Neon tetras

[Galvin88]

Hey guys
I want a school of smaller colourful fish for my tank, and was thinking about a big school of neon tetras.
My problem is I have tiger barbs, odessa barbs, red tail shark and botia dario loaches.
Will any of these try to kill or eat the tetras when I put them in the tank, if so any other recommendations for a nice small fish school

 

[AquaBarb]

Hey guys
I want a school of smaller colourful fish for my tank, and was thinking about a big school of neon tetras.
My problem is I have tiger barbs, odessa barbs, red tail shark and botia dario loaches.
Will any of these try to kill or eat the tetras when I put them in the tank, if so any other recommendations for a nice small fish school

Not a good mix im affraid. Barbs are very active compared to the more sedate neons and Tiger barbs are prone to fin nipping.

Whats your tank dimensions?

 

[mbsqw1d]

You'd be better off looking into danios.. maybe glowlight? I think Celestial will be too small ?

 

[Galvin88]

Not a good mix im affraid. Barbs are very active compared to the more sedate neons and Tiger barbs are prone to fin nipping.

Whats your tank dimensions?

I thought that might be the case, I seen some people saying they have no problems but I suppose it's luck,

My dimensions are
48x20x15
62 gal

 

[Slaphppy7]

TB's are not a good community fish, they are pretty much best kept alone, in large groups, to spread their natural aggression.

 

[Galvin88]

I have 11, 6 tiger 5 green. They seem OK at the moment wirh the other fish, but my tank is mainly semi aggressive and my RTBS. puts them in there place ?

 

[Slaphppy7]

I have 11, 6 tiger 5 green. They seem OK at the moment wirh the other fish, but my tank is mainly semi aggressive and my RTBS. puts them in there place ?

Understood...sounds like you've done your research...neons are notorious for being over/poorly bred, so be sure to QT first.

Zebra danios are the same, as far as overbreeding/health issues, but I think they'd do better with your current stocking, they're fast, aggressive little buggers themselves...

 

[Colin_T]

What is the GH (general hardness), KH (carbonate hardness) and pH of your water supply?
This information can usually be obtained from your water supply company's website or by telephoning them. If they can't help you, take a glass full of tap water to the local pet shop and get them to test it for you. Write the results down (in numbers) when they do the tests. And ask them what the results are in (eg: ppm, dGH, or something else).

Maybe rainbowfish depending on the GH and pH

 

[Galvin88]

What is the GH (general hardness), KH (carbonate hardness) and pH of your water supply?
This information can usually be obtained from your water supply company's website or by telephoning them. If they can't help you, take a glass full of tap water to the local pet shop and get them to test it for you. Write the results down (in numbers) when they do the tests. And ask them what the results are in (eg: ppm, dGH, or something else).

Maybe rainbowfish depending on the GH and pH

My water is soft
Ph 7.6ppm
Kh 2 dGH
GH website says hardness Clarke 3.22 which I think is 3 dGH

 

[Essjay]

GH website says hardness Clarke 3.22 which I think is 3 dGH

3.22 deg Clark = 2.6 dH and 46 ppm. Soft water.

 

[Colin_T]

pH is fine for rainbowfish but GH is too low for them.

 

[Galvin88]

pH is fine for rainbowfish but GH is too low for them.

What would you recommend? Trying to raise my GH or just look for fish in my parameter range

 

[Essjay]

It is much better to look for fish that like your hardness. Having to alter the water before it goes in the tank at every water change is not something I'd want to do long term.

With your hardness there are so many suitable fish it would take a couple of pages to list them all - much more choice than hard water.

 

[Galvin88]

It is much better to look for fish that like your hardness. Having to alter the water before it goes in the tank at every water change is not something I'd want to do long term.

With your hardness there are so many suitable fish it would take a couple of pages to list them all - much more choice than hard water.

Thank you I will have a look at what suits my water.
When I purchased my tank and my LFS tested my water, they told me I need to raise my KH, so they sold me aquadur kh buffer. I used it a couple of times but it raised my Ph pretty high so I didn't bother with it again.

 

[Essjay]

I was also told by an advisor on another forum that I needed to raise my KH after I had a pH drop. I didn't bother either; I was lazy about water changes back then so I simply started doing weekly water changes and that worked.
All KH does is stabilise pH. If water changes are done this replenishes the KH, so the pH remains stable.


With the fish you have, you need soft water fish that can stand up to the tiger barbs. As I've never kept any aggressive fish, I'll let the other members suggest some.