Tropical Fish Keeping banner

pristell tetra Qs - suitability for alkaline water and small tank?

4K views 8 replies 3 participants last post by  tanker 
#1 ·
I am working out what to put in my 35-litre tank.

I've looked at the various tetras and the pristella tetras seem to be a variety that can handle my hard and alkaline local water. The fish descriptions recommend a minimum of 6 fish. I have some questions.

Suitability for 35-litre tank
Would these fish be happy in this small a tank?

How many?
Would there be enough room to get the recommended 6? Alternatively, would it be possible to get, say, 5 and something else like a dwarf gourami or a betta as well, or would that be overstocking? (It might be a bit dull with just all the same fish.)

Any other info
If you've got them, are you happy with them? Anything else I should know about them?

Thanks for any info.
 
#2 ·
I am working out what to put in my 35-litre tank.

I've looked at the various tetras and the pristella tetras seem to be a variety that can handle my hard and alkaline local water. The fish descriptions recommend a minimum of 6 fish. I have some questions.

Suitability for 35-litre tank
Would these fish be happy in this small a tank?

How many?
Would there be enough room to get the recommended 6? Alternatively, would it be possible to get, say, 5 and something else like a dwarf gourami or a betta as well, or would that be overstocking? (It might be a bit dull with just all the same fish.)

Any other info
If you've got them, are you happy with them? Anything else I should know about them?

Thanks for any info.
Six pristella 's would enjoy more room. Were it me,I would go with one Betta .Throw in some plants,and you could have some cherry shrimp or possibly a couple african dwarf frogs with the Betta. IMHO.
 
  • Like
Reactions: tanker
#4 ·
Pristella maxillaris is a reasonably active fish that would be best in a 24-inch length tank, say a 20 Long. [For some reason, this information is missing from the Profiles, although it has been added. We are looking into this.]

I have a group of 9 in my 115g at present. Perhaps not the most colourful of tetras, but they are a nice addition with other tetras in a spacious tank. Their white/black/yellow dorsal fins are a "signal" or recognition to the others in the shoal it is believed, hence another of their common names is "Signal Tetra."

Byron.
 
  • Like
Reactions: tanker
#5 ·
Thanks Byron. Aargh. I bought 3 yesterday. I can move them into my bigger tank with the platies. Would that be better?

It doesn't look like any of the tetras are going to be suitable based on tank length recommendations here. Do you think that I'd be better off sticking with guppies or a betta for my small tank? Are there any other small fish that can cope with alkaline water and a small tank?
 
#6 ·
Thanks Byron. Aargh. I bought 3 yesterday. I can move them into my bigger tank with the platies. Would that be better?

It doesn't look like any of the tetras are going to be suitable based on tank length recommendations here. Do you think that I'd be better off sticking with guppies or a betta for my small tank? Are there any other small fish that can cope with alkaline water and a small tank?
Pristella are fine with platys, but get 3 more Pristella to ease their stress and encourage more natural interaction. They are actually a very nice contrast.

There are small fish suitable for basic (alkaline) water, obviously livebearers, aside from the usual platys, mollies, swordtail & guppy clan there are rarer ones that you might find somewhere or online in Australia. There are celestial rasbora as they are commonly called, actually a danio but small and very colourful. Shrimp do well in alkaline water (need the calcium), provided the other fish are small enough not to eat them.

Byron.
 
  • Like
Reactions: tanker
#7 ·
Thanks.

I don't care about rare, I'm looking for "happy" and healthy, that's it. I don't care what I end up with as long as they are alive and kicking.

I was planning on getting another 3 pristella, but decided to get them in stages because the tank is still cycling and to make sure they aren't going to have a problem with my local water. So far so good. They look active and ok (a bit shy compared to my platies).

I haven't seen the celestial rasboras here at all (you mentioned them before, I think). And I've never seen shrimp. We've got yabbies but I think they'd need a bigger tank than 35 litres. I think I'll stick with guppies. I'm also considering the honey gourami. They are only small, are apparently ok in a small aquarium and they get on with guppies. Also I'm thinking of getting an apple snail. Decisions, decisions:)
 
#8 ·
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top