Tank stocking

[ADK13]

Hi everyone, I have  a 20 gallon tank tall  with a 20 top fin filter(thinking in adding a bigger one soon) my KH = 12 and my PH =7.4.

I have 6 guppies, 6 espei rasboras , 5 albyno Cory, 1 hill stream loach and one blue ram, I recently added some tetras but they all died because of my high KH, now I’m thinking in adding some chilli rasboras but I don’t want the same outcome, I don’t want to overstock it too much. Also any suggestions in what filter to get and what KH should I lower my tank to.

[Lennie]

Hello there

To answer your question: do nothing. My KH is 20 and I haven't seen or heard any fish dying from kh reading being 12 before. There must be something else I believe, 12 kh does not sound extreme to me. 

If I were you I wouldn't add more fish to that tank if you don't want it overstocked. It already seems decently stocked as it is. Also it is a high tank rather than long. Fish usually utilise the length and depth more than the height. And you already utilise the height of the tank by keeping fish that spend time on different levels. 

If you really wanna add a few more fish,  I would suggest increasing the size of an existing school rather than having another. But overall I would not add anything, as gradually some guppy fry will likely survive even in a community tank considering your tank offers hiding places with plants. So gradually your tank will have an increasing population anyway.

 

Im not familiar with the filter you mentioned. Maybe US peeps can help with that better.

Edited October 26, 2023 by Lennie

[Tuppins]

Hello from Florida where the water is basically liquid rock. I’ve had no issues with any of these species of fish as long as they are sourced from places with roughly the same water parameters as what you are getting at your house. You can also acclimatize them by gradually bringing up the kh in a quarantine tank over time, at least a week or two depending on the water they came from to be safe. As for the filter it comes down to how many water changes you are looking to do and if you want the guppies to breed or not. If you do want them to breed I would put a sponge on the end of the intake and some guppy grass so that the ram does not instantly eat them. If you don’t want them to breed and want an overall easier time a smaller oase canister filter with a built in heater makes life a lot easier and you can always add the intake sponge after the fact. As for the chili rasboras I would be careful, rams are mostly peaceful but anything that can fit in a cichlids mouth will…eventually