Ecks Vs. Severum

[markandhisfish]

only thing with the dempsey is it will severely limit your stocking opotions. probably the ebjd on its own due to agression.

 

[MoonstruckMuse]

Severums are just about my favorites, haha. I have a few of mine with some of those blue rainbows (m. lacustris) and it's a GREAT color mix - the blueish hues of the rainbows really make my gold sevs pop, as well as highlighting the different colors of the greens.

 

[The Village Idiot]

Well, I went to the pet store and stared at the juvenile blue dempseys for upwards of 20 minutes. I decided I just couldn't do it. At $40 for a fish that may turn out very attractive, or my turn out very ugly, I couldn't take the gamble. I also looked for the Sajicas, but they didn't stock them and couldn't order any.

I finally happened upon a tank that reminded me why I used to love angelfish so much. For years I had kept these fish, but then got two bad batches where every fish ended up with curl tail, or comb tail, or whatever that's called, or was a runt. The angels I found were beautiful and showed no signs of either disease so I grabbed me up 5 of them, figuring I'll likely have to return them as they grow. Now it's just a matter of what other tankmates to have in there. I'm definitely keeping my little-girl-bettas, and I'm definitely not keeping my pearl gouramis, but I'm just not sure about the rest of the stock. I'm glad to have found these fish, though.

 

[Faythee]

I recommend Rams with the Angels.

 

[The Village Idiot]

Thanks for the reply, Faythee. I'm currently debating between rams and apistos. The store where I bought the angels had what they called "blue head agazzi", which, from what I can tell, is a. borelli. They were next to the juvenile blue dempseys and some had jumped over into the tank and, without really looking, I almost could tell the difference. They were very attractive fish.

What probably makes the decision a little easier is the fact that good-looking rams are hard to come by around here (as are pretty much any good fish). I rarely see those with bold colors and the black markings, which are hard to compete with in terms of beauty. What I typicallly come across are washed-out, pale, and have no black coloration at all.

I'm finding myself coming up a little short on top, however. I've got the apistos or rams for the bottom, cardinal tetras for mid-bottom (harlequin rasboras if the angels acquire an appetite for tetra), angels for the middle to mid-top, little-girl-bettas for all over, but nothing for top-top. Hatchetfish seem a bit bland, rainbows, in general, seem a bit neurotic and don't seems to stay too near the top, and to leave it empty seems a bit out of balance. Congo Tetras seem like a reasonably good choice, but I'm not sure how they behave. Do you have any suggestions?

 

[Faythee]

My Rainbows stay in the middle, not up top at all. I've kept jumbo Rasboras with my Angel. The only other fish I can think of that stay up top is Danios. Supposedly they are too nippy to be with Angels, but shouldn't be a problem if you have a large group.

 

[The Village Idiot]

I have danios with my fancy goldfish and I only see them chasing one another. They're just such annoying fish. lol Thanks for all the information.

 

[Faythee]

Swordtails ?

 

[The Village Idiot]

OoOoOoOo!!! I like that! Excellent suggestion! Thank you!

 

[Faythee]

You're welcome

Just be sure the lid completely covers the tank other than the filter flow. They are jumpers ! I had one miraculously survive after managing to jump out of a small space on the back of my tank.