Need Some Fishy Suggestions!

[Amunet]

Need some ideas on what to put in the tank.
It's a 29gal bowfront tank. Pretty much looks like a big box.
Right now there are only 8 small rasbora in the tank.
It's a planted tank.

Specifics on what I want and don't want.

Fish needs to remain small. About the same size as the rasbora.
NO livebearers! Platy are poo and breeding machines, and guppies are mean.
I'd like fish who will eat food off the bottom. NOT bottom-dwellers though. So no cory, plecos or anything like that.
Peaceful of course.
And hardy
Has to be common too unfortunatly. Not much option around here and ordering online is out of the question. Too expensive.

I was thinking maybe about 5 or 6 regular danio. Those were some of the first fish I ever had and I loved them, but I can't remember if they ate food off the bottom. Hmm, I may still get some.....
So yeah, any suggestions would be fantastic!!

 

[ajs2294]

I'd like fish who will eat food off the bottom. NOT bottom-dwellers though. So no cory, plecos or anything like that.

Your not going to find a fish that constantly feeds on the bottom unless it is a bottom dweller
I know you want small but a pair of angels go nicely in a planted tank

 

[Amunet]

I didn't mean constantly feed on the bottom lol I just meant pick off the left over food that floats down there. Guess I should've been more specific heh
We had cories before and I just don't feel like there's enough bottom space in the tank for a bottom dweller. Not w/ all of the plants and the wood I plan on putting in to it.

Nah, my tank isn't tall enough for angels. But thanks for the suggestion!

 

[spectrum]

From what I've read, although they're still a Cory, Pygmy Corys are more mid-dwelling fish, a 29g is by far big enough for a shoal of like 10 or more if you wanted as they're smaller than ordinary Corys.

 

[Verminator89]

I second the angels idea. I have three, and although they can grow to be quite deep fish themselves in a aplanted set-up they look magnificent. Danios are fantastic, i especially love the leopard ones and zebra danios. They're full of character and nibble the hairs on my arms when i do water changes in my tanks Have you concidered otto's? Albeit very very delicate fish and the loss rate of buying new to acclimatise can be high if your tank isnt perfect but once settled and providing there arent any big bully fish they are wonderfull. Especially as a bigger bunch with the way they interact with each other. They'll help keep your algae down too, also a bunch of 20 or so are entertaining

 

[arobinson1984]

How tall is the tank amunet?

How about a pair of bolivian rams or a trio of apistogramma as centrepiece?


Andy

 

[Amunet]

Oh I've looked for those apistogramma before, but our LPSs and LFS are really crappy. The LFS only really cares about its saltwater fish. Their freshwater section, although large, isn't varied and isn't taken care of most of the time. They USED to be a great store.
There's one small privately owned LPS that may be able to order some. They got in rams for us when they didn't have any a long time ago. So, that may be an option, we'll see.
Bolivian Ram, hmm... maybe. We've had one in the tank before. Although it was pretty shy, it was a nice fish. Ok that one is on the maybe list heh.

From the top of the tank to the top of the substrate, it's about 15inches.
Nope, no angels for me. I know while they're still small they'd be ok, but I just wouldn't feel comfy putting them in to that size tank.

I was thinking some otos before, but I remembered how sensitive they are and I just don't want to deal with that honestly. They sound like great little fish if you can just keep them alive. Right now, I just want something easy lol. Plus they are bottom dwellers which I'm just not interested in.

No, no cories. Even if some place here sold the pygmy variety, I still wouldn't get any.

Thanks a bunch for the suggestions so far though! They are helping a great deal!

 

[arobinson1984]

Amunet, do you have a maidenhead aquatics anywhere near you?

I've found they normally have quite a good selection of apistogrammas and can order specific fish in upon request.


Andy

 

[kizno1]

If you cant get apisto what about keyhole cichlids?

 

[meguro]

so u want a fish that scours the bottom of the tank looking for food which it then eats, but somehow, with all that time spent at the bottom searching, isnt a bottom dweller.

ur looking for a paradox

 

[Amunet]

SIGH.. apparently I didn't make myself clear.
I didn't say that's the ONLY place they'd eat.
Right now, our rasbora only eat from the top and middle levels of the tank. Whatever falls to the substrate stays there untouched.
I want fish that will eat from ALL levels of the tank. Top, middle, and bottom. Or just middle and bottom would be fine as well.
I don't want bottomdwellers b/c I don't feel comfortable putting them in to the tank. I don't feel there is adequate space on the bottom to house some comfortably no matter how small they are.
So I want fish that will help to clean up whatever a bottomdweller would've done.
When we still had them, platy did that job very well. Once the food from the top and middle areas were gone, they'd move to the bottom to pick up whatever was left.

Are there maidenhead stores in the US? Hrmm, even if there were, there are none around here. I'm stuck with Petsmart, the small LPS tht their name escapes me atm, and a LFS calle Fishy Business that usually has tanks full of ich covered fish.
So yeah, not much to pick from.

 

[Verminator89]

You want Japonica Shrimp (Caridina multidentata) then! Not a fish i know, but there fantastic cleaning crew members. Not only do they eat left over food and generally do your tank maintenance they also help eat algae. Just don't put them with fish that like eating small fish such as rasboras or tetras. But if you plan on having the small fish such as rasboras then you won't be having fish like that so there fantastic! Really interesting to watch aswell.

Or failing that have you concidered otto's (Otoclinus). They can be picky about water conditions and require it to be kept in tip top condition. So keep on top of water changes and don't over feed you should be ok. Although these are predominantly algae eaters, so i may be mistaken in suggesting they will eat from the bottom of the tank. Perhaps the shrimp are a better choice

Hope this sheds some insight. Maybe we should start a thread to get Maidenhead aquatics in the US Haha

 

[Miss Dib Dabs]

Oto's are fab. I currently only have 1 but he's been merrily chomping his way through my planted 15g for years.
Endlers would eat from each point in the tank, most rasbora tend to stay mid and upper, as do tetras in my experience. How about Trichopsis Pumila (sparkling gouramies)? Nice and small, very pretty and would look good in a planted tank.
P.

 

[Amunet]

Nope, no otos. I don't want sensitive fish. Plus, they're bottom dwellers.


Shrimp, maybe. It would have to be cherry shrimp though. I'd want them to breed in the fresh water Only downside though is having to limit the kind of fish (which wouldn't be that difficult since I do want to keep the fish small), and having to put a mesh over the syphon whenever doing water changes. I don't want to suck up any shrimp, but it our current shrimp tank, it always feels like I miss a lot of gunk that can't get through the mesh.

Sparkling gourami. OO if I could find one, maybe. But with my sucky options here, that's probably not going to happen. Pretty fish though.

Endlers.. nope. No livebearers. Platy have left a bad taste in my mouth. Hmm.. that came off like I ate them lol, but I'm sure you got it


I think right now, the only definite is more rasbora. Looks like one of the remaining porkchops is about to die, so going to be down to 7. Plus I think more will perk them up even more and they won't be so shy. Maybe get about 4 more. If I can find porkchop variety again, then 4 of those instead of regular harlequin.
And I think danios are a definite as well.
Maybe that will be enough. And if I ever get my shrimp tank back to what it was, then add some cherry shrimp to the tank. *nodnod*

 

[GAB99]

Gold barbs? lovely little guys, they dont bother anyone and are very pretty, fairly common too and they eat from everywhere as well