New fish suggestions

[Zoeeannee]

I’m looking for fish for my community tanks. For one tank I am looking for personality/very active (personality more important than active) fish. I’m currently thinking Sterbai Cory as I already have 6 and I am hoping that if I increase the number they will become more confident and shoal more around the tank. I would like suggestions though.

Tank 300L / 65G
- 5 angel fish
- 10 cardinal tetras
- 6 sterbai cory
- 1 bristlenose pleco

And for the other tank I am looking for a colourful fish (personality/active would be a plus)

- 5 female platties
- 15 cherry shrimp
- 1 bristlenose pleco

I was thinking a pair of dwarf cichlids (not sure which ones) but any other suggestions for colourful fish would be welcome.

I have already thought of bettas but I’d like something different as I already have a female in another tank.

 

[NannaLou]

I don’t believe that Betta fish should be in community tanks…

 

[Byron]

Knowing the water parameters (GH and pH primarily) will help.

 

[Zoeeannee]

Knowing the water parameters (GH and pH primarily) will help.

GH is 8 ph 7

 

[ThatFishGirl6231]

i suggest not getting dwarf gouramis. in my experience they bit and nip. my gourami terrified all my mollies and platies. i got rid of it the next day, but not my platy has a rip in his dorsal fin that will probably never go away. a good fish to go with platies and BN pleco is mollies. I have a tank with 3 platy 5 molly 1 BN pleco and they get along great.

 

[WelshBoa]

How about getting some male endlers? Platys have colour but also get quite chunky.

 

[itiwhetu]

To go with the cardinal Tetras, have a look at Black Phantom Tetras, they are hardy and make a great color contrast

 

[Byron]

The GH of 8, presumably this is in degrees, so 8dH not 8 ppm. This is soft water (8 ppm would be very soft, so this makes little difference). Livebearers will not do well in this soft water, especially mollies. Stay with soft water fish species, from which there are many options, but keep the tank size in mind--and speaking of which, the size of the second tank has not been mentioned--how large is it?

 

[Zoeeannee]

I don’t believe that Betta fish should be in community tanks…

Good for you

The GH of 8, presumably this is in degrees, so 8dH not 8 ppm. This is soft water (8 ppm would be very soft, so this makes little difference). Livebearers will not do well in this soft water, especially mollies. Stay with soft water fish species, from which there are many options, but keep the tank size in mind--and speaking of which, the size of the second tank has not been mentioned--how large is it?

70L/15G

 

[Byron]

Good for you

70L/15G

The platy are out obviously, but the options among soft water species even small sized fish are many. A pair of dwarf cichlids as mentioned is OK, and for "dither" fish many of the small-sized characins (some species of pencilfish, tetras) in a group (these are all shoaling species requiring a group, 8-9 probably depending) would be ideal.

 

[Zoeeannee]

The platy are out obviously, but the options among soft water species even small sized fish are many. A pair of dwarf cichlids as mentioned is OK, and for "dither" fish many of the small-sized characins (some species of pencilfish, tetras) in a group (these are all shoaling species requiring a group, 8-9 probably depending) would be ideal.

I was thinking of getting a pair of rams although I am still thinking of getting more corydoras with the hope that they will become more confident and dart around a little bit more

 

[Byron]

I was thinking of getting a pair of rams although I am still thinking of getting more corydoras with the hope that they will become more confident and dart around a little bit more

If by "rams" you mean any of the varieties of the common or blue ram, species Mikrogeophagus ramirezi, they need warmth, no less than 27C/80F but a degree or two higher would be much better. Many other species cannot manage with this on a permanent basis, including the cories. The Bolivian Ram, M. altispinosus, is fine at more "normal" temperatures 24-27C/76-80F. This gives you many more options for compatible fish.

A "pair" of either ram is not so easy to obtain. These fish must select their mates, and (hopefully) bond. Any male and any female put together may or (sadly more often, may not) bond, and that means a dead female not too far along. It is sometimes possible to see a likely pair in the store tank by observing the interactions of the fish.

 

[Zoeeannee]

If by "rams" you mean any of the varieties of the common or blue ram, species Mikrogeophagus ramirezi, they need warmth, no less than 27C/80F but a degree or two higher would be much better. Many other species cannot manage with this on a permanent basis, including the cories. The Bolivian Ram, M. altispinosus, is fine at more "normal" temperatures 24-27C/76-80F. This gives you many more options for compatible fish.

A "pair" of either ram is not so easy to obtain. These fish must select their mates, and (hopefully) bond. Any male and any female put together may or (sadly more often, may not) bond, and that means a dead female not too far along. It is sometimes possible to see a likely pair in the store tank by observing the interactions of the fish.

If you had my tank setup what would you choose?

 

[anewbie]

I doubt your angels are adults. You will likely have to reduce those to 1 or 2. The sterbai are a shy fish - i doubt adding more will help. There are cory that are more out going.

 

[Byron]

If you had my tank setup what would you choose?

This is a 70 liter (15 gallon) tank, and unless I was interested in breeding rams, I would not choose them because of the higher temperature for the blue (few options for tankmates) and the Bolivian really needs more space. One of the Apistogramma dwarf cichlids is an option, with options for dither fish that are small.

But leaving the cichlids altogether...there are fish like some of the pencilfish (Nannostomus eques swims at an angle at the surface; N. marginatus is very colourful), Ember Tetra (Hyphessobrycon amandae), Green Neon (Paracheirodon simulans) or the Cardinal (P. axelrodi), hatchetfish of the genus Carnegiella as these are smaller and less active (C. strigata, the Marble, or C. marthae (Black-winged hatchetfish), cories if you have sand, and the pygmy (Corydoras pygmaeus) would be good here. Perhaps a common Whiptail (Rineloricaria parva) to add some "prehistoric" interest. The pygmy sparkling gourami Trichopsis pumila). One of the dwarf rasbora like Boraras brigittae. One of the small rainbowfish species.