What Fish?

[stevencross]

I'm thinking about getting my next batch of fish shortly.

I currently have 5 zebra danios who are making themselves very nicely at home (they have worked out breakfast and dinner times. As soon as the lid is opened they are there waiting!).

What do you think would be good to introduce next? And how many? I was thinking of introducing say another 4 or 5 fish and then letting the tank settle again for a couple of weeks.

As always, would appreciate any opinions and advice.

Cheers.

 

[Clairel]

This is what i have in one of my tanks, which includes 6 Zebra Danios

1 Dwarf Blue Gourami (male)
3 Bronze Corys
7 Guppies (5 f, 2 m)
2 Platies

C x...

 

[sylvia]

What sort of fish would you be interested in? What do you like? How many gallons is the tank - I hink it's around 30? A lot of fish will go fine with your 5 zebra danios so you'd need to be a little more specific. Would you be interested (or do you feel confident) keeping something a little less common or challenging or would you rather stick to hardy, common species for now?

Cories and livebearers are the obvious option as everyone seems to keep these at some point.

Hardier cories are the bronze/albino, peppered and blackfin species (c. aenus, c. paleatus and c. leucomelas respectively) all of which should be kept as a group of 4 or more.

As for livebearers, stick to a male-only group if you want to avoid fry (which inevitably leads to over-stocking) or go for a trio (1 male, 2 females). Options are platies, guppies, swordtails, mollies and endler's to name a few of the more common ones. Don't mix endler's with guppies unless you know you'll always have only males together (to avoid hybridization). Also DON'T keep an all-male group if you go for swordtails (you could go all-female and hope tey aren't already pregnant)!

Size-wise, the cories all get to between 1" (for male blackfins) and 3" (for female peppered) while the platies get to about 1.5" on average, male guppies to 1", female guppies to approx. 1.5", males mollies to about 3-4", females to 4" (some mollies do get to 6" so keep this in mind if you choose them), male endler's to 1", females about half an inch bigger and, finaly, male sword get to 3", realy large females can get to 5".

Research any fish you are interested in BEFORE you buy. It doesn't matter how obvious everything seems, go look at a few sites and search the forum a few times for extra info.

 

[stevencross]

Thanks.

Might try some cories next.

 

[WILDER]

Corys would be nice for the bottom, lovely active fish mine are.