How about colorful espei rasboras & cardinal tetras, a big bunch of each. And loaches (of course), kids often like kuhlis or sidthimunki have a lot of personality & may help with any snail control that you might need. Or skip the sids & try red cherry shrimp, kids like those too & they can help with algae control.
I'm going to set it back up again
- Thread starter THE V
- Start date
Good to see ya back V!
How short-lived are you thinking? Compared to goldies there's quite a lot...
How short-lived are you thinking? Compared to goldies there's quite a lot...
The old 125 wasn't salvagable. Glass was chipped too much to hold a seal.
So I've got put the deposit down on a new one at the LFS. Brand spank'n new... got to get something shiny once in a while. It will be in this next Friday.
Took the boys to look at some fish today. The 20month old went straight to the feeder goldfish tank and pointed. Little devil, I refused to look or else I'd have 10 in my QT tanks in the garage (with 20 or so Rosy Reds).
Shrimp are out because the BN pleco is a requirement from my 7 year old. I figure the tank has enough room for 3 or 4 of them even if they start to get aggressive as they age. I also might need to toss in some Oto's after the tanks been going a few months. I would be tempted to put in a SAE or 10 but they break the size limit.
I took a look at Danios again today and thought.... why not with a tank this size I can put a school of 20-30 in a let them be zippy.
I also walked past the betta's and thought.... maybe a sorority? As my wife is currently the only female (the dogs a male) maybe she would appreciate the company. 15 or 20 ought to fit.
I then walked by the Cory's and thought... ugly little buggers... nope. :sim:
Rasboras and Cardinals are a thought but they may be hard to see unless I have 50 or so.
I then saw some Rosaline sharks and think I might have to make a exception to my 3" rule for a few of these. Put some powerheads in my tank to keep them happy and they should do well with all that room to zip around. They will also keep any smaller fish that I have schooled up.
As for short lived.. Say average of around 5 years or so or less. Goldies hang around for two many decades.
So I've got put the deposit down on a new one at the LFS. Brand spank'n new... got to get something shiny once in a while. It will be in this next Friday.
Took the boys to look at some fish today. The 20month old went straight to the feeder goldfish tank and pointed. Little devil, I refused to look or else I'd have 10 in my QT tanks in the garage (with 20 or so Rosy Reds).
Shrimp are out because the BN pleco is a requirement from my 7 year old. I figure the tank has enough room for 3 or 4 of them even if they start to get aggressive as they age. I also might need to toss in some Oto's after the tanks been going a few months. I would be tempted to put in a SAE or 10 but they break the size limit.
I took a look at Danios again today and thought.... why not with a tank this size I can put a school of 20-30 in a let them be zippy.
I also walked past the betta's and thought.... maybe a sorority? As my wife is currently the only female (the dogs a male) maybe she would appreciate the company. 15 or 20 ought to fit.
I then walked by the Cory's and thought... ugly little buggers... nope. :sim:
Rasboras and Cardinals are a thought but they may be hard to see unless I have 50 or so.
I then saw some Rosaline sharks and think I might have to make a exception to my 3" rule for a few of these. Put some powerheads in my tank to keep them happy and they should do well with all that room to zip around. They will also keep any smaller fish that I have schooled up.
As for short lived.. Say average of around 5 years or so or less. Goldies hang around for two many decades.
So many possibilities! Just FTR, my bn plecos completely ignored the RC's when they were in with them. It's whatever other fish you put in with them that you'd need to worry about.
My 7 year old has a tank in his room with mollies and ghost catfish. The mollies are out for you, but you might consider the ghost catfish if your tank is heavily planted and not too open. We have five and my son loves to watch them, they school together all facing the same direction, but they hover in the same spot. I've heard they can be delicate in a new tank though, not sure if that's true. Kids also love apple snails, heck, so do adults.
Occasionally female bettas can be aggressive though, so with a bunch you'd be quite lucky if everyone got along, but in that size tank it might not be an issue. They come in so many pretty colors, too. A large school of black neons are also pretty, and a little different than the common neons or cardinals. I hope you'll share pics of it when you are done.
Well I started this weekend
I tore apart and cleaned out my two 10g & the 15G QT tanks in the garage. I'd left the 15G running with my C-360 attached and full of the plants I'd had in the 125. It was a jungle full of algae and other things. I found a few swords had survived and a bunch of MTS. (I've been topping the tank off all summer and did a few water changes.)
I purchased some new little HOB filters for them yesterday and they are up and running now.
I also picked up the one BN pleco that the store had and my 7 year old talked me into four Roseline Sharks. I know they can break the 4" length I was going for but they do look nice. They are hanging out in the 15 gallon for the next few weeks (they all came out of the same tank at the store). They really do like to hang out around the plants.
I'm tempted to pick up a few apple snails but my wife hates them. Since this tank is the showpiece of the living/dining room I guess I have to cede to her on some points.
My son also really liked the Gourami's. I've never kept them before but the Dwarf ones look pretty nice.
My wife has informed me that I must have guppies in the tank. She loves the vibrant colors that you can get. They Also seem to do well dodging around plants.
So now I have this going on for the big tank.
3-4 BN pleco's
8-10 Roseline Sharks
30-40 guppies (I think I'll buy 4 or five to start with) and let them do their think in the 15 gallon.
Potentials for the tank.
6-10 Dwarf Gourami's OR
6-10 Female Betta's
20-30 Zebra Danios AND/OR
20-30 WCMM AND/OR
??? I thnk I need to focus on a mid-level schooling fish. Danios, WCMM, & guppies all tend to hang out near the top in a big tank. The onlything that comes to mind right now for me is neons.
I tore apart and cleaned out my two 10g & the 15G QT tanks in the garage. I'd left the 15G running with my C-360 attached and full of the plants I'd had in the 125. It was a jungle full of algae and other things. I found a few swords had survived and a bunch of MTS. (I've been topping the tank off all summer and did a few water changes.)
I purchased some new little HOB filters for them yesterday and they are up and running now.
I also picked up the one BN pleco that the store had and my 7 year old talked me into four Roseline Sharks. I know they can break the 4" length I was going for but they do look nice. They are hanging out in the 15 gallon for the next few weeks (they all came out of the same tank at the store). They really do like to hang out around the plants.
I'm tempted to pick up a few apple snails but my wife hates them. Since this tank is the showpiece of the living/dining room I guess I have to cede to her on some points.
My son also really liked the Gourami's. I've never kept them before but the Dwarf ones look pretty nice.
My wife has informed me that I must have guppies in the tank. She loves the vibrant colors that you can get. They Also seem to do well dodging around plants.
So now I have this going on for the big tank.
3-4 BN pleco's
8-10 Roseline Sharks
30-40 guppies (I think I'll buy 4 or five to start with) and let them do their think in the 15 gallon.
Potentials for the tank.
6-10 Dwarf Gourami's OR
6-10 Female Betta's
20-30 Zebra Danios AND/OR
20-30 WCMM AND/OR
??? I thnk I need to focus on a mid-level schooling fish. Danios, WCMM, & guppies all tend to hang out near the top in a big tank. The onlything that comes to mind right now for me is neons.
Have you looked at rainbows? Dwarf neon rainbows will fit your size limits and are quite zippy. Some of the other will bust that size at full grown but can add tons of color.
I would stay away from the "dwarf" gouramis and look at honeys or pearls. Most of the dwarfs you find now days just are not good quality and die quite easily.
I've never been a fan of zebra danios, but there are some others out there that are gorgeous. I have 16 Celestial Pearl danios in a 20L.
As far as snails. Show your wife some of the various nerite varieties out there. My wife wasn't a snail fan till she saw the horned bumblebees and other various types.
I would stay away from the "dwarf" gouramis and look at honeys or pearls. Most of the dwarfs you find now days just are not good quality and die quite easily.
I've never been a fan of zebra danios, but there are some others out there that are gorgeous. I have 16 Celestial Pearl danios in a 20L.
As far as snails. Show your wife some of the various nerite varieties out there. My wife wasn't a snail fan till she saw the horned bumblebees and other various types.
I have long-finned leopard danios that are gorgeous, they are a shimmery gold, and they are super active.
I haven't read of anyone keeping dwarf gouramis in large groups even in big tanks, I wonder why. I vastly prefer pearls but they break the size limit. Roselines are awesome! My old lfs had a display tank with pearls, roselines, cardinals, otos & blue rams I think, very pretty! I'd vote wcmm over danios & cardinals over neons, but not my tank...
