Peaceful, Top Dwelling Shoaling Fish

poopsydrew · Jun 22, 2007

Hey all,
Looking for the advice and input of my fellow tff friends. I am currently stocking my 55 gallon and I am looking for something kinda specific and would appreciate suggestions.

1.Very peaceful
2.Needs to be "whiteish" in color to go with the layout of my tank
3.Shoaling fish
4.Size-4 inches or smaller.

The blind cave tetra looked like a good choice but I then did some research and found they can be nippy. I am not new to this just dont usually keep cyprinids or characins. Thanks a lot for any input.

Drew

jollysue · Jun 22, 2007

One of the variety of hatchets. They are known to be moderate to difficult care. hatchets
The marble gives more of an impression of light grey or off white. They are characins. I see them fairly regularly in my lps.

poopsydrew · Jun 22, 2007

jollysue said:
One of the variety of hatchets. They are known to be moderate to difficult care. hatchets
The marble gives more of an impression of light grey or off white. They are characins. I see them fairly regularly in my lps.

Great jollysue, awesome fish I completely forgot about those. I think I could keep them succesfully :good:

Ok so hatchets, any other suggestions? Thanks Jolly :nod:

Drew

poopsydrew · Jun 22, 2007

Ok maybe I am being too specific, how about.....white or yellow :hyper:

Some yellow would look good in my tank and I think I will get more responses listing two colors. Thank you.

Drew

jollysue · Jun 23, 2007

small shoaling top fish...hmm...hachets. :lol:

Pencilfish, another sensitive fish, moderate to difficult.

poopsydrew · Jun 23, 2007

jollysue said:
small shoaling top fish...hmm...hachets.

Pencilfish, another sensitive fish, moderate to difficult.

, you always make me laugh sue. Pencilfish heh? I must investigate. Would I get more answers if I dare say: Yellow or white, Top or middle dwelling :hey:

Drew

MoonstruckMuse · Jun 23, 2007

Something simple like a whole shoal of White Clouds? They're underrated, heh. They've got yellow & white (and red, whoops ^^").

Other options, not extremely top dwelling, sorry...
Rummy Nose Tetras, Threadfin Rainbowfish, Congo Tetras(might be a bit large?), Diamond Tetras, Leopard Danios, Pencilfish various rasboras.

I second the idea of hatchets, haha. They're stunning fish. =)

jollysue · Jun 23, 2007

My harlequin Rasaboras stay very near the top.

poopsydrew · Jun 23, 2007

jollysue said:
My harlequin Rasaboras stay very near the top.

I like the way those look, I might try a small shoal. Also thanks for the input moonstruck. What do you guys think about the lemon tetra? From my research they seems fine but I will not tolerate fin nipping in this house (bad experience with serpaes, pretty much swore of all tetras). Anyone had bad or good experiences with them or have any advice on lemon tetras?

Drew

jollysue · Jun 23, 2007

Some varieties of Pencilfish are really awesome little fish. I was unable to sustain them although I tried twice.

I always thought I would like to keep the smaller pinkishly marbled Martha Silver hatchet.

I think the hatchet is a conversation starter. I see people stop and exclaim on them in the lps.

All Tetras nip. Lemons nip and are big enough and fast enough to do a bit of damage. They are not serpaes, but they nip.

Rasaboras don't nip.

Lemons are also very midlevel. They dart to the top for food.

CAC · Jun 23, 2007

Halfbeaks?
A few speecies available, easyish to breed (livebearers), mostly yellowy kinda colour, slightly siver on other verietes. Females reach about 4" and males about 2.5-3". The ones I keep now are great...Depending on the size of the tank, you should keep about 4 females and have just the one male, allthough my two werent that bad with eachother

Straydum · Jun 23, 2007

glass cats? looks awesome in shoals

poopsydrew · Jun 23, 2007

Wow, I woke up to many thoughtful replies, thank you all! Ok sue, I will take your word for it, if they nip I dont wanna em then. I probably will get some hatchetfish AND some glass catfish because I like the way they look together. I have always planned on getting some glass catfish but cant afford a school of them right now, they charge 6 us dollars a piecie for them. Catffisharecool-Funny you say that because I already have some halfbeaks in one of my other tanks. I have a male and female like you and they are fine together, in fact they have spawned for me a couple times.
Sue, I think the marble is my fav also. And you said you were unable to keep the pencilfish twice? Well then I will probably stay away from them, if sue cant who can? lol. I appreciate everyone input, you have made this much easier for me.

Drew

jollysue · Jun 23, 2007

The pencils need pristine water. I am not that good at keeping up with my tank's water changes sometimes. :blush:

I have 19 tanks. I stick with easy fish to care for.

I looked at halfbeaks. I thought I read they were aggressive?

poopsydrew · Jun 23, 2007

jollysue said:
The pencils need pristine water. I am not that good at keeping up with my tank's water changes sometimes. I have 19 tanks. I stick with easy fish to care for.

I looked at halfbeaks. I thought I read they were aggressive?

Well the dermongenys pussila which are the halfbeaks I have are in a 10 gallon community tank with corys and never show aggression. But like I said I think they tolerate each other and they mate often. They never leave the top or get close to the corys. They are known as wrestling halfbeaks and I think the real agggression issues come in with two males. TBH, They were one of my first fish and they have been spectacular, such a cool looking fish. Wow 19 tanks!! I think I have 10 lol, I couldnt imagine 19. Actually that would be awesome, but I am afraid I will kill the people below me if I squeeze any more tanks in here, you know how it is :shifty: