be disappointed.

Old

Thank you. I do about 30% water changes weekly to keep my fish happy and healthy. I suppose shoaling is the term I should have used. I just love the look of the same types of fish. My danios are wild and carefree so they go everywhere. My barbs do stay close together a majority of the time, which may change once I add more barbs and they space out some. Thank you for the input.

 

I'd start with at least 5 more corys, of the same variety you have currently. While they won't stay together all the time, they will often forage together in groups. I often find myself watching them more than my other fish.

 

I'd start with at least 5 more corys, of the same variety you have currently. While they won't stay together all the time, they will often forage together in groups. I often find myself watching them more than my other fish.

I LOVE my cories. I think they are so fun to watch. I have one that I bought first, and I can't find another one like him, not even to order one online. Thankfully, he copes well with my other 2 that are the same. I will for sure be adding more though. Thank you!

 

I LOVE my cories. I think they are so fun to watch. I have one that I bought first, and I can't find another one like him, not even to order one online. Thankfully, he copes well with my other 2 that are the same. I will for sure be adding more though. Thank you!

I see in your Aquarium Details you have one CW098. Is that the one you mean? If yes, it looks very similar to the blue spotted corydoras. I just saw a bunch of them in a fish store Saturday.

 

I see in your Aquarium Details you have one CW098. Is that the one you mean? If yes, it looks very similar to the blue spotted corydoras. I just saw a bunch of them in a fish store Saturday.

That is the one I'm talking about. And they are a lot like the blue spotted cories. That's what my other 2 are because I thought since they looked so close, my CW098 might like them better lol.

 

Do you have live plants? If not, use them. They look much better than fake plants.

 

Do you have live plants? If not, use them. They look much better than fake plants.

I don't because I don't exactly know how to keep them. Fertilizer and all. Haven't looked much into it

 

I don't because I don't exactly know how to keep them. Fertilizer and all. Haven't looked much into it

It's worth looking into.

 

I would prioritize uping the Tigers, I always recommend a minimum of 10, they can be terrible fin nippers in low numbers and it's not just long finned fish that are at risk. Getting more doesn't guarantee your other fish are safe but it helps. How big is the tank?

Hello Brandy...

Nicely done tank. To keep it nice, you'll need to get into the habit of removing and replacing half the tank water every week. This will keep your fish healthy. Just a heads up for you, none of these fish are schooling types. They're shoaling fish. They may swim around together sometimes, but they're movements are individual. Once they become used to their tank, they'll swim together less often. Didn't want you to be disappointed.

Old

I would say Tiger Barbs school a lot, maybe because they establish a hierarchy and It becomes follow the leader.

 

There are some plants that don't need ferts to do well.

Anubias
Java fern
Water wisteria
Hornwort

But theyd all appreciate some liquid ferts if you ever felt like adding it, theyd still do okay without.

Some easy plants that still require ferts and/or root tabs:

Amazon swords (needs both, but is nearly indestructible I find)
Crypts (will melt bad at first apparently but will come back, does not like to be replanted)
Ludwigia

 

I love my barbs, so that is

I would prioritize uping the Tigers, I always recommend a minimum of 10, they can be terrible fin nippers in low numbers and it's not just long finned fish that are at risk. Getting more doesn't guarantee your other fish are safe but it helps. How big is the tank?

I would say Tiger Barbs school a lot, maybe because they establish a hierarchy and It becomes follow the leader.

I love my barbs, so that is a definite. I had a bigger school of them, but unfortunately, I made the mistake of adding them in prior to a correctly cycled tank so they didn't make it. My 2 that are left seem to stay to themselves because they are a minority compared to what they like. My tank is a 55 gallon.

There are some plants that don't need ferts to do well.

Anubias
Java fern
Water wisteria
Hornwort

But theyd all appreciate some liquid ferts if you ever felt like adding it, theyd still do okay without.

Some easy plants that still require ferts and/or root tabs:

Amazon swords (needs both, but is nearly indestructible I find)
Crypts (will melt bad at first apparently but will come back, does not like to be replanted)
Ludwigia

Thank you very much. I will for sure be looking into these.

 

A nice perk, if you want the benefit of live plants but also don't want to take out your fake ones, water wisteria does well floating on the top of the tank and will help with water quality too.

 

I love my barbs, so that is


I love my barbs, so that is a definite. I had a bigger school of them, but unfortunately, I made the mistake of adding them in prior to a correctly cycled tank so they didn't make it. My 2 that are left seem to stay to themselves because they are a minority compared to what they like. My tank is a 55 gallon.



Thank you very much. I will for sure be looking into these.

Nice sized tank, you could easily do 15-20 then plan fish around them, they will be all over the place in proper numbers, i'm not sure about the Mollies but the Danios are a good match. You should consider a bottom dweller, I really like my Zebra Loaches that I keep with mine.

 

You should consider a bottom dweller, I really like my Zebra Loaches that I keep with mine.

The OP already has corys. I'm not saying not to add loaches, but wanted to mention it.

 

I don't because I don't exactly know how to keep them. Fertilizer and all. Haven't looked much into it

Nice tank!

If you’re interested in live plants, MissNoodle suggestions are good ones!

 

The OP already has corys. I'm not saying not to add loaches, but wanted to mention it.

Lol, I read your conversation and it still slipped my mind
Zebra Loaches would be fine with Corys I should imagine but if you can find them get more Corys.

 

In a 55 gallon you could do 25 cories haha

But if you wanted another bottom feeder, go with 10 cories and then add the other kind too. Number depends on size and sociability of the species you choose.

 

Nice sized tank, you could easily do 15-20 then plan fish around them, they will be all over the place in proper numbers, i'm not sure about the Mollies but the Danios are a good match. You should consider a bottom dweller, I really like my Zebra Loaches that I keep with mine.

I do have the cories, as I see you know now lol. I want to add to my cories, but I have already looked into adding loaches on down the road.