What to stock first?

[WillMcK]

My newly setup 40gb is almost finishing cycling. It’s planted and looking good and I’m just about ready to add some fish (following one of Cory’s stocking ideas). Will start a quarantine tank with one of the following species but I don’t know what I should go for first:

3-4 Bolivian rams

10 or so black phantom tetras

6 corydoras

Does it matter what I start with?

Thanks!

Edited December 8, 2020 by WillMcK

[lefty o]

i typically would start with whatever you think is hardiest first.

[JettsPapa]

Hello,

I'd add fish about every two weeks:

1. Start with half the black phantom tetras (great fish, by the way)
2. Then the other half
3. After that I'm not real sure, but probably the rams.
4. Finish off with the corys (all one species, but you probably already knew that).  I wouldn't be so presumptuous as to disagree with @Cory, but if you pick one of the smaller species I think you could do more than six.

[3vi1p3nguin]

6 minutes ago, JettsPapa said:

Hello,

I'd add fish about every two weeks:

1. Start with half the black phantom tetras (great fish, by the way)
2. Then the other half
3. After that I'm not real sure, but probably the rams.
4. Finish off with the corys (all one species, but you probably already knew that).  I wouldn't be so presumptuous as to disagree with @Cory, but if you pick one of the smaller species I think you could do more than six.

I second this order to add. I agree with maybe doing more corys if you do a smaller species. Should be a nice tank

[WillMcK]

I think Cory recommended Julii corys. Would those be considered small enough to have more than 6 schooling around together?

[3vi1p3nguin]

I'd say so. They end up about the same size as pandas, and I have 12 of them in a 65 which is the same footprint. You can start with 6 and add more if you want.

[WillMcK]

Awesome, thanks for the replies. 

[JettsPapa]

12 hours ago, WillMcK said:

I think Cory recommended Julii corys. Would those be considered small enough to have more than 6 schooling around together?

I agree with @3vi1p3nguin that they should be fine.  I have 9 in my heavily planted 40 gallon breeder and rarely see more than two or three at any one time.

By the way, not to be the cory police, but the fish often referred to as julii really aren't.  Corydorus julii are rarely seen for sale, but corydorus trillineatus are, and are usually labeled julii in stores.  That's probably what he was referring to.