tank size/number of fish

Question
i currently have a 28 gallon bow front tank with a black moor, gourami, blood parot, and a pleco.  i would like to get more fish (if there's room) and was wondering what suggestions you have?  i was thinking about zebra danios? any suggestions would be helpful.  thanks.

Answer
Hi Carrie,

You need to get the black moor out of that tank asap.  A black moor is a goldfish and is a coldwater fish and is only compatible with other fancy goldfish.  You cannot mix these with tropical fish and never, ever with a pleco which will suck the slime coat off of him and open him up to a host of bacterial and parasitic infestations.  Goldfish require a 20 gallon tank for one and 10 gallons for each additional goldfish, and double filtration and a temp of 64-70 F.  Anything higher stresses them and causes them to get ill and even die and your tropicals cannot live at these temps.  They just simply are not compatible at all.  Anything less simply cannot support the bioload of these fish.

Your other fish are tropical and need a much warmer setting.  Your 28 gallon tank is not sufficient for the species that you have.  A blood parrot cichlid is a semi-aggressive species that requires a minimum of a 50 gallon tank.  Cichlids can be messy fish and are heavy bodied so I also always recommend double filtration for these fish as well.  Neotropical cichlids, such as the parrot, often do better with their own kind or other semi-aggressive smaller fish, like gouramis (but not dwarfs) and would be okay with the pleco.

Check to see what kind of pleco you have.  Some plecos get to be 24 inches in length and need 100+ gallon tanks.

Zebra danios would be compatible with your tropical species if kept in a shoal of 6+ or they become fin nippers.  However, considering how severely overstocked your current tank is I would not add these until you upgrade to at least a 55 gallon tank.

You can see a great species compatibility chart at www.liveaquaria.com and some good information on goldfish at www.kokosgoldfish.com

Good luck : ) April M.