Stocking Suggestions

grumpysteve · Mar 5, 2010

i'm currently setting up a biotope based on a creek or stream in Laos but i've come to a bit of a dead end with what i want to stock it with. its a Rio240 with a tetratec EX1200 filter, a fair bit of flow, but not too drastic. a nice selection of biotope specific plants which are on the most part doing well. and so far i've got 7 Puntius semifasciolatus, 4 SAE's and 9 Rasbora rubrodorsalis.
i'm starting to crave something a bit different though, it has to like a decent flow, and not eat small fish. but i want something thats not very common, either a shoal of something nice that will fit, something odd as a single specimen, or a pair or trio of something interesting. i thought about a betta, but i doubt it would be too happy in my tank and i'd like something less obvious. also thought of a trio of paradise fish, but they might go for my rasboras. i keep trawling through fishbase, but nothing cathes my eye, apart from other rasboras, but i want something different! i'd be happy to re-home the barbs, and maybe a couple of the SAE's if i need to
any help or ideas would be much appreciated
cheers, steve

meguro · Mar 6, 2010

some loaches? though depending on species, they can require lower temperatures in the range 18-24C

grumpysteve · Mar 6, 2010

yeah i thought about a shoal of dwarf chain loaches, but they're not cheap! ideally i'm after something a bit bigger than everything else, almost like a centre piece. most of the fish i've seen that i'd like in there are pretty aggressive and will snack on the rasboras! i'd also consider something that stays small, 5cm or so, but everything i can find is a bit obvious and common

OohFeeshy · Mar 6, 2010

There are other species of betta that would be better suited- both because they're larger than splendens and not as aggressive. I've got a Betta pugnax in an Asian biotope, works fine. There's plenty of other larger species. Plus you can keep the majority, if not all of them, in pairs or trios.

grumpysteve · Mar 6, 2010

don't betta's generally prefer blackwater conditions though? i think i might have a bit too much flow for them, its not drastic and my rasboras love it (even though they're from still ponds in nature?).

oh, just so you know, i'm over cautious with everything! other betta's is definitely worth looking into though

OohFeeshy · Mar 7, 2010

Some do, but that tends to mainly be the smaller, more fragile species. The larger ones are more robust, flow shouldn't be a problem (if it's a problem for them it would be for any similar fish you could have).

grumpysteve · Mar 7, 2010

actually, after your suggestion i done a bit of looking and i think i'm going for either a trio of betta smaragdina, or a pair of betta prima. i've even found a shop that can get them for me, they just seem a bit hard to get hold of from the suppliers at the mo'
the only worry now is what to feed them! apparently they much prefer live food and i can't get hold of it round here, frozen food shouldn't be a problem though hopefully. they'll rarely take any dry food though, from what i've been told

BigC · Mar 7, 2010

This article by George Farmer (one of our past members) may well give you some pointers. I know its not totally endemic to your theme but it's not too far removed.
http

/www.practicalfishkeeping.co.uk/content.php?sid=66
Regards
BigC

OohFeeshy · Mar 7, 2010

Out of the two, I'm more inclined towards prima. I've had smaragdina before and they were quite shy, they're a bit smaller too and would probably be more bothered by the current and other fish.

I never had a problem getting pugnax or smaragdina to eat dry food, at worst you'd need to gradually switch from frozen to dry.

grumpysteve · Mar 7, 2010

yeah prima seem a bit more interesting too, being mouthbrooders. seems i've got convlicting info now though, i was under the impression smaragdina's grew to about 7cm, and prima's about 5cm? saying that though, every site i've been on has had different info on them.

thanks for the link bigC, those Trichopsis pumila are stunning little fish! my tanks more of a clear water stream than blackwater though. i swear a blackwater tank would have been a lot easier than mine though! i'll definitly bookmark that page for future projects

OohFeeshy · Mar 8, 2010

Well, IBC has them at 9cm, couldn't get onto Fishbase but being part of the pugnax complex, I'd say the larger size.

grumpysteve · Mar 9, 2010

i think i'm going to re-home the barbs and SAE's...... really starting to wish i looked a bit deeper before deciding what i was going to put in there.
the barbs couldn't be helped though, eric the golden barb was my first ever fish. i rescued him from an abandoned flat where he had been left with no filter, heater, light, food or water changes for about 5 months! then he managed to live through all my beginner mistakes too. i didn't have the heart to re-home him, but i might donate the barbs to my mum and give her my old tank to keep them in. that way i still get to keep an eye on them.

i really like the idea of having a group of the trichopsis now too, and all the blackwater fish are much more what i'm after. there seems to be a much better choice, and most of them are fairly easy to get.... the missus wont be happy!