I have a heavily planted 30 gallon hex. It's all cycled and ammonia=0, nitrites=0. My first fish are 2 angels, 3 otos and 3 cory cats. Plants are growing like crazy with Carib Sea's Eco Complete substrate and DIY CO2 injection. Now I want to add a species of schooling fish, preferably hardier ones. I like the glow light tetras, but am afraid that the angel fish will, at worst, kill or stress them to death, or, at best, keep them hiding in the heavy plants all the time so I won't see much of them. I've read about Serpae tetras, and they should be able to hold their own against the angels, but might get agressive to other fish, like swordtails I hope to add. I'd appreciate any recommendations on small, colorful schooling fish (want to keep a school of 6 or 7) that will cohabitate with the angels and still entertain me. My water is very hard and pH is fairly high, 7.6 or so with the CO2 injection.
Need species recommendation
- Thread starter CJhearsu
- Start date
Have you considered emperor tetras? They are attractive fish that would probably do well in your setup. Or pehaps some type of rainbowfish?
Just a couple ideas for you, but I'm not expert so I'd wait for some more experienced replies.
Just a couple ideas for you, but I'm not expert so I'd wait for some more experienced replies.
harlequin rasboras school nicely, look good (IMO) and are a bit deeper bodied than tetras so should escape your angels. i've seen people suggest them with angels before.
i'm thinking of getting some angels to keep mine on their toes.
not really, i'm thinking of getting some angels because i like them
HTH
i'm thinking of getting some angels to keep mine on their toes.
not really, i'm thinking of getting some angels because i like them
HTH
I could be wrong, but I don't see how adding more fish would be overstocking. Two angels, three otos, and 3 cories doesn't seem like a fully stocked 30 gal. to me. Of course hex tanks do have a smaller surface area though, so that should be taken into consideration.
I was just thinking that because angels get huge- and like you said, 30 gallons or not a hex doesn't have a very big footprint.
I have never kept angels (but I think they are lovely) so I don't know how quickly they grow. I could be totally wrong.
I have never kept angels (but I think they are lovely) so I don't know how quickly they grow. I could be totally wrong.
Cherry barbs are fiesty and small. They could easily survive Angel fish. And any aggression would be kept within the group assuming you get around 5 of them.
Looks like I've narrowed it down to cherry barbs or harlequins, both easy to find and inexpensive.
I don't think my tank is overstocked, judging from the ammonia and nitrite levels and the 1 inch per gallon rule. The angels are still small (body size of a quarter coin) but, of course, will grow. When they mature, I expect one might kill the other, leaving me with only one angel, or they will be a pair and may have to be removed depending on how aggressive they get with the other fish. The otos and corys won't get very much bigger than they are now. In addition, when I say my tank is heavily planted, I mean HEAVILY. And the plants are growing and doing well. I'm already having to prune because they are within a couple of inches of the top of the tank. I planted hygrophilia polysperma (4 bunches green and 4 bunches sunset) and four bunches Asian ambulia, plus a bunch of hornwort, a bunch of cabomba, plus the hairgrass, and three sword plants. And all are growing well, putting out new shoots and plantlets, very little leaf loss. I ocassionally get a small amount of pearling on the leaves. Lots of oxygen and no ammonia or nitrites. I literally count the number of flakes I feed so I don't have a tendency to overfeed. My filter is an Eheim classic cannister 2213 which keeps the water polished to a high shine. I really think a school of 6-7 small schooling fish won't overload it, but I will check the ammonia and nitrite levels frequently after I add them.
Thanks to all,
CJ
I don't think my tank is overstocked, judging from the ammonia and nitrite levels and the 1 inch per gallon rule. The angels are still small (body size of a quarter coin) but, of course, will grow. When they mature, I expect one might kill the other, leaving me with only one angel, or they will be a pair and may have to be removed depending on how aggressive they get with the other fish. The otos and corys won't get very much bigger than they are now. In addition, when I say my tank is heavily planted, I mean HEAVILY. And the plants are growing and doing well. I'm already having to prune because they are within a couple of inches of the top of the tank. I planted hygrophilia polysperma (4 bunches green and 4 bunches sunset) and four bunches Asian ambulia, plus a bunch of hornwort, a bunch of cabomba, plus the hairgrass, and three sword plants. And all are growing well, putting out new shoots and plantlets, very little leaf loss. I ocassionally get a small amount of pearling on the leaves. Lots of oxygen and no ammonia or nitrites. I literally count the number of flakes I feed so I don't have a tendency to overfeed. My filter is an Eheim classic cannister 2213 which keeps the water polished to a high shine. I really think a school of 6-7 small schooling fish won't overload it, but I will check the ammonia and nitrite levels frequently after I add them.
Thanks to all,
CJ