Top Dweller For A 46 Gallon?

[Channti]

Alright, I've changed the stocking list on this tank so many times it's not even funny.

I think I've finally got a list that i like, and I've started stocking it. Thing is though, I'm missing a top-dwelling fish.

Here's the list:

-12 Serpae tetras (7 currently in the tank)
-6 yoyo loaches (3 currently in the tank)
-6 juvenille angelfish, (until 2 pair off), then 1 pair of angelfish.
-1 pleco of some description.

Is there a top-dweller that would work with this stocking? I've got a tight-fitting glass lid, so "jumpers" are fine.

 

[SlyPolak]

African Butterflyfish are awesome, but you have to feed them something live atleast once in a while. Mine fell in love with mealworms and glass shrimp when theyre being chased by angels or bichirs

 

[Channti]

I looked at the African Butterflyfish actually... Didn't know if it'd work with Angels and Serpaes though. I swear I've got -THE- most aggressive serpae tetras ever. They ripped chunks out of my corys fins and each other. I'm hoping increasing their school size will calm them down a little, spread out the aggression.

 

[SlyPolak]

My Africans only bother each other from time to time. The angels were just checking them out when I first introduced them a while back but pay no mind to them whatsoever. But the serpeas might get picked off by the angels or Africans.... anything that fits in their HUGE mouths is a possible snack

 

[Channti]

Serpaes are a larger tetras, similar in size to the Black-Skirt so I figured I'd be safe with them. They're also really fast moving (I opted for normal fins, not the long-finned variety, as long-fins look really ragged on Serpaes as they get nippy with each other).

How big of a "gob" can I expect on an adult African Butterflyfish?

 

[SlyPolak]

gob??

if you mean mouth they are HUGE.... once in a blue moon I drop some adult guppies in there and between my angels, bichirs and Africans they get picked off in minutes... google it

 

[Channti]

haha yeah.

big enough to eat adult guppies.... could they eat anything larger than an adult guppy?

 

[SlyPolak]

I think it depends how fat it is, I grow my own mealworms and sometimes I throw in some BIG ones in there (1.5 in+) and they still gobble them up

but if your tetras are quite heavy bodied they should be ok 4cm is quite tiny though

I think anything that the butterfly fish could eat the angels could get too once thwy reach close to adult size

 

[Channti]

They're about an inch and a half long, and about 1/2 inch tall.

Think an African could fit that in their mouth?

 

[SlyPolak]

I doubt it, probably wouldnt even try if you keep it fed the 1/2 in of "tallness" would keep them from trying it