Are there any wide body tetra that are active school like rummies?

[GaryE]

The Geos will probably mug the Mikrogeophagus eventually. Same niche but an enormous size difference. The niche means competition. Geos are generally gentle if you avoid argyrostictus, but a niche is a niche. I had Biotodoma with one of my groups, but they are much tougher than GBRs. Cultivar form rams are pretty weak in general.

 

[anewbie]

The Geos will probably mug the Mikrogeophagus eventually. Same niche but an enormous size difference. The niche means competition. Geos are generally gentle if you avoid argyrostictus, but a niche is a niche. I had Biotodoma with one of my groups, but they are much tougher than GBRs. Cultivar form rams are pretty weak in general.

It is an 8ft tank - my plan is to keep the middle open for the geo and the sides much much denser for the GBR (denser with plants) - so around 4-5ft in the middle open with the 1.5 ft on the sides heavily planted - there will also be plants in the back and various pieces of drift wood. My hope is the gbr will enjoy the cover and the geo will stick to the open area.

 

[Kolykaf]

Red eye tetras get pretty big and school pretty well (although not as well as rummies). 82F is the upper limit of their temp range.

 

[threecharacters]

My X-ray tetras are pretty good schoolers.

I've never owned them, but I really like the look of Iguanodectes geisleri. They might not be good schoolers, and they will definitely be hard to find.

 

[anewbie]

My X-ray tetras are pretty good schoolers.

I've never owned them, but I really like the look of Iguanodectes geisleri. They might not be good schoolers, and they will definitely be hard to find.

They look interesting but are smaller than rummy and can't handle high temp. Still an interesting fish those iguanodectes geisleri.

 

[threecharacters]

They look interesting but are smaller than rummy and can't handle high temp. Still an interesting fish those iguanodectes geisleri.

Weird, I swear the ones I saw at Aqua Imports were at least 3 inches long. They might've even been 3.5-4 inches. Perhaps the fish I saw at Aqua Imports were mis-IDed? They were definitely longer than rummynoses, very slim though.

 

[anewbie]

Weird, I swear the ones I saw at Aqua Imports were at least 3 inches long. They might've even been 3.5-4 inches. Perhaps the fish I saw at Aqua Imports were mis-IDed? They were definitely longer than rummynoses, very slim though.

I used seriouslyfish to look up the specs on them; the X-ray do seem like an option.

 

[itiwhetu]

In a tank that size go with Congo Tetras, they will be great.

 

[itiwhetu]

You can always do the Silver Dollar thing

 

[threecharacters]

I used seriouslyfish to look up the specs on them; the X-ray do seem like an option.

Yeah, I saw that. Maybe what I saw was actually Iguanodectes adujai? Whatever I saw was a pretty large characin, I distinctly remember there was no way they would work in my 20 gallon long.

I have no idea if they school tightly or not, but Anostomus sp., Abramites hypselonotus or Chilodus punctatus might be options.

 

[anewbie]

Yeah, I saw that. Maybe what I saw was actually Iguanodectes adujai? Whatever I saw was a pretty large characin, I distinctly remember there was no way they would work in my 20 gallon long.

I have no idea if they school tightly or not, but Anostomus sp., Abramites hypselonotus or Chilodus punctatus might be options.

My read is that anostomus are a safer bet as abramites might be nippers. I was considering them for a different aquarium. Chilodus punctatus seems to prefer cooler temps than the others - no clue if it is well behaved will have to look into it.
-
Hum Chilodus might actually be a good option as it is more docile than the other two; just pushing the temp a little.

 

[Byron]

Chilodus punctatus. I had this species twice over many years. It is not a fish for tanks with large or aggressive fish.

Compatibility/Temperament: Very peaceful and quiet, it should not be kept with very active fish as it will usually withdraw and not eat. This is really the only species among the headstanders that is suitable for the average aquarium; most other species such as those in the family Anostomidae grow too large and are less than peaceful, and many will eat plants.​

 

[anewbie]

Chilodus punctatus. I had this species twice over many years. It is not a fish for tanks with large or aggressive fish.

Compatibility/Temperament: Very peaceful and quiet, it should not be kept with very active fish as it will usually withdraw and not eat. This is really the only species among the headstanders that is suitable for the average aquarium; most other species such as those in the family Anostomidae grow too large and are less than peaceful, and many will eat plants.​

Well do you think the winemilleri would be too aggressive for them? My understanding is the winemilleri will not bother them as long as they are not food.

 

[Byron]

Well do you think the winemilleri would be too aggressive for them? My understanding is the winemilleri will not bother them as long as they are not food.

At 7+ inches (18+ cm), the Geophagus are in my view too large to be housed with shy fish like Chilodus. And Chilodus are substrate feeders, which is the area of geophagus. Also, back to the initial question here, Chilodus are not wide schooling tetras; mine remained separated in the tank, they were in a 5-foot Amazon riverscape; they spent a lot of time on the substrate once they learned that sinking algae disks were food. The rest of the time, they browse plant leaves. They are very slow eaters, and very skittish--and not always easy to get on to prepared foods. I learned that the first attempt when they all starved, so for the second I kept them in QT for 4 months to ensure they recognized the sinking disks as "food." On their own in QT they were less skittish and thus explored the substrate more than they would have in with other fish.

 

[FishNturt808]

Lemon tetras, red eye tetras, Buenos Aires tetras (they will munch your plants). The Buenos Aires will get the largest. X-rays probably school the best out of the previously mentioned, but they are pretty small. I don’t know the aggression of the bigger fish you want, but they may see x-rays as a proper lunch.
(Edit: sorry I don’t know the Latin names)

Second edit: diamond tetras are pretty cool too. Good size as well.