Considering a shoal of peaceful tetras

eug

My 30 gallon tank currently houses 7 peppered cories, and is decently planted - you can see it in the aquarium tab to the left.

I would like to add a peaceful shoaling fish that does well in moderately hard water (16 dGH) and pH between 7.5 and 8. I would like a group of 7+, and this would be the only other fish in the tank apart from the cories. I know that a large majority of tetras prefer soft, acidic water but reading the profiles, I've noted that a good few of them would do fine in this water.

I want to avoid neon tetras because from what I've read, they're so overbred and mass-produced to the point where it's inducing disease among the population, so I do not want to support this practice.

Before going searching at the LFS, I would like to compile a list of potential candidates. The place I go to is a smaller shop so they likely won't have all of the species available.

Candidates:

-Pristella maxillaris (Pristella Tetra)
-Hemigrammus erythrozonus (Glowlight Tetra)
-Hasemania nana (Silvertip Tetra)

Suggestions very appreciated!

eug

Hey, I think you intended to open a new thread, probably in the Freshwater and Tropical Fish forum and not the Charcins forum, can you do that instead so that your problem can get the proper attention?

Edit: I came across the post and moved it to its own thread in Freshwater Aquarium. Byron.

Byron

This is probably the first time I have actually recomended this fish--but Hyphessobrycon eques, the Serpae Tetra, would shine in this aquarium. A group of 12, with just the corys. The Serpae would add some colour too, unlike the Pristella.

Another option is the Flame Tetra, a group of perhaps 7-9. Or Hemigrammus ocellifer, the Head & Tail Light Tetra.

All of these three tend to remain in the upper half of the water column, well balanced with the corys below. The glowlight is more a lower fish, but while it would manange, as noted in the profile not likely be at its best in this water.

Byron.

Olympia

Just avoid those long finned serpae. I can't imagine they're good for each other.

allaboutfish

id do the glowlights personally a good school of 10. the school wonderfully.

eug

Ah exciting, I saw serpaes at the LFS and thought they looked absolutely stunning, but then gave up on the idea after being indoctrinated here that they're not good community fish due to nipping behaviour. If they're going to leave the cories alone then I might go this route.

How gradually should I buy the fish if I want to have 12 in the end? Would 6 one week, then 6 the next be a good plan?

1077

Pristella Tetra's have no colour? Surely you jest.
Perhaps' not as colorful as the serpae,but the Pristella Tetra with silver body, yellow black and white dorsal,and red tinge tail ,is in my view a handsome fish and would fair well in parameter's posted.
That said,,the Serpae would also add a splash of colour and in large enough number's,,would not become too nippy.(12+)

Byron

I was thinking that in this situation, with the spotted (black, silver, white) corys, and only one other species to be added, a brighter colour above would be better. Pristella on their own with just the corys might be disappointing to the member.

1077

I'm just funnin with ya !
I do feel the Pristella 's with five color's workin for em, are too often overlooked.
Pictures of fishes often don't do them justice in my view.
It's not till you get them acclimated in comfortable surrounding's,not too brite lighting, that they and other's really shine.

eug

Interesting discussion. My only concern with the 12+ serpaes idea is that it sounds like a lot of fish for my tank, together with the 7 cories - it's 112 L or 30 gallons, 80 cm x 35 cm x 45 cm.

Also, please advise regarding the question I asked above about going about adding them - would it the biological/plant filter deal fine with adding 50% of the tetras first, then the other 50% sometime later?