# Looking for ideas on which fish to stock?



## *Angie* (Sep 29, 2010)

I have a 33 gallon planted tank that is close to being completely cycled. We added a single cherry barb yesterday and it seems to be loving life. I let the kids choose between it and a zebra danio, and the barbs were the overwhelming consensus. I've read they like to live in schools, so our next additions over the next couple of weeks will be another 3-4 of the same. 

After that, I'm not really sure what other fish we'd like to have, so I'm looking for some suggestions. I've always loved the little neon tetras, will they live together well with the barbs? 

I'd also like to add a couple of loaches, if they'll do well with the other fish. I have playsand as my substrate, and the loaches are the only fish the store carries that like to dig/burrow in the sand. They have clown loaches and kuhli loaches. Opinions on either? How about something that will help keep the tank clean? When we had a tank years ago, we had one of those ugly algae eaters LOL Are they still the best option? Nothing that multiplies like crazy, like snails *ick*. 

Not sure how I feel about fish that tend to reproduce a lot. I can't remember what we had before, guppies or mollies, maybe? It was something that gave birth to live babies. I honestly don't have the time to devote to actively/purposely breeding fish, keeping them safe from being eaten, etc. And while the tank so far has been an awesome educational experience for the kids, I don't know that I want to encourage them to get attached to lots of babies who will likely just end up being eaten, kwim?

Any other suggestions would be great. Nothing that absolutely needs a really low ph, as my tap water is naturally high and my tank is sitting comfortably at around 7.6 Thanks!


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

Clown loaches get too large for that sized tank.


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## joemighty87 (Sep 16, 2010)

amano shrimps are cool. good little cleaners to!


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## IslandRzrbk (Aug 14, 2011)

I had a clown loach in my 10 gallon and he was great. I had him while he was small (1"-2") and he did a FANTASTIC job on my snail population and his personality was awesome. But I was also aware that they grow big and after seeing them at a foot long at the aquarium I worked at it was true. However, I also had a fish store available that was willing to buy him back when he got too big (which they did). The problem I had with my kuhli loach was that he was ALWAYS hiding and LOVED to burrow so I never saw him during the day and he only came out when the whole room was dark. Loaches can be great personality wise, but can become bullies to other fish. Or as I liked to describe it, they always seemed to want to be friends with fish that didn't feel the same way. 

I've never had shrimp before, but I've heard good things. I had a few otocinculus' but I thought they were kind of boring and in my personal experience they only did an OK job at cleaning the tank. My friend had a pair of bristlenose plecostomuses that was ugly, but it only got to about 4" and they did a great job cleaning things up and didn't tear up his plants either. He also had two chinese algae eaters that were a lot cuter but they got up around 7"-8" and were aggressive. 

From my experience, barbs do better with other barbs than with more peaceful, docile fish, but in a large tank they might get along fine. Barbs seem to get along better with fish that aren't flashier then they are (i.e. they enjoy nibbling on long fins). Barbs will school too so even if you decide to stick with those it might be really cool for the kids. I like this chart as a rough guide to different compatibility. 

Freshwater & Brackish Compatibility Chart


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