SMALL TANK, additional fish?

[CoSpy]

My 12 gallon tank has 1 yo-yo loach and 3 Serpae tetras.  All has gone well for 4 months when I set it up so I wanted to add some color.  Due to the small size, I was looking to find a species that can live without a school (singularly) and won't grow very big.  I only have access to chain pet stores, so I've been given conflicting advice.  One said the serpae will count for 3" x 3 and I'm already maxed out.  I didn't think Serpae tetras grew to 3".  Will someone confirm this?  My research suggested they're typically 1.5".  I'd like to add something, but not at the risk to the 4 I have.  Any recommendations?  I thought a Ram Cichlid would be a nice choice.  Thank you.

[FLFishChik]

Everything I’ve read says Serpae Tetra top out at 2 inches. I don’t have them, so I can’t give first hand advice. However, I have also read that Yo Yo Loach “can” reach 10 inches in size but more commonly 6 inches and should be kept in groups of at least 3. If that’s the case. You are maxed out on stocking  the tank as is. But again, I don’t have them do I cannot give you first hand knowledge.

Edited July 10, 2022 by FLFishChik

[lefty o]

i would probably add another 1-2 serpae. they should top out at about 2".

[Cinnebuns]

On 7/10/2022 at 10:15 AM, CoSpy said:

My 12 gallon tank has 1 yo-yo loach and 3 Serpae tetras.  All has gone well for 4 months when I set it up so I wanted to add some color.  Due to the small size, I was looking to find a species that can live without a school (singularly) and won't grow very big.  I only have access to chain pet stores, so I've been given conflicting advice.  One said the serpae will count for 3" x 3 and I'm already maxed out.  I didn't think Serpae tetras grew to 3".  Will someone confirm this?  My research suggested they're typically 1.5".  I'd like to add something, but not at the risk to the 4 I have.  Any recommendations?  I thought a Ram Cichlid would be a nice choice.  Thank you.

2 pieces of advice for you:

1.  Rarely if ever listen to pet store employees. Only part of the reason for this is a lack of knowledge. The more common part is that they simply don't have the time to get into all the info they need to give you an adequate answer or even to give you a complete answer if they do know what they are doing. Unfortunately, it's a poor source of information. Even the exact same person you get advice from on here will only give you a shortened version while they are at work. 

2.  They are going by the 1" per gallon rule which is incredibly flawed. It works well for their situation because, like #1 explained, they don't have the time to get into specifics, but it is not a good place to get a complete answer. If 1" per gallon rule were true then 12" goldfish would be put in 12 gallon tanks and most guppy tanks (even the responsible ones) would be horribly over stocked. 

Aqadvisor.com is an amazing place to start with this. I don't always agree with their calculations, and they can be smudged a bit depending on situations and skill level but there is no better tool out there for a quick easy answer!  They will even give you small little stocking tips about school size and such. For the record, this is what aqadvisor says about your tank right now. 

If you want to use aqadvisor as a place to start and do some calculations on your own, here are some factors to consider:

-  Bioload - some fish/inverts eat and poop more than others, and this will change how much water you will need to carry that. I honestly don't know a lot about the 2 species you have but I think they are a lower bioload species so you can fit more in than others of the same size. 

- Swim Space - some fish, despite their small size, need surprisingly long areas to swim in. Basically speaking, some fish are more active than others. Generally, high schooling fish need more lengthwise swim space that you might expect and more shy and slow moving fish do not require as much. Think about a fast moving danio vs an otocinclus. 

- Personal Space - some of this touches on how you decorate the tank as well as tank size. Some fish require more personal space or areas to break like of sight from other fish. This also speaks to the factor that even if your bioload can handle the amount of fish, it might not be the best to put so many fish in a tank that they can barely move. Just like people, some fish need their alone time. Making sure this is provided for them can be important. 

- Plants - this is a factor that can increase the amount of fish you can stock in a few ways. One is that it is a way to break line of sight and provide personal space. Another is that it adds additional filtration and can get rid of nitrates. This means cleaner water and fewer water changes. 

Edited July 10, 2022 by Cinnebuns