Tankmate Suggestions

hurricanejedi

hurricanejedi

AC Members
Apr 4, 2005
638
0
0
43
Raleigh, NC
www.flowerspride.com
I'm planning on getting a 36 gallon tank in the near future and am trying to do any necessary research beforehand. I plan to have a fully planted (live) aquarium with some driftwood, rocks and lots of hideouts.

Here are my favorite fish - from this list what combinations could I put together for a happy tank?
Guppies, Neon Tetras, Shrimp (particularly Cherry Fire and Singapore Flower), African Dwarf Frogs, German Blue Rams, Golden Lyretail Panchax Killifish

Also with guppies is there a particular ratio you should have with males to females? Years ago I had guppies and remembered enjoying their antics. I also remember what prolific breeders they were.

My initial ideas were to have a few guppies, a school of tetras, some shrimp and frogs. I'm not sure if I would then be at capacity or not since it seems really hard to tell. From what I've been reading about the rams it seems they need a lot more room and perhaps might be aggresive towards bottom dwellers like the shrimp and frogs? I also thought clams sounded really neat to have but it seems that most people don't have a very good experience with them.
 
If you read Leoapardess's frog article, you will see that the tiny dwarf African frogs have a hard time competing with fish for food, so they are better in a tank with small shy fish, or just by themselves.

When I started out keeping a tank, I made the mistake of combining differrent species in a 'community' tank, now after this experience, I much prefer to have 1 or 2 species in a tank, and more of each species. The behaviour of the fish is more natural and the sight of a several of one or 2 species in a tank is nicer and more impressive.

Guppy are prolific breeders, and you'll have a hundred in month, from only two mating. If you don't want hundreds of guppies ('millions' fish is their other name) you can add a larger fish that won't touch the adults, but will eat the fry, such as gourami or swordtails. (free food, more or less)

I see a tank of killifish and threadfin rainbowfish in your future lol :) now that's nice! Whatever, goodluck !!

Ps, Clams and lobsters should be species only. I saw a lobster in a fancy goldfish tank, taking swipes at every fish that swam by. I can imagine what they'd do to small fish. Shrimp also need tankmates that won't eat 'em, so avoid loaches.

Its also nice to add fish from the same georaphical area, such as small tetra with rams or corydora, or a small plecostomus like bristlenose for example.
 
Last edited:
Thanks for the advice! I have new tankitis :p meaning I want lots of everything but I know I shouldn't. So I'm thinking really hard about how I want to go about doing this. For now I think I won't get any Rams, so there is one more off the list. Now I guess I should try to eliminate some others ugh.

I went and read the article on the African Dwarf Frogs and I still think I really would like to have some (the turkey baster method might work well). And it would be cool to have a theme but I might wait until my hobby progresses for that.
 
I would skip the guppies too. I have had A-frogs in my 100gal and they did well. Grew very big. They almost blind, so food must be close. I sunk a small terra-cotta dish in middle of tank. That is where I drop b-shrimp and worms which they loved.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
AquariaCentral.com
Top Bottom