Another Fish Stocking Question

[nehpets81]

Hi there,

I currently have the following in a Fluval Roma 125L:

5 x Cardinal Tetra
5 x Sterbai Cory
7 x Guppies

The temp is 26 degrees, ph is 7.6 to 7.8 and the water is hard.

I would like some sort of larger showy fish to hopefully finish the stocking off. I am also hoping to get some shrimp - probably Cherry shrimp so whatever I chose I would like it to be compatible with them too.
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I think a male Siamese fighter would be too unpredictable, particularly with guppies but what about a group of female Bettas? I also wondered about Dwarf Cichlids:

Apistos: I love these fish - do they spend most of their time on the bottom of the tank and would they compete with the Cories?
Kribs: I like these too but would aggression during spawning be too much?
Rams: Another one I like - could they live in hard slightly alkaline water though?
Any other suitable dwarf Cichlids?

Also I wonder about Gouramis. Do I have space for a small group or pair of Pearl gouramis? Would honey or dwarf Gouramis be suitable? Any others?

Also, any other fish I may not have thought abouit??

Thanks for any advice...

 

[onidrase]

Hi there,

I currently have the following in a Fluval Roma 125L:

5 x Cardinal Tetra
5 x Sterbai Cory
7 x Guppies

The temp is 26 degrees, ph is 7.6 to 7.8 and the water is hard.

I would like some sort of larger showy fish to hopefully finish the stocking off. I am also hoping to get some shrimp - probably Cherry shrimp so whatever I chose I would like it to be compatible with them too. Shrimp will likely get eaten by most larger showey fish. Like. pretty much any omnivorous fish that can fit the shrimp in its mouth. The cories might even take out a few as a delicious snack.

I think a male Siamese fighter would be too unpredictable, particularly with guppies but what about a group of female Bettas? female bettas should be fine, but you'd have to be careful with the males. some of the males can cooperate with guppies, others can't. I also wondered about Dwarf Cichlids:

Apistos: I love these fish - do they spend most of their time on the bottom of the tank and would they compete with the Cories? Doubt they'll really "compete". All dwarf cichlids tend to hang by the bottom too.
Kribs: I like these too but would aggression during spawning be too much? yes, they'd probably kill the cardinals. I'd also be worried for the shrimp if you get them.
Rams: Another one I like - could they live in hard slightly alkaline water though?
Any other suitable dwarf Cichlids? I had a couple bolivians that did fine in hard water. But again, they'd probably eat your shrimp if you get them.

Also I wonder about Gouramis. Do I have space for a small group or pair of Pearl gouramis? Would honey or dwarf Gouramis be suitable? Any others? Some gouramis can be a bit aggressive, including some dwarves. I've been told that pearl gouramis are the least aggressive of the mid sized gourami fish

Also, any other fish I may not have thought abouit??

depending on the tanks dimensions, you could also try keyhole cichlids. They're shy and non aggressive, and grow to be about 5 inches long. The current stock could possibly make them feel safer in the aquarium as well.

Thanks for any advice...

 

[nehpets81]

Thanks for the suggestion - I will check out the Keyhole cichlids, would they devour the shrimp too? I'd be stunned if any of my current stock, including the Corydoras would eat a live shrimp. I have some frozen food that is a bit of a mish-mash of foods, and I have started taking the shrimp-like things out as my current fish can't seem to eat them and end up leaving them...

 

[onidrase]

Thanks for the suggestion - I will check out the Keyhole cichlids, would they devour the shrimp too? I'd be stunned if any of my current stock, including the Corydoras would eat a live shrimp. I have some frozen food that is a bit of a mish-mash of foods, and I have started taking the shrimp-like things out as my current fish can't seem to eat them and end up leaving them...

It really depends on the size of the shrimp in comparison to the size of the fish. honestly, I wouldn't put it past any kind of catfish to eat shrimp. Catfish love crustaceans. And catfish in general will eat whatever will fit in their mouth. I'm not sure if the keyholes will eat the shrimp, but ultimately, I'd feel safer to just get larger shrimp than cherries.