[shattersea]

I have a 22 gallon tank (24" long) that currently houses six threadfin rainbows, six red neon paskai rainbows and a handful of shrimp.


I'm trying to decide whether to add to the rainbow schools, or add some cories - specifically c. hasbrosus.


If I add cories, do I have enough stocking space left to make them happy? I know they need to be kept in groups of at least six, and preferably more.


Thanks for the advice!

 

[aja31]

According to aqadvisor you are all full already.

AqAdvisor - Intelligent Freshwater Tropical Fish Aquarium Stocking Calculator and Aquarium Tank/Filter Advisor

I didn't have your exact dimensions or your filter, so I oversized both, and it still put you at 99% stocking based on what you have. Someone with more experience might be able to give a more detailed response.

 

[shattersea]

When I looked at Aqadvisor, I'm not close to being stocked. Tank is 24" x 12" x 17" high. The closest thing Aqadvisor has in their list to red neon paskai is spotted blue eyes. If you chose red irian rainbows those grow much larger. The paskai are tiny at <1" each. I'm running an Aquaclear 70 on the tank.

 

[roostertech]

Rainbows tend to be top swimmer (I don't know the specific of yours though), and the cories are mostly at the bottom so they should be out of each other's way. With that said, 24" tank is a little bit cramped, I find that footprint is more helpful than height for heavy stocking.

 

[shattersea]

AQ says I'm at 64% without the cories.

Bump: Agreed but I wanted to play with driftwood and buces. Needed the height for the scape.

 

[Fiala06]

Have you considered pygmy cories? I have them in my 20 gallon. I've had both and I prefer the pygmies. They can get into all the little spaces for clean up and fun to watch em school together.

 

[zerodameaon]

According to aqadvisor you are all full already.

That is a great starting point, though it has some issues, like it won't take into account plants. It also can over-exaggerate some aggression levels. There are also a few instances of really small fish showing up as using 75% of your stock when something larger like a Cichlid only uses 20%. They might have fixed that by now though.

@shattersea what are your water parameters like? Do you run into any issues with ammonia, nitrite, or nitrate? c. hasbrosus unlike the other two pygmy cories like to stick around the bottom more but even if they do head to the top it should not be an issue.

 

[shattersea]

I've had Pygmy cories before and found that they spent all their time hiding. I was hoping hasbrosus would be a little more social. It's very possible that I didn't have enough cories in my tank as I only had five. Maybe they needed a bigger group.

Tank is only 1.5 months old. Ammonia and nitrate are zero. Nitrates are about 10 ppm last time I tested.

 

[Dariofan]

I find my c. Habrosus very bold & out in the open all the time. I only have 3 at the moment in a 20 long with lampeye killis & platies. I also have 4 in QT waiting to move in. I think they would do well with the rainbows, they like similar water parameters. Threadfins are so peaceful. I would get them & don't think you will be sorry with a small school of habrosus.

In my experience, stocking wise, Aq advisor looks at the footprint of the tank more than height. In this case I think you'd be fine with the corys & rainbows, peaceful species using different areas of the tank.

 

[discuspaul]

I'm quite sure you'd do just fine with 6 Habrosus in your tank. Go for it.

 

[shattersea]

Thanks to all for the thoughts and advice! I think I will enjoy having inhabitants at different levels of the tank. I am going to try 6 for now and see how it goes.

 

[garfieldnfish]

C habrosus are tiny and won't add much to the bio load. I would also say go for it. I started with 6 in a 20 gal with 4 L134 plecos. Now I have well over 60 in there as they constantly breed. But I have a ton of plants and while the tank is horribly overstocked, all is well with the fish. These corys love to be in a large group. Luckily the Atlanta Area Fish Club auction is coming up in April and I can take a good number of them there.

 

[newbieshrimpkeeper]

I've had Pygmy cories before and found that they spent all their time hiding. I was hoping hasbrosus would be a little more social. It's very possible that I didn't have enough cories in my tank as I only had five. Maybe they needed a bigger group.

Tank is only 1.5 months old. Ammonia and nitrate are zero. Nitrates are about 10 ppm last time I tested.

Pygmy cories SHOULD NOT spend their time hiding all the time. I find mine a sociable bunch and they will shoal in open space and forage actively. Also, they will rest from time to time, but will rejoin their shoal as other fish swim by. I only have 7, but I still find them very sociable. They are actually more active than the Dainty cory(C.habrosus), but if u want fish at different levels dainty cory is a better option. And yes as garfieldnfish said more the merrier!

 

[aja31]

When I looked at Aqadvisor, I'm not close to being stocked. Tank is 24" x 12" x 17" high. The closest thing Aqadvisor has in their list to red neon paskai is spotted blue eyes. If you chose red irian rainbows those grow much larger. The paskai are tiny at <1" each. I'm running an Aquaclear 70 on the tank.

Yeah I used the wrong rainbows. If you are at 64% then you should be fine getting a nice group of cories.

My personal favorites are Sterbai cories, beautiful markings, very social and active.

 

[nel]

Sterbai are really beautiful, social and big. Just remember that unlike other cories they like warmer water.

 

[caique]

You could do 6 or even 10.

Go for the cory's they add so much to a tank, very peaceful little creatures.

Even if your were to overstock, bigger water changes will eliminate any issues.

 

[ichy]

Go for the cories, the more you can get into your tank the better.

Interesting about your pygmyies. I have 6 in a tank and they line up like cows when its feeding time.