Fresh water your hard pressed to find a 'prettier' fish then the male beta (many varieties and colors) undemanding and only aggressive to other males of its own species give him a girl and there's a pair.
If you had a planted low-tech 55g...
how would you stock it in the most colorful, appealing way possible?
I'm currently in this predicament, and I'm trying to do a lot of research on which community fish like to swim where (surface, middle, low/substrate) and it's taking me forever.
I don't like neon tetras because I see them everywhere. I want fish that get along, aren't too aggressive, and look pretty above a dark substrate and background.
So, what were some of the best stock setups you've seen? What would you do, and why?
I'm currently in this predicament, and I'm trying to do a lot of research on which community fish like to swim where (surface, middle, low/substrate) and it's taking me forever.
I don't like neon tetras because I see them everywhere. I want fish that get along, aren't too aggressive, and look pretty above a dark substrate and background.
So, what were some of the best stock setups you've seen? What would you do, and why?
1 - 12 of 12 Posts
Rainbowfish. Some of them are flat out ugly, but some are real gems.
bolivian rams.. i love mine.. they are so happy.. and beautiful. very active and get very excited when i come to the tank.. i only have 2. 1 male and 1 female. ime hopeing they breed.. im not changing the conditions but they are showing signs 
eeeee
but its all up to you.. what you like... and a couple dwarf plecos.. who doesnt love plecos!! cute cute.
Amy
eeeeebut its all up to you.. what you like... and a couple dwarf plecos.. who doesnt love plecos!! cute cute.
Amy
Asian tank:
School of neon rainbows, dwarf gourami, school of Harlequin rasporas, a few loaches (3-5x yoyos, angel, zebra, etc.. ones that max out at about 4" NOT clown loaches).
Amazon tank:
1-2 pairs of dwarf cichlids (German or Bolivian Rams, Apistos, checkerboard, etc), 2 schools of tetras (Cardinals, Rummy nose, Embers, Ruby, ect), school of Cories.
School of neon rainbows, dwarf gourami, school of Harlequin rasporas, a few loaches (3-5x yoyos, angel, zebra, etc.. ones that max out at about 4" NOT clown loaches).
Amazon tank:
1-2 pairs of dwarf cichlids (German or Bolivian Rams, Apistos, checkerboard, etc), 2 schools of tetras (Cardinals, Rummy nose, Embers, Ruby, ect), school of Cories.
Great ideas here! I have started my tank about 5 weeks ago and so far have 5 Neon Rainbows. They are beautiful and stay mostly in the middle water collumn. I am thinking of adding 3 angels and the harlequin rasboras. Oh and of course I have my corys. Gotta have them.
A school of 7+ harlequin rasboras will make a great addition and fill in the mid to upper level (as long as there is room to swim and not overgrown).
If your tetras are like mine, they to be bottom to mid level. With corys on bottom and the angel fish meandering where they like it sounds like you'll have good visual appeal top to bottom.
If your tetras are like mine, they to be bottom to mid level. With corys on bottom and the angel fish meandering where they like it sounds like you'll have good visual appeal top to bottom.
So, I'm thinkin:
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6 neon rainbows - max 3" - mid column
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10 harlequin rasboras - max 2" - mid to upper column
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6 cory cat - max 2.5" - lower column
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2-3 siamese algae eater - max 3.5" - lower column (or otocinclus? Do SAE's clean off glass? Otocinclus die off like it's in fashion.)
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4 Bolivian Rams (2 male, 2 female? or what) - max 3" - mid column
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4-6 Guppies - max 2.5" - upper column.
Are there any recommendations for more upper-column community fish?
Are there any recommendations for more upper-column community fish?
6
Golden Wonder Killies or Hatchetfish would be good for the upper part of the tank as long as there are absolutely no gaps in the top for them to jump out of (otherwise, they will for sure).
Male guppies also could work.
Definitely 2 pairs (M/F) of Rams. And be sure that your tank is 'scaped in such a way that there is lots of hardscape and plants staggered around for them to mark off clearly defined and separated territories, and blocked sight lines. As long as they can remain out of sight of each other (especially when spawning) a 55 gal SHOULD be big enough for 2 pairs.
I wouldn't get 6x SAE for your tank. 2-3 would be fine. SAE sometimes get aggressive/territorial with each other as they get older.
The vast majority of crayfish species would eat your fish (they catch them at night while the fish are sleeping). If you want a cray, it really should be in a species-only tank.
Freshwater clams also would be a bad idea. It's extremely hard to keep them properly fed in an aquarium (unless you want to culture green water in the tank so thick you couldn't see the fish), and you'll never see them anyways as they'll burrow down into the substrate. Which also means you won't notice it when they die down there of starvation, and pollute your tank.
Male guppies also could work.
Definitely 2 pairs (M/F) of Rams. And be sure that your tank is 'scaped in such a way that there is lots of hardscape and plants staggered around for them to mark off clearly defined and separated territories, and blocked sight lines. As long as they can remain out of sight of each other (especially when spawning) a 55 gal SHOULD be big enough for 2 pairs.
I wouldn't get 6x SAE for your tank. 2-3 would be fine. SAE sometimes get aggressive/territorial with each other as they get older.
The vast majority of crayfish species would eat your fish (they catch them at night while the fish are sleeping). If you want a cray, it really should be in a species-only tank.
Freshwater clams also would be a bad idea. It's extremely hard to keep them properly fed in an aquarium (unless you want to culture green water in the tank so thick you couldn't see the fish), and you'll never see them anyways as they'll burrow down into the substrate. Which also means you won't notice it when they die down there of starvation, and pollute your tank.
Thanks lauraleelbp! Too bad about the crayfish, and thanks for the pointer about the clams.Golden Wonder Killies or Hatchetfish would be good for the upper part of the tank as long as there are absolutely no gaps in the top for them to jump out of (otherwise, they will for sure).
Male guppies also could work.
Definitely 2 pairs (M/F) of Rams. And be sure that your tank is 'scaped in such a way that there is lots of hardscape and plants staggered around for them to mark off clearly defined and separated territories, and blocked sight lines. As long as they can remain out of sight of each other (especially when spawning) a 55 gal SHOULD be big enough for 2 pairs.
I wouldn't get 6x SAE for your tank. 2-3 would be fine. SAE sometimes get aggressive/territorial with each other as they get older.
The vast majority of crayfish species would eat your fish (they catch them at night while the fish are sleeping). If you want a cray, it really should be in a species-only tank.
Freshwater clams also would be a bad idea. It's extremely hard to keep them properly fed in an aquarium (unless you want to culture green water in the tank so thick you couldn't see the fish), and you'll never see them anyways as they'll burrow down into the substrate. Which also means you won't notice it when they die down there of starvation, and pollute your tank.
It looks like hatchets and killifish like surface floating plants to shelter under... I don't like those plants. I have a friend who told me that if I ever needed guppies, he has way too many, so if those are upper column dwellers, that might be the way to go for me.
Do SAE's clean glass like otos? Will-do on the two to three instead of six.
Are there any "centerpiece" fish that you can recommend that don't need caves, territory, or special needs? I'm not sure if I'd like to foster spawning either. Sounds like a reason to spend a lot more on refugiums, food, etc.
Most of the time when fish spawn in a community tank, few if any fry survive. My rams spawned every 2 weeks for a few years in my 90gal but I never had a single fry survive- they all got eaten! So I really wouldn't worry about that, if spawning is what would keep you from trying Rams.Are there any "centerpiece" fish that you can recommend that don't need caves, territory, or special needs? I'm not sure if I'd like to foster spawning either. Sounds like a reason to spend a lot more on refugiums, food, etc.
Dwarf gourami would be another option, though. You rarely even see females in the hobby (most are very plain, it's just the males that are colorful) and you should be able to keep 2 male dwarf gourami in a 55gal I think.
I suspect you'd enjoy Rams more, though- dwarf cichlids have tons of personality and mine always were at the front of my tank begging for food and would follow me all over the tank getting all in the way when I was trying to do tank maintenance, like little puppy dogs with fins :hihi:
I find spawning to be good behavior. Even if none of the fry survive, it means your fish are very happy and in top condition.
1 - 12 of 12 Posts
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