34L Fluval - stocking recommendations please!

[On_a_dishy]

Hello! My threads about my betta (now sadly buried - the betta, not the threads) have inched their way around to being about what to replace him with, so I thought I'd better start a new thread about just that

Nitrites 0 (It's fully cycled)
Ammonia 0
Nitrates 25
GH=DT=TH (?) between >14 and >21 degrees
KH between 10 and 15 degrees
pH 6.8-7.2 (this seems to have spontaneously lowered over the past month - no idea how as the RO water I was starting to use to lower it has long since been changed out and the decor has all changed with the tank having had a complete revamp).
The tank is not planted but I am looking to get the grown-in-gel plants (thanks to advice from the forum) because I'm sick of hitchhikers. I have rocks, pebbles and black "sand" substrate https://www.amazon.co.uk/Pettex-Rom...76&hvtargid=pla-420142513106&psc=1&th=1&psc=1

6 cherry shrimp in there are thriving, and there will be babies soon. I have a quarantine tank (box!) set up ready for the newby/newbies.

I'd like a snail.

• I have had some excellent advice regarding the small footprint of the Fluval and avoiding shoaling bottom feeders - a shame as I do like them.
• I don't want another betta (I don't think...) If I do get one, I want a wilder, less flamboyant one than the overly-inbred ones in the LFS.
• I am experienced with a larger tank and fish like gouramis, acara, plecos, corys... none of which are suitable for my little 34L but all of which I loved.
• A friend is overrun with baby guppies, and I could take some of his? I've no idea what colours they will be, though, and is inbreeding from within the same tank a problem with guppies?

Many thanks for any recommendations!

 

[AdoraBelle Dearheart]

I'd avoid guppies unless they're old enough to sex and you can go male only, and bear in mind that they'll eat shrimplets if they find them too, so I personally wouldn't until the shrimp colony is established and there's a decent amount of dense plant cover for shrimplets to hide until big enough not to be nommed.

Honestly, avoid guppy fry/females. They'll come to you already preparing to drop fry, and within 2-3 months, you'll also be over-run with guppies, and not every store is willing to take them off your hands because of the risk of disease livebearers often come with, and they don't make the store much money either. It's so easy and fast for numbers to boom - they're not called "The Millions Fish" for nothing!

I don't quite understand the numbers for GH, is it less than 14? Or between 14 and 21? is that ppm?
With 34L, think "nano fish". Have a browse through the nano subforum, check out nano fish videos (I tend to think of 20g or less as a nano tank, and stock accordingly).

If the water is on the harder side, consider the wide range of dwarf rainbowfish that are available! Red neon rainbows, celebes, forktails - there are some gorgeous little fish to check out! I believe celestial pearl danios and galaxy rasbora are also okay with harder water, but I might be misremembering that, so worth checking on seriously fish.

If you can soften the water without too much hassle, then there are tons of options, even in a 34L! kilifish, sparkling or croaking gourami, some of the tiny nano tetra like embers, rasbora like the chili rasbora or kubatoi, those tiny fish would be fine in a planted 8-10 gallon, don't have a huge bioload, and small mouths plus mid-water feeders, so not much risk to shrimp.

If you're fond of the dwarf cories, I've heard that Corydora hastatus (tail spot dwarf corydoras) is more of a midwater swimmer than the others, and a group of 8-12 would probably work in that size tank with shrimp, and provide a lot of movement. Cute little dudes.

For the plants, you don't necessarily have to have the in-vitro plants to avoid hitch-hikers, can personally recommend Pro-Shrimp for safe, pest free plants, whether you buy their in-vitro or potted plants, and the potted ones are cheaper and larger, more established. Tropica plants are fine too!

 

[On_a_dishy]

This is so helpful - thank you

 

[Wills]

Yep that is super hard water! Just like me...

Two main options for nano fish - Krabi Province and Lake Inle From Krabi Province we get Espei Rasboras and Croaking Gourami and Lake Inle gives us Emerald Rasboras, Red Dwarf Rasboras, Rummy Nose Rasboras and Inle Loaches. From the Emerald Rasboras we also get their very close relative Galaxy Rasboras and similarly very closely related to the Inle Loaches are the Rosy Loaches, these two species are much easier to find in the hobby than the others but most of these fish are around at the moment.

I have a 30 litre flat aquarium and I have a school of 8 Red Dwarf Rasboras in mine and I'd like to add one more species in there but I'm not sure which way I want to go yet. I also have a growing colony of cherry shrimp and ramshorn snails as well.

Wills

 

[seangee]

I quite like this mix

A group of 10-15 celestichthys margaritatus (celestial pearl danio aka CPD) would work well. These are adults in my Flex 15 - the shrimp is also an adult but not an especially big one to give you an idea of sizing.

 

[On_a_dishy]

Spent a while looking at these suggestions and really like the fork tail rainbowfish, celestial pearl danios, and corydoras hastatus
Can't house all of them, sadly, so any help choosing - with a focus on personality - would be brilliant!

 

[On_a_dishy]

And killifish...

 

[On_a_dishy]

And espei rasboras…

 

[Byron]

Forget the corydoras, they must have softer water. The rasbora Trigonostigma espei is also a very soft water fish. Otherwise, probably OK.

 

[Essjay]

I have had some excellent advice regarding the small footprint of the Fluval

A reminder about the size of this tank. It is a Fluval Flex, which has a footprint of 13 x 13 inches/33 x 33 cm. Fish suggestions should bear this in mind.

 

[On_a_dishy]

A reminder about the size of this tank. It is a Fluval Flex, which has a footprint of 13 x 13 inches/33 x 33 cm. Fish suggestions should bear this in mind.

Celestial pearl danios are a favourite... what do you think?

 

[Wills]

Forget the corydoras, they must have softer water. The rasbora Trigonostigma espei is also a very soft water fish. Otherwise, probably OK.

Espei is found in limestone pools in Southern Thailand

'In Krabi province, southern Thailand it can be found living in a particular karstic (limestone) area with neutral to alkaline water (pH 7.0-7.4). The habitat consists of a series of deep limestone sinkholes forming pools at the surface, plus a small ditch which acts as an overflow from the pools.' From seriously fish.

I agree they are also found in more typical South East Asian habitats but at best its simple to determine it must be an adaptable species to live in these different biotopes?
Pools in lime stone sinkholes will be very hard. Other species found here include Betta Simplex and Croaking Gourami - Trichopsis Vittata.

 

[On_a_dishy]

Right, I’ve been doing some research and this has, of course, thrown up more questions.
I love the Celebes rainbowfish and the fork tail rainbowfish. However:
1) both grow to between 2 and 3 inches and are fast swimmers. The Fluval Flex 34L is a cube. As @Essjay notes, the footprint is 13x13 inches. Is this going to be a problem?
I love the celestial danios. However:
2) they hang around the bottom strata and, again, the Fluval Flex is a cube. Will I ever see them?
I love the killifish. However:
3) I need the smaller versions! I checked out the Hummingbird Lampeye and Dwarf Madeka but found the images a little dull. Are there brighter small killifish suited to a 13x13cm cube?
I love the corydoras hastatus. However:
4) My water is hard - but I can regularly access RO water. Would this make them an option?
So I’m narrowing my options - I think…
Please advise!

 

[Wills]

Right, I’ve been doing some research and this has, of course, thrown up more questions.
I love the Celebes rainbowfish and the fork tail rainbowfish. However:
1) both grow to between 2 and 3 inches and are fast swimmers. The Fluval Flex 34L is a cube. As @Essjay notes, the footprint is 13x13 inches. Is this going to be a problem?
I love the celestial danios. However:
2) they hang around the bottom strata and, again, the Fluval Flex is a cube. Will I ever see them?
I love the killifish. However:
3) I need the smaller versions! I checked out the Hummingbird Lampeye and Dwarf Madeka but found the images a little dull. Are there brighter small killifish suited to a 13x13cm cube?
I love the corydoras hastatus. However:
4) My water is hard - but I can regularly access RO water. Would this make them an option?
So I’m narrowing my options - I think…
Please advise!

If RO water is an option then your fish choices are much bigger - a lot of nano species come from softwater areas.

Since you can control the water with RO and remineralising, you've got quite a bit of free reign so work out what you like and as long as they are compatible and the water requirements line up go for it

 

[On_a_dishy]

Rams! Electric blue rams! They're like mini acaras (which I used to keep and which were incredible). I can increase the acidity of the water with RO - but - how would they get on with my 6 cherry shrimp, and is 34L too small for a pair?