Suggestions for Peaceful SE Asian Community

A

Ashes

AC Members
Apr 19, 2001
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Northern NY
I'm in the process of planning out a relaxed 45-55 gallon SE Asian community tank. We're using black sand as a substrate, and furnishing it with live plants, driftwood, and rocks.

The only inhabitants we've decided on for certain are 3 or 4 dozen green-eyed rasboras. As these guys are so tiny, I know we'll have room for a few more fish (plus with just them, the tank will look practically empty! My LFS has 5 dozen in a fifteen gallon tank, and even that almost looks empty!).

Obviously, due to the extremely small size of these little guys, I have to be careful what I choose as tankmates.

I'm thinking croaking, chocolate, or licorice gouramis, and kuhli loaches. I'm also tempted to throw some cory cats in there too, because I love them, although that won't really be in keeping with the SE Asian theme.

Any suggestions on some other small, easy-going and also easy-on-the-eyes fish for such a tank? (This is going to be a bedroom tank, btw, so relaxation is key! I save the crazy stuff - Ctenapoma, cichlids, my SW moray eel - for the living room. ^.^ )
 
How about some amano shrimp instead of the cories or loaches? They are SE Asian and harmless. They also do a bang-up job as scavengers. They would stand out really well against black sand. As far as plants go, moss balls look pretty cool, and are from Japan as well.
 
Cherry barbs are quite peaceful, I keep eight in a Southeast Asian tank with Crypts, Amano shrimp, Wood shrimp (Atyopsis moluccensis) and snails. They're pretty little fish and they never bother the shrimp or nip each other. The only time I've ever seen them dash around the tank (read: not so 'relaxing' to watch) was when they were spawning :D
 
Maybe I'm missing something... I just did a search on the green eyed rasbora and it says they get to be about 1 1/2 -2 inches. And you plan to put 36-48 in a 45-55 gallon tank along with other fish? If you cut the number down, you could get more fish, but even just those alone would seem to be overstocked. Maybe you could consider something that "fills" the tank up a little better without adding too many. Or maybe, like I said, I am missing something here!!
 
I've never seen them as big as 1.5". The ones we'll be getting are about 1", and they're also very very thin. These guys are smaller than neon tetras, and not many people would think twice about putting that many neons in a tank that size.

Plus, the tank will be very heavily planted, and we'll be overfiltering.
 
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