Species For Centerpiece Of Tank Suggestions

[dorecs]

Hi,
I've got a 7 gallon tank with some Neon Tetra's and Lampeye Fish,
The tanks been going a while now, its been cycled, and everythings settled down now,
Now I want one more fish to be the main fish in the tank,
A bit bigger than the neons but not too big,
I was thinking Betta, but was wondering if there any other species that would look good,
Thanks!

 

[sawickib]

Im afraid your tank is already overstocked with the neon tetras, they need to be in groups of 6+ and a tank of 20 gallons plus.

 

[Freedom]

Neons can be nippy and will nip the fins of a betta, so that won't work.
 
How many of each of the neons and lampeyes do you have?  A  7 gallon tank is quite small.

 

[dorecs]

6 neons and 4 Lampeye's
 
There seems to be a wild range of information given about tank sizes and fish numbers. I don't want to keep fish in insufficient space but if you can't have a neon tetra in anything smaller than 20 gallons, what can you have? Why do they even sell small tanks when even the smallest fish are unsuitable?
 
Don't want to sound rude or anything aha, just really confused and want happy fish!

 

[GetItSahn]

6 neons and 4 Lampeye's
 
There seems to be a wild range of information given about tank sizes and fish numbers. I don't want to keep fish in insufficient space but if you can't have a neon tetra in anything smaller than 20 gallons, what can you have? Why do they even sell small tanks when even the smallest fish are unsuitable?
 
Don't want to sound rude or anything aha, just really confused and want happy fish!

I believe 7's are under the category of nano tanks. Regardless of that, there are fish that can live in tanks even smaller than 7 gallons. People also keep frogs, shrimp, snails, crayfish and other animals that could possibly fit in a tank smaller than a fish could.

 

[sawickib]

The reason those tanks are sold is because their easy to make and sell, to mis-informed fish keepers.
 
A 7 gallon can hold fish, ie bettas, african dwarf frogs, most snails, most shrimp, and guppies, and as said would be called a nano tank.

 

[dorecs]

African Dwarf frogs?! 2.5inch reptiles but not a 0.85 inch Neon tetra?
Surely a bigger animal needs a bigger tank?
 
I'm definitely confused now, every single website,blog,forum,fish shop has completely contradicting advice?
Should I give the Neon Tetras back if the tank is too small?

 

[Alm0stAwesome]

It's about swimming space for the tetras and being able to keep them in big enough groups. Whereas frogs don't need a massive amount of swimming space and can be kept on their own.

 

[Wills]

A lot of these recent tiny nano tanks were created for specialists in the hobby - which is why the ones on the boxes have incredible planted aquascapes and look so minimal. They were made for planted tanks with the focus being on the plants not the fish, the fish are often put in the tank for photos and thats it.
 
Unfortunately because these tanks look so good, they have gone mainstream and ended up in every shop being sold on mass.
 
As I said because they are technically specialist tanks, it generally means "specialist fish" by which I mean the tinyest of the tiny, but a lot of these have a lot of colour things like Ember Tetras, Galaxy Rasbora, Chilli Raspbora, Sparrow Rasbora, Clown Killifish, Rosy Loaches, Dwarf Hara Catfish, Badis, Dario and your Lampeyes are actually a good choice. There are others as well but those are probably the easiest to find
 
As for what to do with the Neons is a bit tough... I think you do have too many fish in there.
 
Wills

 

[sawickib]

Yea i agree with everything above, id rehome the neons.

 

[dorecs]

So these fish shop employees just plain don't know what they are talking about? I mean they sound knowledgeable, they know all the Latin names of all the species and so on. Should I ignore their advice from now on? And are there any signs I can look for in stressed Neons? - I assume they will be stressed in the small tank.

 

[rms]

Unfortunatetly the use of latin and technical jargon is a classic tactic to blind people with 'specialist' knowledge. Spin your brain out and then move in with the killer line. I've been on this forum less than a year and read it time and time again. It makes me really angry sometimes, especially when I think of the crap I've been fed by them. Some fish shops are really fantastic. Generally the small independents. Others, generally the chains, are diabolical. Best thing to do is post questions here before listening to anything these shop guys are suggesting to you. 
 
I think it's an overwhelming no on the neons though

 

[Freedom]

It's about swimming space for the tetras and being able to keep them in big enough groups. Whereas frogs don't need a massive amount of swimming space and can be kept on their own.

This is the key, right here.  Sure the neon tetras are small.  Yes, you could have a successful bio-system in a 7 gallon with a few of them.  But neons are happiest in groups of 6 or more, and they need lots of area in which to swim about. 
 
Seriously Fish is a good reference page.  Here is the link for neons: 
http/www.seriouslyfish.com/species/paracheirodon-innesi/      
This says a school of 8 to 10 AT LEAST, and then they need other schooling fish to feel 'safe.'     If they don't feel safe, then they will be stressed at some level; and so, they won't live as long.
 
Hope this helps!

 

[b3cca]

"Surely a bigger animal needs a bigger tank?"   wrong -- the physical size of the creature gives no indication of what it's natural or spacial needs are
​African Dwarf frogs are pretty much blind and very slow and inactive compared to smaller but faster schooling fish which need open water and groups to feel safe.
 
No real problem , just gives you a good excuse to upgrade and you can keep that 7 G as a hospital or quarantine tank