Do you think I have any stocking options?

[Kodge]

So, I am wondering what I could do stock wise with my current tank. Any suggestions welcome.

Two years ago I started off with a 10 gallon and 3 each of bleeding heart tetras, neon tetras and sunset platys. Then I added 3 pygmy corys.  All have got along great, but I really didn't know anything about the fish types at the time.

18 months later I upgraded to a 37 gallon (planted, driftwood, Penguin 200 filter (that I'd like to replace with an Aquaclear 70)). I increased some numbers and added a BN and some shrimp. Current stock:
6 Bleeding Heart Tetras
7 Neon Tetras
1 Bristle Nose
3 Amano Shrimp
1 Sunset Platy (and 1 in QT)
1 pygmy cory

I'll add 7 or 8 pygmys whenever I find them.  With weekly water changes I believe I'd still have more stocking capacity.     

Any thoughts on that?

If so, I'd like to add a different species - any suggestions for a fish that doesn't need to be in a big group that would look good and be in keeping with the tetras and corys? There are lots of other tetras types, but do they all need to be in big groups? And I read somewhere that bleeding hearts can be nippy with some fish - I did think about a pearl gourami or something like that.

May not be in keeping, but I also thought of 3 or 4 kuhli loaches, but only have experience with the fish types I have, and that may be pushing the bioload...
Thanks for any thoughts,
Kodge

[Laura]

Perhaps a betta or some medium rainbows?  If the bleeding hearts are nippy, a couple of female bettas or a short finned one would be a better choice. (I haven't kept bleeding hearts, so don't know their temperament.) 

Dwarf cichlids might be worth looking into if you want to keep with a south american theme, but I am unfortunately not able to provide any advice on them.  While an angel would be pretty, I understand they can be a hazard for smaller tankmates as they mature.

Make sure you get the BN pleco a cave to hide in and don't forget to feed him algae pellets and some fresh veggies.  It's a great idea to get more pygmies to make a larger school. They are so wee, you may even want to get 10.

Re. the kuhlis, I have a large school, and they hide the majority of the time. While this isn't everyone's experience, you may want a more visible fish, and with your school of pygmies, you don't need more bottom feeders.

[Fishnut]

Most fish need to be in groups.  They may not group together like the fish we see on TV if there is only a few of them, but they do have a happier, more comfortable life if they have friends of the same species.

Rainbowfish are an excelent choice, but here are a few cautions:

1. Most rainbows SHOULD NOT have a heated aquarium
2. Many of them get quite large...6 inches
3. they need to be in a group
4. you need to have a good ratio of females and males when you buy.  Females are drab in comparison but without them, the males will never colour up...what's the point if there are no ladies to show off to right?

Do your research!  I would go with Bosemani Rainbowfish or Neon Dwarf Rainbowfish.

Don't over-look the more gentle barbs...cherry barbs, rosy barbs, gold barbs and checkerboard barbs.  They can be a nice addition.   Avoid Tiger barbs though.

Rasboras can be a great addition.  They school better than any tetra I have ever owned.  If you get a large enough group, you'll be able to enjoy the true schooling as one experience when you watch the tank!!

The pearl gourami is an excellent choice.  I have been keeping these guys in my tanks on and off for decades.  The males are particularly beautiful with the read throat.  They don't need to be in a group so one would make an excellent feature fish.

There are many many dwarf cichlids that you could add.  Rams and apistogramas are the usual dwarf cichlids available in LFS's, so do some research to see if these species would suit your tank.

Khuli loaches (based on my experience) hide all the time.  They burrow into the substrate, so it's not like you can see them hiding behind a plant or anything.  Have a look at the different species of botia.  I think a group of dwarf botia would make a nice addition and they're regularly available in the shops.  There are so many different types though!!

[washefuzzy]

Dwarf neon rainbows stay small.

[magnosis]

[...]cherry barbs, rosy barbs, gold barbs and checkerboard barbs.  They can be a nice addition.   Avoid Tiger barbs though.

Rasboras can be a great addition.  They school better than any tetra I have ever owned.  If you get a large enough group, you'll be able to enjoy the true schooling as one experience when you watch the tank!!

Oh that's good to know. I've been hesitating between tetras and rasboras as the main stock for my 59g.

Would these barbs do well together with tetras and/or rasboras ?

@Kodge: I spend a lot of time on http://www.seriouslyfish.com, it's a great online encyclopedia !  At one point I wanted 1 or 2 tetras just for adding color to my 10g... but decided against after reading on this site.  I found out they do better in groups of 6-10 at least.  

[Fishnut]

Oh that's good to know. I've been hesitating between tetras and rasboras as the main stock for my 59g.

Would these barbs do well together with tetras and/or rasboras ?

Yes, they would do quite well.

As an example of schooling behavior that's great to watch, I had 30 rummy nose in my 72 gallon a few years ago.  I'm down to about a dozen now,  Anyways, they would move as one all oer the tank.  Through the plants, spilling over the driftwood...everywhere!