Saying Hello And Quick Question

[bash]

Firstly, I just wanted to say hello. I've been reading the forum for a while now but this is my first post.

Now for the questions I have a small 60ltr tank which is currently home to 5 zebra Danios which seem to be living happily. My wife (when the tank is fully cycled) wants to add a/some colourful 'centre piece' fish to go with these and possibly some other fish if we have room.

I'm just doing my research for now but all ideas would be great.

Thanks,
Andy

 

[OldMan47]

Welcome to the forum Andy.
A tank that size could hold many different fish as a centerpiece fish. Have you been to the local fish shop and looked at what is available. I would suggest you pick out 3 or 4 fish that you really like and we can help guide you with compatibility and tank size requirements. After all, it will be your fish tank, not ours.

 

[arobinson1984]

Agree with oldman, you'd be best having a look what is available and coming back here for any advice, compatibility issues etc, try refrain from impulse buying as many people find out afterwards that they made a mistake.

We could do with knowing you water stats. Ammonia? Nitrite? Nitrate? PH? and temperature?

A few ideas that may work in your tank would be,

Honey Gourami
Pearl Gourami
Bolivian Rams
Cockatoo Apistogramma

These are just a few ideas and would be subject to your water PH and temperature.

Andy

 

[kelly528]

Pearl gouramis get a good 6 inches, but I second the call for a honey gourami... very flashy fish! A pair of rams or apistos would be nice too, but the honey gourami and danios are from the same region. This could be the start of a nice 'biotope' aquarium!

 

[bash]

Thanks for the replies, we liked the look of the Cockatoo Apisto on Google but can't seem to find any near to here. We had a look while we were at the LFS are thought of the following stocking list once everything is running OK:

5 Zebra Danios (already have)
7 Tiger Barbs
6 Neon Tetra (last to go in)

Would these be OK size,nature wise together? I would like some kind of bottom grazer/cleaner/catfish too if anyone has any ideas but I think most grow quite big so I don't think I would have room

Thanks,
Andy

 

[OldMan47]

Apistogrammas are a bit harder to find in shops than many other fish. They can be a bit hard to care for so they are not a staple of the average LFS. Zebra danios are very active fish that do well in large groups although 5 is often enough in a small tank. Tiger barbs are very active fish also, and tend to be a bit too aggressive for many tanks. Although their water needs are much like the water needs for neons, they are not good tank mates for the relatively peaceful neons. Their normal nippy behavior, with being quite a bit larger fish, makes them a threat to the neons. Neons are great fish for many tanks although with long finned slow moving fish people sometimes have a problem with them being too nippy. They are also very small at full growth so they are often seen as food by larger fish like angels. The neons would go well with the zebras. You might want to avoid the tiger barbs and go with something else like rasboras or rummy nose tetras. You numbers do look fine so far but a different centerpiece fish is probably a good idea,unless you would like to increase your neon numbers to make them more the focus of the tank. There are also fish called black neons that get a bit bigger than regular neons and would go well in your small tank.
Do you also want to have some fish that are bottom dwellers like corydoras? They are also best kept in numbers of 5 or more and are not the sedentary fish that some people consider them if they are kept in larger numbers.

 

[bash]

Apistogrammas are a bit harder to find in shops than many other fish. They can be a bit hard to care for so they are not a staple of the average LFS. Zebra danios are very active fish that do well in large groups although 5 is often enough in a small tank. Tiger barbs are very active fish also, and tend to be a bit too aggressive for many tanks. Although their water needs are much like the water needs for neons, they are not good tank mates for the relatively peaceful neons. Their normal nippy behavior, with being quite a bit larger fish, makes them a threat to the neons. Neons are great fish for many tanks although with long finned slow moving fish people sometimes have a problem with them being too nippy. They are also very small at full growth so they are often seen as food by larger fish like angels. The neons would go well with the zebras. You might want to avoid the tiger barbs and go with something else like rasboras or rummy nose tetras. You numbers do look fine so far but a different centerpiece fish is probably a good idea,unless you would like to increase your neon numbers to make them more the focus of the tank. There are also fish called black neons that get a bit bigger than regular neons and would go well in your small tank.
Do you also want to have some fish that are bottom dwellers like corydoras? They are also best kept in numbers of 5 or more and are not the sedentary fish that some people consider them if they are kept in larger numbers.

Thanks for that. So if I either left the Neons out completely or changed them to something else (in which case any ideas?) would the Tiger Barbs be OK with danios as I really like the Tiger Barbs!!!

 

[finalfantay85]

I'm not a huge fan of neons though they are nice and colourful. I'd get some rasbora if i were in your shoes, they are pretty fish and nice and active. Some of the varieties i've seen like the the chili or the galaxy rasbora are stunning, but then i love my copper harlequin rasboras

 

[OldMan47]

If you want the semi-aggressive tiger barbs, you will want equally aggressive fish to go with them. Since I usually avoid that kind of fish, I am not the right person to put together a winning combination of those. perhaps WD or one of the others here could help you more.

 

[waterdrop]

When it comes to Tiger Barbs, I'm just like you OM, I've had too many community tanks ruined by them! WD

 

[frenchie851]

I have found some realy realy fancy guppies called 'Clown Tailed Guppies'at a local fish shop.

I dont think there is much more impressive than the flowing tails and I have ben told that they go well with neons.

My 2 favourite fish Guppies and Neons!