My Next Fish!

[mcgrimes]

I currently have 6 neon tetras, 5 swallow rasboras, 4 peppered catfish and a concoction of 16 dwarf shrimp including crystal reds!
I have a fluval 180 vicenzia and so have much more room for more stock!
Anyone have any ideas at my next tank mates which wont bully or eat any of my fish? (or shrimp for that matter!)
Thanks!

 

[locker]

Another Shoal of small Tetras would be good.

Glowlights

Silver Tips


To Clean up

Oto's would be a good idea

BUT

DON'T get sucker loaches THEY ARE A CON!!!!

they don't eat algae after about 2 years; get vicious; and big

 

[Truck]

ottos do terrible in home aquaria.

dont get any more different species, keep it simple, although neons prefer mature setups, i would wait a while before adding more, increase rasboras, to about 20, wait 5 months then add more neons.

increase catfish to about 12 of them, and add a centre peice such as rams

 

[Inchworm]

ottos do terrible in home aquaria.

Otos do fine in planted tanks, but it's often hard to find healthy ones. If they don't eat frequently they can lose their ability to digest food and it can never be regained. Once a healthy group is established in an aquarium there is no reason for them not to do well.

Here's a link with lots of good information about them:

http/www.otocinclus.com/index.html

 

[Truck]

if youve got a steady supply of algae they should be ok, but from what ive heard they do best in greenwater

 

[Honeythorn]

A steady supply of algae is hardly difficult to obtain. Just get some (safe )smooth flattish stones, place in a tub or bowl of tankwater and leave them in a sunny spot on the windowsill, or even in a greenhouse if you have one . You'll have them covered in algae in no time at all and you can rotate the stones so you always have a fresh one for the otos to graze on. You can also supplement them with sinking algae wafers.

 

[lilfishie]

might do that when i get my hillstream loaches

 

[HooverOtoCat]

if youve got a steady supply of algae they should be ok, but from what ive heard they do best in greenwater

I love my oto's!! I have had Hoover for 4 months now by himself and is as big as a pig. Anyway just got a new one (DirtDevil) and he is doing great as well, also getting plump and hanging around Hoover allot now too. As long as you have enough algae green/brown, algae tabs, or some veggies are great. I havn't fed my veggies yet, but probably should.
They are adorable and are fiesty!

 

[Inchworm]

They do well with zucchini or algae wafers. I also give them blanched lettuce, kale, and butternut squash.

 

[Darkerwhite2]

Increase your shoals to larger numbers and i dont think you will need a main stage fish, the rasboras will look so good is a large shoal. If you want a main stage fish the rams are a good idea. Maybe a pair of gourami's? dont know enough about them though to comment

 

[Inchworm]

Increase your shoals to larger numbers and i dont think you will need a main stage fish, the rasboras will look so good is a large shoal. If you want a main stage fish the rams are a good idea. Maybe a pair of gourami's? dont know enough about them though to comment

I agree with increasing your shoals, but not with adding any cichlids. They tend to pick on the corys. Female gouramis are nice fish, but the males tend to be aggressive toward them and sometimes toward the other fish too. There's nothing wrong with keeping a pair of females though. They are beautiful and get along well together.

 

[mcgrimes]

Thanks guys! I did buy another 2 peppered cories, and these 2 seem much more active than my other 4, slightly large 2, but they are all getting along fine! I also got 5 platinum tetras, chosen by the Mrs, and they look great! They seem the prefer the middle-top of the tank, compared to my neons which prefer middle-bottom. At firs they swam with the rasboras but now they seem perfectly happy to dot around interacting with themselves and others!
Also, to help control algae, we also got 2 mixed hillstream loaches! These love to hide, and 1 has taken refuge behind the heater!
I was after ottos, but none of my LFS had them!
Based on the following would anyone say my tank is overstocked, just about right or would comfortably hold more fish for shoaling?
6x Neon Tetras
5x Platinum Tetras
5x Swallow Rasboras
6x Peppered Corydoras
2x Mixed Hillstream Loaches
And 16x Mixed Dwarf Shrimp (Cherry, red crystals etc...)

Personally i would love another 6 neon tetras, the small ones are available for £3.99 for 6!
And not forgetting, i have a fluval 180 vicenzia witha fluval 205 external filter!

Cheers again guys!

 

[Inchworm]

Hi mcgrimes

I'm glad you got more corys. They do benefit from being in a larger school.

Before you make up your mind about adding any more fish to your tank, it might be a good idea to identify your hillstream loaches so you know how big they will get. Ask about them in the Cyprinids, Characins and Atherinids section.

 

[mcgrimes]

They all seem to like wandering around on their own, but at night i see them sticking together more! I think the guy at my lfs said the loaches can grow to around 6cm. They seem and look very similar, 1 if not the same as a chinese loach, but i picked them because they were cheaper!
They were sold as tropical fish at my lfs, and when i bought i presumed they were accustomed to tropical temperatures, but ive read on the internet and on some forums they prefer low 20's. My water is at 24-25 degrees celcius and they seem happy(Especially as one resides behind the heater!) Anyone had any bad experiences at higher temps?