Which Is Best Suited?

[bloatedguppy]

I'm trying to finish off stocking my 25 gal tank with fish. So far I have 3 pearl gouramis, 2 yo-yo's,
2 neons, 7 rummynose, 2 bolivian rams, 3 cherry barbs, and 2 otto's. I'm thinking of getting ethier diamond tetras, glass catfish, white clouds, or some nice red and blue columbian tetras. Now I'm wanting something that swims mostly around the top area, interesting features and body shape, also I heard columbians are semi aggresive which I'm trying to avoid and may fin nip. Now which species sounds better for my tank? btw I'm thinking of getting a school of about 5-6 so let me know.

 

[Colin_T]

I would increase the number of neons and cherry barbs to 10, get rid of one pearl gourami so you only have a pr (1m & 1F). Glass catfish like to be kept in groups so buy 6 or more if you get any. Yoyo loaches (Botia lohachata) hang out in groups as well.
Columbian tetras need to be kept in groups and grow to about 2 inches long, a school of these would be too much in your tank.
Surface dwelling fish include hatchetfish, and African freshwater butterflyfish but these get to about 5 inches and eat small fish like neons. Hatchetfish might get knocked around by the pearl gouramis.

 

[bloatedguppy]

I was thinking to add more neons as they are doing well and you think I should get 10 of each!?, that would be a little to much would'nt you say. I really would like to get somthing a bit different but would 12 neons look dazzling? btw I should have put in that I can't possibly take fish back in my neck of the woods but I love my 3 pearls and even though there 2 males and 1 female they still get along which can be hard to do. even though you where talking about hatchet fish the store closes to me only sells silvers and I'd rather have marbles but then again those kind of fish are too timid for me. I'm also kinda leaning on getting tetras as the glass cats are kinda skittish in my experiance. but I would still like to hear more comments!

 

[Colin_T]

Most tetras and barbs naturally occur in groups consisting of thousands of individuals. Having only 2 or 3 of each fish in a tank is really bad for them psychologically. They need company to prevent them from stressing out.
Neons and cherry barbs are small fish with a small body mass, and as such don't put much load on the tank. One adult pearl gourami will create more waste than 10 neons.
If you are concerned about having too many fish because of the 1inch per gallon rule, then forget about it. The rule is outdated and has little relevance in modern aquariums. It also has too many variables. For example you could have 10 x 1inch fish in a 2ft tank, but you could not have 1 x 10inch fish in the same tank. Both examples have 10inches of fish but the 1 x 10inch fish will have a much higher body mass and create a much bigger load than the 10 small fish.

Most shops will do special orders for customers. If you order some marble hatchetfish (and pay a deposit if required), they should get you some in. However, it might take a while because hatchetfish are not available all year round.

If you find fish are nervous and skittish then it is usually a water quality issue. Wild caught fish will often be timid for the first few weeks but should quickly settle down. If the water quality isn't good then most fish become a little timid or panicky. Extreme PH or really high nitrates are the most common cause but having an ammonia or nitrite reading will also cause fish to panic.
Having the tank in an area with lots of people moving around it will often help calm fish down. Fish that are kept in a dark quiet corner will usually freak whenever anyone goes near them. Fish that are in an area with lots of movement adjust and quickly realise there is nothing to worry about. Then they spend all the time begging for food

 

[bloatedguppy]

Well unforchantly the pet stores around me are mostly petco and petsmart and don't take orders and also my lf's went full saltwater and honestly I don't want hatchets as they are too jumpy. I just thought about the tetras as one of the petsmarts had some real healthy colored ones and take care of there fish. I'm also thinking about getting one of those plecos so many people talk about on the forums the (name exscapes me), but there small and have a weird face.

 

[Colin_T]

Small species of pleco, bristlenose and peckoltias are fine in that size tank. Bigger species like the common Plecostomus & the Gibbiceps grow too big for most tanks.
If you get a pleco, bristlenose or peckoltia, then make sure you have some driftwood in the tank and try to encourage algae to grow on the back and sides of the tank. These fish need lots of roughage in their diet and naturally feed on algae and rotting wood. They can be fed on pumpkin, zucchini, and various other fruits and vegetables, with the exception of onions and potatoes. These aren't good for them. Make sure any fruit/ vege you use is free of chemicals and has been rinsed well before going in the tank.

 

[bloatedguppy]

Thats it bristlenose! yeah I don't know if I could keep them fed enough as my tank is pretty clean but I do have driftwood and some live plants mostly anubias and java ferns.

 

[Colin_T]

if you don't have algae growing in the tank just use fruit, vegetables, and algae wafers from the petshop.