Want Some More 'interesting' Fish.

[xamy_valox]

Hi there,
In the next couple of weeks I am going to be upgrading my 70 litre to a 125 litre.
At the moment I have:

1 x Betta
4 x Harlequin Rasbora
4 x Neon Tetra
4 x Platinum Tetra
6 x Cherry Barbs
3 x C. Trilli
3 x C. Panda

I know its overstocked slightly in terms of the 1 inch of fish rule, but it has been set up for a while, I do weekly water changes and keep a close eye on my stats (and have had no trouble).
When I do upgrade I would like to get some more interesting fish, I mean this in the way that the fish I have at the moment are quite typical, but I'm not sure what other fish I can keep that will not bully/eat/fight with my current stocking.
I love the look of Cichlids, especially Angels and Firemouths but have been told mixing an Angel with a beta is a big no no and the fire mouths are likely to eat my smaller fish!
Anyone got any ideas? I do love some Gourami's aswell but am unsure as to wether they would get on with the beta? Why are beta's so impossible!! Haha

Any ideas are much appreciated, thanks.
Amy xx

 

[ParadiseGuerrero]

well not sure about what other fish you could add, but i would up each of your cory species (and each of teh shoals) to 6 because they like groups of there own kind and no bettas don't mix with gourami...bettas don't like each other and they don't like their cousins

 

[-FighterFishh]

Maybe if you wanted different fish you could get a nano (25l-ish) for your betta and seed it with some mature media so he could move in straight away?

 

[Tizer]

You could put a pair of Bolivian rams in there, they are pretty friendly. If you got soft water, you could look at other types of rams. I find them intersting to watch!

 

[soybean]

I'm sorry but I think you would be better to up the numbers of individual species you have now rather than add a centerpiece fish.

The tank is far too small for angels and cichlids like firemouths anyway.

Moving the betta to a smaller tank of it's own would maybe allow you to add a male dwarf gourami.

 

[xamy_valox]

I haven't got room for another tan for my beta, plus I don't want to push him out really =[
Yeah i do like the look of rams actually Tizer, but always thought they were aggressive?
What about barbs? Would I be able to get Tiger/Green Barbs?
Is the main problem my Beta then in terms of me getting more interesting fish, or the fact my other fish are quite small?
xx

 

[Rickzayne]

4 x Neon Tetra need 6+
4 x Platinum Tetra need 6+
3 x C. Trilli need 6+
3 x C. Panda need 6+


either return 1 lot of neons and corys and replace with the ones you kept,

or up their current numbers giving you something to watch as they group together happier

 

[soybean]

The betta is a significant problem really as you don't know how it will react to other fish, and vice versa.

Big no to tiger barbs. Not enough room for a big enough shoal to keep aggression and nipping to other fish down.

 

[lowthy76]

I haven't got room for another tan for my beta, plus I don't want to push him out really =[
Yeah i do like the look of rams actually Tizer, but always thought they were aggressive?
What about barbs? Would I be able to get Tiger/Green Barbs?
Is the main problem my Beta then in terms of me getting more interesting fish, or the fact my other fish are quite small?
xx

ypu could try adding apistogramma's they are great little cichlids and not overly aggressive, i would go for the apistogramma cacatuoides as they are a bit hardier

 

[james_fish]

I haven't got room for another tan for my beta, plus I don't want to push him out really =[
Yeah i do like the look of rams actually Tizer, but always thought they were aggressive?
What about barbs? Would I be able to get Tiger/Green Barbs?
Is the main problem my Beta then in terms of me getting more interesting fish, or the fact my other fish are quite small?
xx

Rams and your Betta wouldn't be a wise choice. But the Rams would be great in that tank without the Betta, great fish!
Tiger Barbs cannot be mixed with Betta's as they are notorious fin nippers and will shred your Betta to pieces.
Upping the Cory's would be a good idea first

James.

 

[Tizer]

Tiger barbs would rip the cr.ap out of most the fish in your tank I've just had to get rid of 17 from my tank as my bronze corys were being nipped to buggery so its not just a case of big numbers to reduce nipping/agression to others, from my experience, that doesnt work.

A pair of Bolivians would be fine, they only get agressive when breeding so you could just get 2 males.

Your numbers are low for each species and thats probably why they seem quite boring. Nothing beats a big school of fish of the same species acting naturally.

I've put a vid in my 5 foot tank thread, linked in my sig, you can see how a propper sized school of fish swim around. Ok so i can afford quite big numbers, but you would see a very nice display with a dozen neons/rasbora. Its certainly worth considering getting rid of at least one species and top up the other.

 

[xamy_valox]

Yeah I've seen your new tank Tizer, it looks amazing.
I was going to up my numbers of Cories to 6 of each anyway as I adore them, I could quite happily have a tank full of them but as it is in the living room I also want a bit more colour and action going on.
I was thinking of upping my current small fish but didn't want to put too many in and in turn meaning I can't add anything else.
Those apistogramma cacatuoides look amazing, would they be ok mixed with the bolivians?
IF I were to get a small tank and put my beta in my bedroom on his own a) would that be ok or would he be lonely and b) would i then be able to have say an Angel and 2 gouramis?

 

[lowthy76]

Yeah I've seen your new tank Tizer, it looks amazing.
I was going to up my numbers of Cories to 6 of each anyway as I adore them, I could quite happily have a tank full of them but as it is in the living room I also want a bit more colour and action going on.
I was thinking of upping my current small fish but didn't want to put too many in and in turn meaning I can't add anything else.
Those apistogramma cacatuoides look amazing, would they be ok mixed with the bolivians?
IF I were to get a small tank and put my beta in my bedroom on his own a) would that be ok or would he be lonely and b) would i then be able to have say an Angel and 2 gouramis?

i wouldnt mix cichlids,depending on size of tank, i would have one or the other really

 

[soybean]

Apistogramma cacatuoides would be a better choice than rams. I have two rams in a 1m tank and wouldn't like to see them in.smaller.

I've had to take a dwarf gourami out my tank since adding bolivian rams. It turned from a placid fish to a psychopath overnight. He didn't mind the apistos though. The betta could always react the same way.

I still think you're overstocked as it is and could improve what you already have before adding more.

The tank is too small for angels.

No, your betta wouldn't be lonely, it'd probably be glad of the peace.

 

[DD2510]

you should up the numbers of the Harlequins, They look great in a shoal.
Also if you up the amount of cories they will interact better with each other and are quite amazing to watch in groups