Shrimp school

[Waterstrider]

Looking at possibilities of safe schooling fish for future to go with my ghost shrimp colony.
Tank size is flexible, water is moderately hard.
Bonus points for any of the following: hard water safe, interesting color, zero interest in shrimps, tighter schooling.
Ps no likey neons

 

[JuiceBox52]

Do you have a min/max tank size in mind?

 

[Waterstrider]

Do you have a min/max tank size in mind?

Yeah like I said it’s flexible, would probably be a 55 or 90, one day I’d like a 6 foot but that’s a dream right now

 

[Waterstrider]

Show fish ideas are great too, but not many get along with shrimp, which is mandatory

 

[JuiceBox52]

How do you feel about livebearers or rainbow fish? These are the harder water species I am familiar with

 

[Waterstrider]

Yeah I plan to do a small group of guppies or mollies but really want a school

 

[JuiceBox52]

@Byron may be able to help with this

 

[Waterstrider]

I’m looking at X-ray tetras, but I might need something bright if I went that route since they don’t have loads of color nor do the ghost shrimp, other ideas totally welcome

 

[Retired Viking]

I am also raising Ghost Shrimp in a 30 gallon tall tank. I had guppies in with them but the guppies had so many fry I took them out Here is some pictures of my shrimp tank, it is also my plant tank for growing Anacharis and other plants for my other tanks. I had some Ghost Shrimp in my 55 gallon tetra tank, the ember and neon tetras left them alone but my red eyed tetra went after them

 

[Waterstrider]

I like ember but everyone tells me they’re softer water

 

[Retired Viking]

I like ember but everyone tells me they’re softer water

You are correct, I missed you hard water. If you are looking at guppies try and get all males-they look better and you do not have to deal with fry. I like fry except when it goes too far. Like over 80 fry in 3 months You can cut the hardness of your water several ways if your really like embers. Like using Reverse Osmosis or peat moss. I have to adjust my water to soften it and have been able to have glowlight and red eyed tetra fry, Still working on neon and ember. That may be more work than you want.

 

[Essjay]

Another choice for hard water is all male endlers. They are brightly coloured.

 

[Waterstrider]

Another choice for hard water is all male endlers. They are brightly coloured.

Yeah I could see that too, but I’d like a school of something to go with them. I’m wondering if X-ray tetras, Pristell a, are nippy or not. If they’re not I could see a school of them with a wandering cloud of Endlers.

 

[Essjay]

When you say a school, do you mean a group of fish that all swim together? The majority of freshwater fish don't do that, they behave like a group of male endlers.

 

[FishGuest5123]

Most fish will eat the shrimp fry so realize your shrimp colony probably won’t grow.