[jennesque]

So, I made the mistake of leaving for a vacation.. It was a short trip, so I told my roommatee to just leave the aquarium alone. I can only assume he didn't listen because I came home to a completely filthy tank, dead fish, and mostly dead plants.

I figure this is a good time to redo my tank.... I plan on switching out the substrate. I'm probably going to keep my driftwood as is.. I really like it, personally. But now I'm trying to figure out where to go with stocking. I've considered getting dwarf puffers, but I think they'd just be too small and since they don't school they wouldn't be noticeable. I also thought about going brackish and getting a GSP.. but, I thought I'd ask you guys for any suggestions on stocking for a FW community tank.

I've got water that's got 6.6 pH and my DH is nearly nonexistent. (I usually add delta GH+ to the tank to increase the GH a bit for my plants). I have been running a sponge filter, but would use an HOB if the fish called for it. I will also be planting my tank again, though with what I am not sure.

I would like to keep either larger fish, or fish that somewhat school together. I have had rummynose tetras in the past and may go with those again..

I'm thinking one large school of fish, maybe some loaches? Maybe a school of hatchetfish too? Also considering some 'centerpiece' fish, although I would like to avoid rams. I'm also interested in possibly keeping some of the less commonly seen fish as well.. not necessarily rare, but maybe not the regular, hardy, go to fish like harlequin rasboras. Not that I'm totally opposed to it..

 

[jennesque]

Wanted to add an idea I've got.. see if there's any issues. I've got a golden ram that needs to either go in this tank or be rehomed. Not aggressive or anything..

I was thinking of getting 5 kuhli loaches, 7 marbled hatchetfish, and like 11 rummynose tetras.. and then the ram as well?

 

[Byron]

Wanted to add an idea I've got.. see if there's any issues. I've got a golden ram that needs to either go in this tank or be rehomed. Not aggressive or anything..

I was thinking of getting 5 kuhli loaches, 7 marbled hatchetfish, and like 11 rummynose tetras.. and then the ram as well?

No problems here.

I always think small fish work better in small tanks. And by "small" I mean 1 inch or 1.5 max. A single Ram is fine with this. There are many options in the cyprinids and characins sections of the propfiles. Have you looked at the pencilfish? Any species except for Nannostomus beckfordi wold be OK.

Byron.

 

[tankman12]

You should get a male pearl gourami. They are a peaceful and gourgous fish. It would add some a different sized fish to your tank. It is very peaceful I keep mine with neons, but when it is going up to take a breath it chases away the platies. He has kind of stopped that after they have been together for a couple of months. Over all it is a very peaceful fish. I also keep it with my rummynose school.

 

[jennesque]

Byron, I'm assuming you are suggesting the pencil fish instead of the rummies, because of their size? That's a good point.. I think smaller fish may look better. I don't recall seeing many pencil fish at my LFS. Not any that had any color for sure, and I think I would like some color in my mid level school.
I don't think the ram will go in here because of the temperature need. That'll give me room to increase the other groups too I think.

And thank you tankman for the suggestion. I've had a Gourami before and they are excellent. I think I do want to stick to smaller fish in this tank though.

Hmmm.. now, to find a schooling fish with some color.

Are flame tetra or ember tetra very large? I know my LFS has one of these two in stock often, but I can't think of which. I will see what sort of pencil fish they can get too.
I've seen them carry dwarf rasboras, would those be an option.

 

[Byron]

Byron, I'm assuming you are suggesting the pencil fish instead of the rummies, because of their size? That's a good point.. I think smaller fish may look better. I don't recall seeing many pencil fish at my LFS. Not any that had any color for sure, and I think I would like some color in my mid level school.
I don't think the ram will go in here because of the temperature need. That'll give me room to increase the other groups too I think.

And thank you tankman for the suggestion. I've had a Gourami before and they are excellent. I think I do want to stick to smaller fish in this tank though.

Hmmm.. now, to find a schooling fish with some color.

Are flame tetra or ember tetra very large? I know my LFS has one of these two in stock often, but I can't think of which. I will see what sort of pencil fish they can get too.
I've seen them carry dwarf rasboras, would those be an option.

I see I missed the temp in my last response. Ram needs 82F, the others will find that a tad high, hatchets especially. Rummys can tolerate it.

Flame or Ember (latter is a "dwarf" species) are OK for the tank size, but the temp is an issue again. All of these fish have around 82F as the top end of their range, but I don't like pushing fish that high. Maybe try 80F (for the ram) and see what happens.

 

[jennesque]

OK, so I saw the profile and pics of the green neon tetra and I'm quite interested in keeping some of those. I checked and my LFS can get them in for me.

They've got kuhli and black kuhli loaches in right now so I'll probably be picking up the loaches first. They should get some hatchet fish in soon as well, they usually have them stocked. And then I can add the school of mid range fish last.. I'm really leaning towards the green neons. Those would probably be the only three species I would keep. Any issues with keeping them. And how many should I get of each?

I was thinking at least 5 loaches, 7 hatchets, and then like 15 green neons, since they are so small. Is that too many, or should I get any more of any particular species?

I'm hoping the tetras may school together, maybe. That was why I was originally considering the rummynoses.

And with this combination, I can keep the temp at like 77-78.

 

[Byron]

OK, so I saw the profile and pics of the green neon tetra and I'm quite interested in keeping some of those. I checked and my LFS can get them in for me.

They've got kuhli and black kuhli loaches in right now so I'll probably be picking up the loaches first. They should get some hatchet fish in soon as well, they usually have them stocked. And then I can add the school of mid range fish last.. I'm really leaning towards the green neons. Those would probably be the only three species I would keep. Any issues with keeping them. And how many should I get of each?

I was thinking at least 5 loaches, 7 hatchets, and then like 15 green neons, since they are so small. Is that too many, or should I get any more of any particular species?

I'm hoping the tetras may school together, maybe. That was why I was originally considering the rummynoses.

And with this combination, I can keep the temp at like 77-78.

Make sure they really are Paracheirodon simulans. I have more than once seen so-called "Green neons" in local stores and they were actually another species often called the Fire or Green Fire Tetra, Aphyocharax rathbuni. This fish is a fin nipper.

The true P. simulans is a beauty, but a very delicate fish. They will be wild caught and must have very soft acidic water. I had a nice group of this fish for a couple years, then lost almost all of them literally in a week to some protozoan. I found them in a store and got another group, which sadly were carrying something, and have 1 left. The cardinal tetra is very similar (the two species are very closely related according to their DNA) and more resiliant.

 

[jennesque]

OK, I will check. I have a feeling the LFS know which fish I am talking about because they did say the only concern he's had selling them is how tiny they get and to make sure the tank mates would be appropriate since they may get eaten!

I actually saw some green fire tetras as Petco yesterday and they were pretty large (compared to something like a normal neon tetra.. at first I thought it might be the same fish, and I almost got some.. but then I thought about how big they were and looked up the scientific name of the green tetras and realized they definitely were not the same fish.

My tap water's GH is typically at 3 GH and my tank's pH had been running at 6.6, occasionally 6.4 for a couple years. I did just change out the substrate (yesterday) and I'm waiting to make sure my GH will remain steady before adding anything. I've still got my sponge filter running in a bucket and I'm using the same driftwood so I don't expect much of a cycle, if any. I'm going to keep and eye on this for at least a week and then start adding fish once I get my plants in the mail. The tetras will probably be the last to be added - especially if I do go with the green tetras.

But since my GH and pH have been so steady, I think they would be find if I did decide to add them. Who knows though.. Petco does have cardinal tetras for sale right now, 5 for $5! I hate buying from Petco though..

 

[Byron]

OK, I will check. I have a feeling the LFS know which fish I am talking about because they did say the only concern he's had selling them is how tiny they get and to make sure the tank mates would be appropriate since they may get eaten!

I actually saw some green fire tetras as Petco yesterday and they were pretty large (compared to something like a normal neon tetra.. at first I thought it might be the same fish, and I almost got some.. but then I thought about how big they were and looked up the scientific name of the green tetras and realized they definitely were not the same fish.

My tap water's GH is typically at 3 GH and my tank's pH had been running at 6.6, occasionally 6.4 for a couple years. I did just change out the substrate (yesterday) and I'm waiting to make sure my GH will remain steady before adding anything. I've still got my sponge filter running in a bucket and I'm using the same driftwood so I don't expect much of a cycle, if any. I'm going to keep and eye on this for at least a week and then start adding fish once I get my plants in the mail. The tetras will probably be the last to be added - especially if I do go with the green tetras.

But since my GH and pH have been so steady, I think they would be find if I did decide to add them. Who knows though.. Petco does have cardinal tetras for sale right now, 5 for $5! I hate buying from Petco though..

Yes, your water is fine for P. simulans. Just make very sure that is what they are. The number of times I have seen fish mis-labelled... and this often begins with the exporter/importer.

 

[jennesque]

OK.. yeah, I certainly know that happens. The same LFS sells 'Julii cories,' but they're one ofthe other close species. Though they still charge an appropriate price for the actual fish they're selling so I don't complain. I'll do my best to make sure they're right. At least now I've seen the green fire devils so I know what to compare to!

I have decided to go ahead with a full South American theme. I wouldn't go as far as to say a biotope, but I'm going to go with cories, instead of the loaches. Not sure if maybe 7 cories, (probably whatever the fake julii kind I've purchased before, I like how small they stay), and 7 marbled hatchets and then my school of either cardinals or neon green tetras - say 13? I don't think that'd be over stocking, but I also don't want any of the schools to be lacking in numbers.

Going to plant some alternathera, micro sword and probably some star grass or maybe an interesting looking sword if I find one I like. And I've got some Amazon frog bit on the way already.

 

[Byron]

OK.. yeah, I certainly know that happens. The same LFS sells 'Julii cories,' but they're one ofthe other close species. Though they still charge an appropriate price for the actual fish they're selling so I don't complain. I'll do my best to make sure they're right. At least now I've seen the green fire devils so I know what to compare to!

I have decided to go ahead with a full South American theme. I wouldn't go as far as to say a biotope, but I'm going to go with cories, instead of the loaches. Not sure if maybe 7 cories, (probably whatever the fake julii kind I've purchased before, I like how small they stay), and 7 marbled hatchets and then my school of either cardinals or neon green tetras - say 13? I don't think that'd be over stocking, but I also don't want any of the schools to be lacking in numbers.

Going to plant some alternathera, micro sword and probably some star grass or maybe an interesting looking sword if I find one I like. And I've got some Amazon frog bit on the way already.

Increase the hatchets to 12. If you get P. simulans, up those to 15, but P. axelrodi (cardinal) 12 max. And there is room for another mid-water. Nannostomus marginatus would be ideal, they are found in company with P. axelrodi. Nannostomus eques is another good match. Hyphessobrycon amandae perhaps.