[coco_moo]

I'm setting up a 29 gallon tank that would be inspired by dutch aquariums. I've gotten hold of everything I'll need to set up (except some plants. :1) and now I'm scratching my head as to what I'll actually put in the tank.

I'm thinking of rummys (which I've never really had luck with before, but I'd be willing to retry)
hengels rasbora
cardinals
some sort of dwarf rasbora
rocket panchax
and hatchet fish

one/two species of any combo of these (I would like to have the rocket panchax in the setup, so that might make three species plus a small dwarf cory cleanup crew)

but I really like blue tetras and glass cats (which could be moved to a different tank once they got too big)

I really am looking for a fish that would school (I've read the schooling fish sticky), which is my concern with the blue tetras. I wouldn't mind buying a few pairs of rams or badis badis or something that might help encourage better schooling...


Any thoughts on some of the fish I should consider? And thoughts as to whether or not I should choose more then one species or keep to one main fish?

BTW the water in all of our tanks somehow always ends up with a low pH (around 6.0, maybe less, in certain cases)

 

[neilshieh]

PYGMY CORIES!!!! they will cover your schooling and cleaning needs. nice fellows... get 11+ for great effects. a funny effect i've had before was when my full grown adult SAE was swimming and my 2 ottos were following them while the whole 11 of my pygmy cories swum after the ottos.

 

[ddavila06]

+1 on the pigmys, i love mine! and they do school with the ottos!!! i read recently that the blue tetras are a biit nippy...im going to try them anyways myself, my tank is bigger, a 75 sso it shoudl be fine, right? i have kribs and have had rams with my rummy nose and they do very well and do not bother anyone. so many fishes to choose from.... just don't mix too many different tipes together

 

[coco_moo]

Hahaha I bought 5 at an auction but unfortunately we've lost 2 due to them snuggling between a sponge filter and the glass in the quarantine tank (they've been moved since). But I'm definately planning to get a few more.

Does anyone know if they mind not having gravel exposed? I'm planning on having HC covering all of the gravel at the front of the tank.

Ideally (AKA if I can make up my mind) I'll only choose one species of rasbora/tetra and have a large(ish) school of them, and then a pair or two of the rocket panchax and maybe a pair or two of badis badis.

I also like neon rainbows but they don't seem to like the water where I live (too soft, I think)

 

[DarioDario]

I really enjoy green neons, Paracheirodon simulans.

 

[coco_moo]

Green Neons are nice.

Is there that much of a colour difference between neons and green neons, though? And are they more rewarding then cardinals?

 

[DarioDario]

I'd place green neons between cardinals and neons. I really enjoy the full length blue they have without the splotch of red that are common in the normal neons. I would say cardinals have a refined richness in their colors that are unmatched but I would say it's a small compromise for the price and resilience of green neon.

 

[coco_moo]

Thanks

Even more food for thought.

 

[Ceiji]

+2 for pygmy cories. they are the best schoolinf group in my tank.

Also consider CPD. They are small, beautiful and schools great. If there are other fishes that are active, CPDs would be less shy. My 12 CPDs form multiple schools. I always see 2 or 3 groups at various parts of my tank.

 

[coco_moo]

The only problem is that they're hard to find where I live. I went to a fish auction back in the fall, and the CPDs quickly got scooped up at around $30+ for six. I might consider buying a few and then trying to breed them, depending on how ambitious I'm feeling

They are lovely fish

 

[coco_moo]

I'm really considering glowlight danios because I really like the way they look and apparently they're schoolers. Does anyone have any experience?

 

[coco_moo]

upon further reading I might end up going with
glowlight or pearl (Danio albolineatus) danios, the dwarf cories and something else. I do still like espei rasboras but it might be too much orange?

...does anyone know if danios are harsh on dwarf shrimp?

 

[TarantulaGuy]

I have some Celestial Pearl Danios in a 10 gallon, they're great, but very small. I have 10 in that tank, and lots of the time you can't even seen 1 because they're tiny and like to hide a lot. In my 29 I have 2 schools, one of cherry barbs, and one of bloodfin tetras. Both are fun to watch, and do great in my tank. They live peacefully with the ottos too. I have also kept gold barbs, a black ghost knife (temporarily), a Luciocephalus pulcher (my favorite fish I have ever kept) and a few others in that tank.

Edit:My Celestial Pearl Danios don't bother my cherry shrimp at all, at least not that I"ve seen. I have seen them pick and eat at snail eggs, but that's about it.

 

[coco_moo]

sounds like you've had some great fish! I'm still considering CPDs (it doesn't help that I've seen them at not one but TWO LFS recently ) and maybe trying to breed them to establish a colony before I add anything else to the tank... maybe they're not going to be showy enough for the set up...

I'm definately considering shrimp (more and more every day), probably CRS or yellow cherry shrimp and I'm not sure if danios will be any good with them (I'm sure the CPDs would be fine, but not glowlight danios), but maybe the hengel's rasboras would be ok?


WHY ARE THERE SO MANY CHOICES OUT THERE?!?! D,:

 

[TarantulaGuy]

WHY ARE THERE SO MANY CHOICES OUT THERE?!?! D,:

It's what gives us an excuse to have multiple tanks!

 

[coco_moo]

hahaha that's a very valid point

Saw some furcata rainbows at the LFS today, 5/$10.00 and I was SO tempted. The store a couple blocks away also had glass cats, hengel's rasboras, pearl danios and crystal red shrimp (A/B grade) for only about 3.50 each (a little pricey but so cute.)

Unfortunately, both our quarentine tanks are full (with anything from dwarf cories to pike livebearers) and the 29 isn't running/cycled.

So here I sit, tortured by the fact that I might not see some of these fishies again for a while. It's a cruel, cruel world out there.