Best species for a new 38 gal freshwater tank?

[Beckett]

Thanks again all! Very helpful!!!

Byron, would a Bolivian Ram pair be better? I wasn't sure what you meant by common/blue... is the Bolivian one of those? I did some more reading and it seems the Bolivian is more flexible on temperature and overall water parameters.

I'm now considering:

-15 Cardinal Tetra
-2 Bolivian Ram
-1 Bristlenose Pleco
-1 Blue shrimp or maybe some corys

 

[Byron]

Thanks again all! Very helpful!!!

Byron, would a Bolivian Ram pair be better? I wasn't sure what you meant by common/blue... is the Bolivian one of those? I did some more reading and it seems the Bolivian is more flexible on temperature and overall water parameters.

I'm now considering:

-15 Cardinal Tetra
-2 Bolivian Ram
-1 Bristlenose Pleco
-1 Blue shrimp or maybe some corys

The Bolivian is less demanding when it comes to temperature. It will be very healthy at more normal "tropical fish" temperatures around 25-26C/75-78F. Two of them can pose a problem though, I'll explain.

Observations in the habitat suggest that this species, Mikrogeophagus altispinosus, may live in solitude except when spawning. A single male (or female) in a peaceful tank will likely be very happy. My male lived into his 9th year, which I think is good for a fish with an average lifespan of 4-5 years. He was in my Amazon riverscape, a 5-foot 115g tank of 150 characins and 50-60 cories. The entire tank was "his space." And the other fish knew it, and obeyed his directions!

When you go above one fish, you need either a large tank with a small group, or acquire a bonded pair. This fish, like the common or blue ram too, must select its mate or they will not live together for long. I introduced a female after I had the male for three years, and before I understood the bonding issue; they seemed to accept each other, and spawned four times, before the male had had enough and killed the female. In hindsight, I can now recognize that their mixed interactive behaviours during the four spawnings should have told me all was not well. So either get a single Bolivian, or a bonded pair. You can tell the latter from their behaviours within the group in the store tank. Some will suggest you acquire a group of 5-8 and let a pair form, but then you have the others to get rid of, and there is no guarantee they will find anyone compatible in such a small group.

 

[Beckett]

Thank you that is super helpful. I was a bit confused by the amount of Rams permitted in a tank and pairing off. That makes sense, maybe I will do just one male then, along with the other fish I mentioned. I am also leaning away from the shrimp towards some of the cory species instead now, or maybe a small group of kuhli loaches.

 

[Beckett]

Would this stocking work:

-15 Cardinal Tetra
-1 Bolivian Ram
-1 Bristlenose Pleco
-6 Kuhli Loach

 

[Byron]

Would this stocking work:

-15 Cardinal Tetra
-1 Bolivian Ram
-1 Bristlenose Pleco
-6 Kuhli Loach

Yes, with room for much more. Look into some upper level species, everything here lives in the lower half of the tank.

Kuhlii loaches, keep in mind you may never see them, they can be very secretive and nocturnal. They are charging around in the store tank because they are stressed out of their minds from being in (usually) a tank with no refuge, and this fish must have sand to burrow in and chunks of wood to live in.

 

[Beckett]

Excellent! Glad I seem to have found a base group here that could work well. I am planning to have sand substrate and am actually boiling driftwood right now.

I will research more upper level species that will suit my water parameters. Thanks so much!

 

[PheonixKingZ]

Excellent! Glad I seem to have found a base group here that could work well. I am planning to have sand substrate and am actually boiling driftwood right now.

I will research more upper level species that will suit my water parameters. Thanks so much!

Glad @Byron was able to find a solution for you. Enjoy your tank!

(Note: If you boil driftwood, it breaks down the wood fiber. If this happens, your driftwood won't last that long)

 

[Byron]

Excellent! Glad I seem to have found a base group here that could work well. I am planning to have sand substrate and am actually boiling driftwood right now.

I will research more upper level species that will suit my water parameters. Thanks so much!

Pheonix caught something I missed...do not boil wood. Rinse it off under the tap (outside might be easier). If it is heavy wood like Malaysian Driftwood it will sink immediately, but other types may need to get waterlogged. Sometimes you can weigh wood down with rock, depending upon the circumstances.

 

[dmpfishlover]

Some suggestions for Upper/Mid Level species:

Brown or Diptail Pencilfish (Nannostomus eques)
Marble or Silver Hatchetfish (Gasteropelecus levis)
Lemon Tetra or another shoaling Tetra
Rummy nose Tetras (my personal favorite )

All of the above fish are shoaling fish and should be kept in groups of 6 or more (more always being better)

 

[PheonixKingZ]

Some suggestions for Upper/Mid Level species:

Brown or Diptail Pencilfish (Nannostomus eques)
Marble or Silver Hatchetfish (Gasteropelecus levis)
Lemon Tetra or another shoaling Tetra
Rummy nose Tetras (my personal favorite )

All of the above fish are shoaling fish and should be kept in groups of 6 or more (more always being better)

Lemon tetras are a good idea. Rummy nose tetras tend to be more of a mid-swimmer.

 

[Beckett]

Can the driftwood still be used even though it was boiled? I watched countless video online recommending to boil it and articles also saying this because it would leech the tannins faster and also remove any bacterial spores that could be on it. Hoping I can still salvage and use it, even if for a shorter period of time... not cheap!


Thanks for all of the top level fish ideas! Would adding 2 dwarf gourami be suitable?


-2 dwarf gourami (1 male, 1 female)
-15 Cardinal Tetra
-1 Bolivian Ram
-1 Bristlenose Pleco
-6 Kuhli Loach

 

[dmpfishlover]

Lemon tetras are a good idea. Rummy nose tetras tend to be more of a mid-swimmer.

Yes.... I was suggesting Upper/Mid level fish, as most of the species on the list so far are bottom level fish.

 

[Byron]

Can the driftwood still be used even though it was boiled? I watched countless video online recommending to boil it and articles also saying this because it would leech the tannins faster and also remove any bacterial spores that could be on it. Hoping I can still salvage and use it, even if for a shorter period of time... not cheap!


Thanks for all of the top level fish ideas! Would adding 2 dwarf gourami be suitable?


-2 dwarf gourami (1 male, 1 female)
-15 Cardinal Tetra
-1 Bolivian Ram
-1 Bristlenose Pleco
-6 Kuhli Loach

Never listen to or accept as "fact" anything you see online, unless you know the person/site as reliable. The wood is boiled, so us it. It may begin to pull apart sooner because boiling weakens the wood fibres that hold together. But thee is no real danger to fish, but if the wood really begins to rot then remove it. That could take months.

Tannins are not harmful, in fact they are beneficial to soft water fish. As for bacterial issues, that depends upon what they might be. I would not worry.

To the fish...we do not recommend dwarf gourami. This species still carris the iridovirus for which there is no cure, and it is common in Asian fish and as you are in North America as I am, most of our fish come from Asian suppliers. If you know a reliable aquarist who is breeding this species, the risk is near-nil. But never store bought fish as you've no idea where they originated.

 

[Beckett]

Okay, thanks! Might have a final list below... hopefully this populates each level of the tank not leaving any 'empty spaces' or overpopulating any sections.

- 12 Lemon Tetra
-15 Cardinal Tetra
-1 Bolivian Ram
-1 Bristlenose Pleco
-6 Kuhli Loach

 

[Byron]

Okay, thanks! Might have a final list below... hopefully this populates each level of the tank not leaving any 'empty spaces' or overpopulating any sections.

- 12 Lemon Tetra
-15 Cardinal Tetra
-1 Bolivian Ram
-1 Bristlenose Pleco
-6 Kuhli Loach

I see no problems here. You still have room for surface fish if you want.