So my mom wants a 15 gallon aquarium. She likes fish that are large, colorful, and interactive. I showed her some German Blue Ram Cichlids. They are apparently small enough for a 15 gallon. They are intolerant to ammonia, so I didn't think they would be a very good starter fish. My local water pH is generally low to neutral(6.0-7.0). What fish should she get? Please, make sure they're easy fish to care for. She doesn't want them to be too much of a chore.
My mom wants an aquarium.
- Thread starter FishN0OB
- Start date
Bolivian rams would be a good alternative. How about endler's livebearers or male fancy guppies? There are some very nice guppies out there, even at the big box stores. As long as you stick to all male guppies, I think that the tank should be pretty easy to set-up and keep running. I'm not sure how they'd tolerate the lower PH, although I don't think it should be too much of a problem.
Toleration to ammonia is really an issue for all fish as in a fully cycled tank it should be at zero anyways.
Regardless blue rams are certainly not a very forgiving fish and would be a fairly expensive investment for her first fish.
Guppies are always a good choice. What does she think about bettas?
Regardless blue rams are certainly not a very forgiving fish and would be a fairly expensive investment for her first fish.
Guppies are always a good choice. What does she think about bettas?
LiveMermaid07
Bloody Mary. As in, hand me one.
Maybe a few different types of tetras. ember, von rio, neon, cardinal, penguin, for some examples
Or a shoal of white cloud minnows. and khulies .
Or a couple different kinds of the very small cories and do a mixed school, they're always bouncing around (they're fun with khulies too. Ever seen cories and a khuli find the same piece of food? The khuli kept burrowing under the cory and coming up to it and the cory would either sit there and ignore it or move over so the khuli couldn't get at, and the khuli just burrowed under the cory again lol. If they would listn to me thwy would have known there were other pieces of food in there.
)
If their pH is that low, it would take some work to get the tank a comfortable place for shellies. Also, even though they're a ton of fun to watch, they're neither large, nor colorful.
I've heard good things about gouramis as being pretty hardy. A powder blue gouramis would be a very colorful addition to a tank of that size and they like lower pH water.
LiveMermaid07
Bloody Mary. As in, hand me one.
You can't have many larger fish in a 15 gallon. I would follow the instructions for a fishless cycle (in the sticky on the top of the newbie forum page) and probably go with a few male guppies, and a few cories. I currently have a 20 gal with 6 male guppies of various colors and 6 pygmy cories (the pygmy cories stay under an inch). My tank is planted with anubias, tiger lotus and some crypts. The guppies and cories are quite active and fun to watch.
Just a reminder you can only have 1 betta per tank, and they are not compatable with guppies. You could do a betta with harlequin raspboras, or some kind of neon tetras with some cories on the bottom.
I'm sure others will chime in with other options.
Welcome to the forums
linda
Just a reminder you can only have 1 betta per tank, and they are not compatable with guppies. You could do a betta with harlequin raspboras, or some kind of neon tetras with some cories on the bottom.
I'm sure others will chime in with other options.
Welcome to the forums
linda
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Dwarf Gourami or Bolivian Ram both suggested above would make a nice main fish and be compatible with some smaller fish, especially the bolivian since it would spend most of its time on the lower half of the tank.
Honey gouramis are really sharp looking , the males are 3 colors I have 9 (male and female) in my 36 BF yeah they would look good.