34L Fluval - stocking recommendations please!

[On_a_dishy]

Do they need to be identical or could I blend different rasboras?

 

[Byron]

Do they need to be identical or could I blend different rasboras?

The groupof 10 or whatever (you could have 11 or 12 here) must be the same species.

I should mention that this need for the decent sized group is programmed into the genetic code for the species. So the fish "expect" a group. Not having what the fish understands as essential means it will be stressed. And stress means poor health and early demise.

 

[On_a_dishy]

Shop opens at 9am and I’ll be there!
Just to be absolutely clear - are, say, chilli rasboras the same species as my Boraras urophthalmoides? Or do I need to buy 5 more of exactly the same?

 

[Essjay]

No, they are different species. Chili rasboras are Boraras brigittae; B. urophthalmoides are sometimes called sparrow rasboras, or exclamation point rasboras, or spice rasboras.
Since they are similar, it is worth making sure that the species you were sold actually is urophthalmoides in case you need to source more from a different shop. The five Boraras species are described towards the end of this article

Boraras - marvels in miniature

www.practicalfishkeeping.co.uk

 

[On_a_dishy]

Sorry - I'm still confused The article suggests that chilli rasboras are in the same species as urophthalmoides "Five described species of Boraras..."
I need to buy 5 more fish so my 6 can shoal happily - do I have to buy 5 more urophthalmoides or can I buy 5 more from the Boraras list in the article?
I really want to get it right!

 

[Essjay]

The first photo, about half way down the article is -
Scientific name - Boraras brigittae; common name - mosquito or chili rasbora. This is a bright red fish, though it will look paler in the shop tank.

The next two photos and descriptions are B. maculatus, then B. merah.

The fourth photo and description is
Scientific name Boraras urophthalmoides, common name exclamation point or sparrow rasbora.
This is an orange fish, and again will look washed out in the shop tank.

The last one is B. micros.



Urophthalmoides have a distinct black blob at the base of the tail and the line down the side should be unbroken. Chilis don't have the distinct black blob. It's usually urophthatmoides which are mis-sold as brigittae rather than the other way round because they can charge more for brigittae (chilis). I bought some "chili rasboras" which were really urophthalmoides, I still have one - the last of a shoal I bought several years ago.

 

[On_a_dishy]

I definitely have 6 urophthalmoides - what I need to know is, to increase the shoal, do I have to buy more urophthalmoides or could I buy one of the other 4 type that the article says are the same species?

 

[Essjay]

The article doesn't say they are the same species, it says there are 5 separate species in the genus Boraras.

You need more of the ones you already have, B. urophthalmoides. I'd get another 6 to make a shoal of 12.

 

[On_a_dishy]

The article doesn't say they are the same species, it says there are 5 separate species in the genus Boraras.

You need more of the ones you already have, B. urophthalmoides. I'd get another 6 to make a shoal of 12.

Oh I seeee!

I bought another 4 urophthalmoides to make 10 this morning, from a frowning shop worker who was telling me that I'd overload my nitrogen bacteria in the quarantine tank with the bio load. I've got 2 spare packets of bio media in my cycled tank ready for such emergencies, but there was still harrumphing.
Once they are all out of quarantine and in the tank I'll build up the pygmy cory army. In vitro plants are arriving today, I've got marino moss balls and water lettuce in quarantine, the shrimp (already inhabitants of the tank) are all having a whale of a time on a piece of mopani wood, and there are no detritus worms in sight since chemical warfare was waged on the tank back in March. Even the sun is out!