Stocking Ideas

[LongS]

Got a few White Clouds and a few guppies, a bristlenose, and a small loach and i am basically looking for an interesting fish that could go in with this.

I've tried gouramis (Dwarf and Lace) not had much luck as they arent great quality from the place i get my fish.

I was tempted by a few female Bettas

Any ideas?

 

[Tizer]

tank size?

 

[KittyKat]

+1, tank size?

You should look at coolerwater fish over true tropicals because you already have the minnows.

 

[LongS]

100 litres. Good filtration, temperature at 26 degrees celcius. Mountain minnows do great at that temp in my experience. Infact they are well over two years old now.

Ideas would be great

 

[KittyKat]

They'll do even better at lower temperatures. 2 years is still young, most schooling fish live for 12-14 years in the "right" water temperature, so it will still be years before you see the effects of keeping them in higher temperatures. Also have you ever seen them in cooler water to compare? The main visible difference is usually colour.

Is it a 3ft tank? How many of each fish do you have? If it is, I would drop the temperature to 20C and go for something like..
* 10-15+ minnows
* 10 male guppies or whatever you have as long as male to female ratio is *:0, 1:2+
* 1 bristlenose
* 3-5 hillstream loaches

If you really want more species, zebra danios would fit well, although they may pick on guppies.. if you want livebearers, look at platys, although I prefer to have 1 livebearer species per tank.

 

[Carlovel1]

They'll do even better at lower temperatures. 2 years is still young, most schooling fish live for 12-14 years in the "right" water temperature, so it will still be years before you see the effects of keeping them in higher temperatures. Also have you ever seen them in cooler water to compare? The main visible difference is usually colour.

Is it a 3ft tank? How many of each fish do you have? If it is, I would drop the temperature to 20C and go for something like..
* 10-15+ minnows
* 10 male guppies or whatever you have as long as male to female ratio is *:0, 1:2+
* 1 bristlenose
* 3-5 hillstream loaches

If you really want more species, zebra danios would fit well, although they may pick on guppies.. if you want livebearers, look at platys, although I prefer to have 1 livebearer species per tank.

Seems like a good plan, but I'd remove the Guppies as they don't really like the flow the other fish like.

 

[LongS]

Gonna stay clear of hillstream loaches, had a couple before and they just didn't do very well. Lived only a year but i'm not sure if this was down to the lack of current. It is good water movement but i dont think it is good enough for these guys.

My tank is a 3 footer. Four mountain minnows and four male guppies, Bristlenose, Queen loach, and just added an upside down catfish. I'm a bit against dropping to 20 degrees, as it won't reallt suit the guppies, bristlenose or the catfish.

 

[KittyKat]

Gonna stay clear of hillstream loaches, had a couple before and they just didn't do very well. Lived only a year but i'm not sure if this was down to the lack of current. It is good water movement but i dont think it is good enough for these guys.

Most don't do well in tropical water, which could have been the problem. In cool water, I had some live for 5-7 years and spawn every so often.. but it does very much depend on the exact species.

My tank is a 3 footer. Four mountain minnows and four male guppies, Bristlenose, Queen loach, and just added an upside down catfish. I'm a bit against dropping to 20 degrees, as it won't reallt suit the guppies, bristlenose or the catfish.

Guppies are fine at 18-25C (and can survive at 15-30C), I often kept my show specimens at 18-20C and they lived on average for 5 years. At 22-26C, they lived only for 4 years, on average. Most bristlenoses are also fine at 20+C temperatures.

The loach is the only true tropical you have, but that sort of loach should be kept in groups of 6+ and probably needs more swimming space too (the only loach of that type I recommend for a 3fter are dwarf chain loaches or smaller).

 

[LongS]

I always feel for the Hillstream loaches, in the shops they are always kept in tiny tropical tanks with very little water movement. It would suprise me if even in the right conditions they lasted long after having the stress of that put on them.

Thanks for the tips, i have lowered my temp to 25, really not too sure about going any lower as everything seems very healthy since i have had it set up. Also worried about the loach!