African Butterfly Advice?

[ara35]

i am cycling a 15 gallon and i am very interested in african butterfly fish. i would like to have 2 bolivian rams, a butterfly fish, and 6 cories. would this be possible? if not, is there any type of set up that would allow me to get a butterfly fish?

 

[dthoffsett]

Are you talking about this: [URL="http/www.fishforums.net/content/Oddballs/34968/African-Butterfly-Fish/"]http/www.fishforums.net/content/Oddballs...Butterfly-Fish/[/URL] ?

If so, it would do well in a 15gal, but a pair of rams would need at least a 20gal tank. Why not go with the abf and the cories. The cories will have plenty of movement on the bottom of the tank, and the abf won't be bothered by them.

 

[ara35]

yes, thats the fish i am talking about. i'll scratch the ram idea. what about throwing some khuli loaches too... too much?

 

[dthoffsett]

yes, thats the fish i am talking about. i'll scratch the ram idea. what about throwing some khuli loaches too... too much?

I'd go with either the loaches or the cories, in a smaller tank you'll be limited on floor space, so one bottom dweller species is best IMO.

 

[ara35]

any thing else i could put in there. it seems like the middle will be kinda empty. i realize its a small tank but is there some kind of active fish i can put in the center that the abf wont go after?

 

[dthoffsett]

any thing else i could put in there. it seems like the middle will be kinda empty. i realize its a small tank but is there some kind of active fish i can put in the center that the abf wont go after?

I don't think so, because your tank is small, any fish large enough to escape the abf (needs to be 2" or more) would almost certainly overstock you. Hopefully someone else can give you some suggestions.

 

[ara35]

well can i get more than 6 cories then? it just seems like the tank will look so empty.

 

[SJ2K]

A small shoal of lemon tetra will be alright (max at 2"). With 4/5 of them you'll be a little over stocked but aslong as you keep on top of everything its not a big problem

 

[ara35]

they won't nip at the abf will they?

 

[ara35]

one forum is saying its impossible to keep one in a 15 gallon.... is this true? why do people have such different opinions?

 

[Esfa]

I would say it depends more on the dimentions for butterfly fish, as they stay at the top.

Like a 15gal tall would be too small, but a 15gal long would be big enough.

That's why there are so many disagreements.

 

[dthoffsett]

they won't nip at the abf will they?

They shouldn't, they're about the least nippy tetra I've ever seen. I completely forgot about them, good suggestion SJ2K.

And Esfa is right about the tank, since abf's are surface dwellers, as long as you have a long instead of tall tank, 15gal will work just fine.

 

[ara35]

my tank is 24"x12"x12"... is that enough surface area?

 

[n3ont3tra]

It should be.