Help With Selecting Fish For My New Tank

[varadero]

Just ordered a 45 litre tank, the dimensions are 56cm High x 37.5cm Wide and 25.5cm Deep.

I had a community tank about 6 years ago but my knowledge is very poor. I'm wanting this to be a community tank also and keep about 8-10 fish in it. What I'd like to know is what options are available for fully grown fish that would live comfortably in a tank of this size and dimensions? I'm keeping ceramic media at the bottom so plecos are out of the question unfortunately as I like them.

 

[New-FishBoy]

One option would be to go with around 5 dwarf cories, like salt and pepper cories, and a small school (again maybe five) mosquito rasboras. You could add two cherry shrimp with that, too.

 

[varadero]

I really like the look of cherry shrimp, are they ok on the ceramic media bottom?

 

[New-FishBoy]

Ya, they should have no problem at all with the ceramic substrate.

 

[fluttermoth]

That substrate isn't suitable for corydoras.

I'd with something like 5 microrasboras or ember tetras for the middle, and five Endler's or sparkling gouramis for the top and cherry shrimp for the bottom dwellers.

Will you be fishlessly cycling the tank, OP?

 

[TekFish]

Cherry Shrimp and Ember Tetras.

I've never kept shrimp maybe someone else can suggest numbers?
6 Ember Tetras

TekFish

 

[varadero]

Thanks for the advice everyone.

Will you be fishlessly cycling the tank, OP?

Yep.

So far I've been considering dwarf cichlids, honey gouramis, chocolate gouramis, black mollies, red coral platies, red-tail platies and dwarf hatchetfish. Which of these fish can be kept together and if so what numbers are best for each fish? Eg. I read hatchetfish are best in groups of at least 4 to feel safe.

 

[TekFish]

I would have to say imo that all of those fish are too small for that aquarium except maybe the chocolate gouramis but they are very specialist. They need pH 5.5 water and it has to be very soft. I would stick with Embers or Mosquito Rasbora or Endlers or Guppies and some Corydoras hastatus/habrosus but you should really make the bottom sand. Or is it UGF?

TekFish

 

[Flute]

I agree with TekFish, I think that tank is too small for any of those fish. What about a male betta with a small group of ammano shrimp?

I think they're under gravel filters, aren't they? If so, that rules out corys and kuhlis. You can change the filtration system in the biorbs, so if you really liked a fish that needed sand then you could probably change over the filtration system so you have a small internal filter for this tank too.

 

[varadero]

Thanks guys.

I am now pondering over having a male betta, a group of male celestial pearl danios and a few cherry and cardinal shrimp. Would these work together?

I'm not sure what size group would be ideal for the celestial pearl danios and if they can be all males (I like the colours a lot more)?

Also, could I put pebbles over the ceramic media and keep a small pleco and/or 6 pygmy corries?

 

[varadero]

http/www.amazon.co.uk/HAB125-Aquarium-Decoration-Vivarium-Reptile/dp/B0085KHBWW/ref=sr_1_35?ie=UTF8&qid=1346507005&sr=8-35

http/www.amazon.co.uk/Trixie-8864-Formation-Aquarium-Decoration/dp/B000WFDXOS/ref=sr_1_47?ie=UTF8&qid=1346507005&sr=8-47

http/www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B006NDP5A8/ref=noref?ie=UTF8&psc=1&s=pet-supplies

Which of these do you reckon would suit the tank better?

 

[TekFish]

Be careful that the ornament doesn't take up the entire bottom of the tank.

TekFish