Colourful community-friendly fish suggestions

[Gypsum]

I've had to relocate my cherry barbs from my 125L to my 80L tank (only shared with otos) because they got a taste for the fins of the longfin pleco I got last week. The 125L tank has a lot of grey fish, so looking to add a wee bit of colour.

It needs to be a fairly easy-going community fish that won't nip the fins of the pleco, nor be eaten by the raphael catfish. It will be living with the two above-mentioned fish, as well as one male Bolivian ram, six rummy noses, five corys, and five black phantoms. The tank is pretty heavily stocked, so it needs to be something with a low bioload, or something you don't need a lot of.

Any ideas?

 

[FishGuest5123]

Golden White Cloud Mountain Minnows are beautiful and peaceful fish.

 

[JuiceBox52]

Cherry or blue velvet shrimp!

 

[Gypsum]

Aren't shrimp likely to become lunch for the raphael catfish? I've read they really like crustaceans.

 

[Jan Cavalieri]

There are always the glo-tetras that come in multiple genetically modified colors. I don't know how the community feels about them (thinking they are only for kids) but this 58 yr old "kid" just adores them and their bright colors. When I first added them, they attached themselves to one of my large orange Gourami's "Are you my mother?" and followed her everywhere in the tank. She was quite good natured about it but obviously puzzled and spent a lot of time trying to duck out of her babysitting duties. They are now confident enough to leave her alone. But dang the colors are just too cool - and really brightened up my tank. Ok, just laugh at me now and maybe I'll buy a Disney castle for them just for grins.

 

[Essjay]

The OP (Gypsum) may well be in the UK as she gives tank sizes in litres. If she is, she won't be able to get glo-fish as all GM organisms are banned in the EU (and yes we are still in the EU.....)

 

[Gypsum]

Yeah, I am in the UK.

Any other suggestions?

 

[Alexandriel]

I'm not sure if this is an anomaly or not, but my Cochu's Blue Tetras are very friendly (no fin nipping, and I have a pearl gourami in with them) The albinos in particular are my favorite, because they are an iridescent pinkish white color They are extremely active fish though, and might outcompete everything for food. I have to use a turkey baster to get food to the lower regions of the tank, because otherwise they eat all of it

 

[Byron]

Before adding another species, you should up the numbers of the two tetras. Rummynose are always better with 9-10 minimum. Black Phantom similarly seem to be in better condition with a larger group, here 8-9 minimum.

Once these two tetras are better off with more of them, space will prevent more species. The Rafael should find a much larger space very soon.