Stocking a 15g column tank!

[Jenay]

I'm very excited... Just about ready to go with stocking a new (to me) tank I got a while back.

I've spent months compiling lists of nano fish, and oh boy, have I got a long list. This tank is very limited in size of course, but I have others in the works, so I'm not tempted to overstock, just having trouble deciding who comes home first.

My lfs routinely stocks these:
Neon Tetras (long time favorite)
Various Rasboras, I'm partial to the ChilI and the Strawberry
Ember Tetra
KubataI Tetra
CPD
I'm hoping they can find me some Green Neon Tetras.

It's easy to find internet tutorials on which fish like to occupy various parts of the water column, but those aren't always accurate in practice. I'd love to hear about personal experience/observations.

For the bottom third, I'm planning to get Pygmy Corydoras. I know most of the others on my list of possibles will probably use the middle third, and explore all of the tank... Any suggestions for a nano fish that prefers to occupy the top?

This tank will have approximately a third of the bottom heavily planted with an overhang for the cories to hide in. There will be another small section of taller plants, plus some floating plants, so everyone has somewhere to hide as desired.

Thanks!

 

[FinalFins]

I think a 15 coloum has too little of a surface area to have schooling fish like neons.

I would do pygmy cories but that may even be tight for them.

I know there is a fish that utilizes vertical space rather than horizontal space, but I need to remember.

 

[PascalKrypt]

I have one of these tanks, and would personally just stick with two schools - one bottom-oriented and one top-oriented. There isn't really enough horizontal space to 'stack' three layers of schools and still give the fish enough swimming space.

Look for 5-7 gallon nano tank appropriate fish, like pygmy cories, scarlet badis, etc. as bottom dweller. Then get a small school of diminutive rasboras or CPDs or lampeyes or something like it for the mid/top.

 

[FinalFins]

I know there is a fish that utilizes vertical space rather than horizontal space, but I need to remember.

How about julidochromis? They can swim reverse, upside down and they use vertical surfaces as well. But they are African cichlid so I personally would only stock them.

 

[Jenay]

That sounds like an interesting fish. Definitely looking up that one. Thanks!

 

[Jenay]

I have one of these tanks, and would personally just stick with two schools - one bottom-oriented and one top-oriented. There isn't really enough horizontal space to 'stack' three layers of schools and still give the fish enough swimming space.

Look for 5-7 gallon nano tank appropriate fish, like pygmy cories, scarlet badis, etc. as bottom dweller. Then get a small school of diminutive rasboras or CPDs or lampeyes or something like it for the mid/top.

I'm thinking about doing a 20 gallon long, divided with Pea Puffers on one side, and either Sparkling Gouramis or Scarlet Badis on the other. I'm down to just one sad, lonely, little Pea Puffer now, so I will probably get him a couple lady-friends for his side, and then since I'm already live feeding, doing it for one of the other picky eaters won't be a problem.... But that's further out in the future.

 

[FinalFins]

Do only pea puffers.

 

[Jenay]

Divided tank. Species only halves. I'm not a moron.

 

[FinalFins]

I know, I would only do pea puffers or only sparkling.

 

[PascalKrypt]

I am extremely confused. Your title says "Stocking a 15 gallon column tank!"

But when I suggest stocking you go off about a 20 long... so which is it?

 

[Jenay]

That was a bit of a tangent with someone else who had responded.

I've been reading up on the fish you recommended. It looks interesting.

 

[Blondeath]

I know, I would only do pea puffers or only sparkling.

If it’s divided why would you do the same thing on both sides?

 

[FinalFins]

Take out the divider. Sparkling gouramis are excellent jumpers and the pea puffers will kill it if it jumps the divider. Also I think sparkling like the water cooler, and the puffers like it slightly warmer.

 

[Blondeath]

Take out the divider. Sparkling gouramis are excellent jumpers and the pea puffers will kill it if it jumps the divider. Also I think sparkling like the water cooler, and the puffers like it slightly warmer.

Some dividers are siliconed in and have separate filters and heaters on both sides. The dividers also usually go all the way to the lip of the tank and there’s no space between a glass lid and the divider.

 

[FinalFins]

Why are we talking about a 20 long? I thought it was a 15 gallon column stock thread?

 

[PascalKrypt]

Why are we talking about a 20 long? I thought it was a 15 gallon column stock thread?

Let me know when you find out