Stocking ldeas for 15 gal soft-ish water tank?

[AdoraBelle Dearheart]

I should have guessed you'd already have a video They're very beautiful, and I really love the scaping in that tank, the whole thing is stunning.

So if my tank ends up with 12 ottos plus shrimp, what min to max school size would be best for these guys? Or or ember tetras? I'd like for whatever I choose to have the largest schools possible, for their sake, but also not over stuff the tank.

 

[CassCats]

Id do absolutely no less than 8, but ideally up to 12

 

[AdoraBelle Dearheart]

Id do absolutely no less than 8, but ideally up to 12

Perfect, thank you so much for all the help! I'll try to order a batch of 12 of whichever one when the time comes then. You are a superstar and very appreciated, I hope you know that.

 

[utahfish]

Perfect, thank you so much for all the help! I'll try to order a batch of 12 of whichever one when the time comes then. You are a superstar and very appreciated, I hope you know that.

Not to dampen your enthusiasm, kubotai are pretty awesome, and wonder if youve looked into sparkling gourami? They are a dwarf gourami that get around and inch in 15 gallons 2-4 would work. They arent shoalers of course but very busy cute little fish and too small to eat bigger shrimp though will gladly eat shrimplets and are soft water like your ottos and prefer heavily planted tanks. They have a lot of personality for little fish. Just a suggestion.

 

[CassCats]

theyd go after adult shrimp and dont like current that the otos would appreciate. Regarding the sparklers.

 

[Byron]

There is really not much space in a standard 15g (the dimensions are this) so I agree with others that the "nano" species will provide you with more options and interest as you can have many more fish.

However, there is one family group of characin that does do well in smaller tanks, and that is the pencilfish in the genus Nannostomus. Some species are very sedate (the N. eques that swims at an oblique angle at the surface, and a couple other species. Some are more feisty (males are territorial in all species to some degree), but the quieter species are worth considering. Another group is the hatchetfishes, but only the smaller species which are those in the genus Carnegiella. These swim much less, except when interacting. The Marble (Carnegiella strigata) is in this genus, as is the smallest hatchetfish, C. myersi (pygmy hatchet, just under 1 inch/3 cm).

 

[utahfish]

theyd go after adult shrimp and dont like current that the otos would appreciate. Regarding the sparklers.

I was wondering if sparkling gourami would eat shrimp. Sparkling are pretty small fish. Maybe Amanos would be ok but little shrimp like cherry just expensive food?

 

[Retired Viking]

Thanks for posting this video, I like small fish, I have a small shoal of 6 embers in my tetra tank and they are the most entertaining of all my tetras. They dart about in the tank. I have thought about having a second RO soft water tank just for them.

 

[seangee]

I was wondering if sparkling gourami would eat shrimp. Sparkling are pretty small fish. Maybe Amanos would be ok but little shrimp like cherry just expensive food?

They hunt in packs and are quite dedicated to the task. Not sure even an amano is safe.

 

[CassCats]

They hunt in packs and are quite dedicated to the task. Not sure even an amano is safe.

Yeah I wouldn't chance even Amano shrimp.

 

[AdoraBelle Dearheart]

Definitely no gouramis. I love my shrimpies! I'm not drawn to pencil fish either. I appreciate the ideas though

I like the idea of a nano schooling fish to add a pop of colour and add some motion to the tank. I just wasn't sure what tetra or rasbora would be good, or if there was something I hadn't even thought of since there are so many options.

 

[mbsqw1d]

Theres a couple of little shy rainbowfish to consider, spotted blue eye and forktail blue eye

 

[AdoraBelle Dearheart]

Theres a couple of little shy rainbowfish to consider, spotted blue eye and forktail blue eye

I will look those up, cheers!

 

[Finsfinal]

I've always known pseudomugils to like harder water.

 

[Essjay]

P. gertrudae (spotted blue eye) and P. signifer (Pacific blue eye) are OK down to 5 dH according to Seriously Fish, and their upper dH is less than other Pseudomugils.

The forktail blue eye (P. furcatus) is the one that needs the hardest water.