Tankmates For Serpaes?

[catxx]

my brother recently moved, set back up his tank (about 17g bow front i think) which had only two neons, he went out and got 5 more neons, and a group of serpaes, the serpaes proceeded to nip at the neons and have now been separated. my bro is setting back up his old 15g for the serpaes (of which there are 6 i think?) is there anything that can be kept with them without being shredded??

 

[xxBarneyxx]

Some sugestions below (assuming tank is fully cycled and well filtered):

6-8 Silvertip tetra's might be a good call. They are more then capable of holding their own.

6-8 of some of the smaller barbs might be a good idea as well (tiger barbs also spring to mind but could be pushing it a bit because they are larger and you would need at least 8 imo and the tank isn't that big).

4-6 cory's would be nice, gives activity on the bottom and the Serpaes will most likely not even notice they are there.

Khulie loaches. Again the serpaes would not notice them but you will most likely never see them.

A pair of dwarf cichlids (kribs or blue rams) could get these with 4 cory's

Cherry shrimp, could go in with all of these as they dont really add to the bio load. I wouldnt put them with cribs as they will most likely get eaten, rams might eat them but all the rest would leave them alone.

 

[celaeno]

i thought kribs didn't tolerate bottom dwellers like corys?

 

[xxBarneyxx]

i thought kribs didn't tolerate bottom dwellers like corys?

Not as far as I know. I have kept kribs with cory's and clown loaches. They can get a bit nasty when they have just laid but I found most the fish soon learnt to stay away and I never once saw them do any actual harm (this is with a couple of pairs I have kept).

 

[catxx]

hmm not sure about corys, i've seen their fins get nipped a bit too. any other suggestions?

 

[Davo86]

hmm not sure about corys, i've seen their fins get nipped a bit too. any other suggestions?

how about black phantoms they are very similar and the mixture of the red and black looks really good.

or you could look at cherry barbs or any of the smaller danio or rasbora species

 

[Biulu]

I am keeping my serpaes with dwarf and pearl gouramis, otocinclus, cories and some golden wonder killies. No problems whatsoever. Just make sure you have a shoal of at least 6, but preferably more so they direct their agression towards their own, instead of others.