Getting my first tropical fish.

[_newbie_]

After a couple years of successful aquarium keeping and recently converting to live plants I have decided to change from coldwater to tropical. I have decided to go with harlequin rasbora cos neons are too common but my LFS doesn't have much else (dang bottom of the world new zealand :sad: ). I have arranged my plants so they have a shelter area and a swimming area

Anyways my questions are
1)What kind of current do they like... still, moderate, strong? Some websites say they like still water, others say they prefer river-like currents.

2)The harlequins in the store weren't schooling very well, is there a way to help them school better?

3)Would adding some clay substrate help to bind the peat or should I get rid of the peat?

4)Will they be ok with a 7000k 30watt light (I've just upgraded) if they have plenty of plants?

 

[Ulan]

1) I don't really know rasboras, because I don't have any, but I always thought they were pretty adaptable. They should be fine with whatever current you throw at them, as long as it's not too strong. Most aquariums have areas of different current, anyway. You could just watch them and see what they like and adjust the conditions accordingly.

2) If your rasboras are like my tetras, they will only school if they feel threatened or unwell. They schooled when they were new to the tank. They schooled when they had ich. They also school during water changes. All other times they fight on their own for their little territories . You might try some slightly larger center fish, like some smaller gourami. This might bring them to school, at lest for a while .

3) How did you use the peat? Usually, you just put a see-through layer on the glass and fill the gravel on top. If you always stir it up during gravel vaccuuming, you might want to put peat pellets into your filter as an alternative. Or leave it be altogether, if you don't want to breed the rasboras. Breeding harlequin rasboras is not trivial, anyway, as far as I know.

4) The lighting should be fine, as long as there is some shadow to hide in. For breeding, a separate tank would be easier, anyway.

 

[SmallFishi]

I have Harlequin Rasbora I havnt' overly researched them other than what they like to eat and where they swim and that I should have at least 6. (So I can't answer any of your questions) Other than...
Mine do school I only have 4 but I plan on getting 1 or 2 more, I think they would be amazing in a large school. Mine are always looking around for each other if one separates then they get back together again and then may swim away again but they always reconnect.
The harlequins are like a group of young school kids they are always intertangling with each other playing chase (not in a mean way) They are ALWAYS out in the open I have lots of fake large plants and a castle and other hiding places and they are 99% around the top half or front of the tank putting on their antics in full view.
They don't really play in the current much when I first had them they did for the first day which was pretty funny to watch..
They are very entertaining and yet peaceful fishies. You wont be dissapointed if you are able to get them.


I only have a 20 gallon and right now I have 4 Harli and a dwarf gourami they all get on great.

 

[H3D]

I have a lot of current in the aquarium my harlequins are in and they seem to do fine. Do expect them to swim in school however as they will rarely do this. It is much more likely that they will just hang out in a loose group around each other. I feed mine Hikari micro pellets, brine shrimp, and blood worms.

 

[_newbie_]

Thanks everyone I find talking to people with hands on advice much more reliable than the net or LFS.

How did you use the peat?

I boiled it for 30min, put it in an even layer on the glass, put gravel on top, gently filled with water, but some of it still floated. Now its all mixed with the gravel and stirs up with each water change. I was thinking of just puting nylon mesh in the the filter to catch it and then the peat could be the filter media.

 

[Ulan]

I was thinking of just puting nylon mesh in the the filter to catch it and then the peat could be the filter media.

Sounds like a good idea .

 

[Marinemom]

The bigger the school of schooling fish the more likely they are to school. IME harelequin rasboras are very tight schoolers especially if there are other fish that are slightly bigger then them such as a dwarf gourmai or rainbow fish. On the subject of the rainbow fish just make sure that they are not too big.


Marinemom