Friends for long-finned skirt tetras

[Chris1212]

Looking to replace some fish (platies and a swordtail) we have lost recently and need to find something that would work well with our 5 long-finned skirt tetras and maybe most importantly is considered a hardy fish. 20g, fully cycled, 0/0 ammonia and nitrite, highish nitrate (30-40), sand substrate, fake plants. We also have 2 hillstream loaches, 2 peacock gudgeons, and a few amano shrimp and mystery snail. I'm leaning towards a simple group of danios since they will be active and are survivors but open to maybe another kind of tetra.

We are fine with our 5 skirt tetras and don't really want to add any more.

Thanks

 

[Slaphppy7]

Black skirt tetras?
Is this a 20 long or a 20 tall?
Just as a general rule, all tetras need to be kept in schools of at least 10, they're social fish, and will be more comfortable and display more natural behavior in proper size schools.

 

[Chris1212]

Black skirt tetras?
Is this a 20 long or a 20 tall?
Just as a general rule, all tetras need to be kept in schools of at least 10, they're social fish, and will be more comfortable and display more natural behavior in proper size schools.

Thanks for the reply. It is a 20-high

 

[Slaphppy7]

Black skirts? They can be nippy when kept in small groups, if so...

 

[Chris1212]

Black skirts? They can be nippy when kept in small groups, if so...

Thanks. I'd be open to maybe 1-2 more but not interested in adding 5 more. No apparent aggressive behavior amongst them and they never bothered with the platies and swordtail. I'm not even sure they know the loaches or peacock gudgeon exist.

 

[Slaphppy7]

Sounds good...how often do you perform WC's?...those trAtes ARE a bit high...ever considered live plants, they help in keeping trAte levels down.

 

[FishNturt808]

If you get similar shaped tetras they may loosely shoal(sp?) together, my X-rays do with my Buenos Aires even tho there’s a considerable size difference

 

[Slaphppy7]

Also should add, those loaches aren't really suitable for a 20H...they prefer massive, strong water flow, which can't be accomplished in that tank...if they seem OK, then no need to fret over it, just FYI

 

[Chris1212]

Thanks all for the replies. Do water changes every week, nitrates are a bit high for sure and I may try some pothos or something like that which is easy to grow and may help a bit with the nitrates.

Honestly, the hillstream loaches were a bit of an experiment because I thought they looked so cool. They have been doing great and are really entertaining (eat up all of the brown algae plus algae wafers, pellets that make it to the bottom, and the periodic veg I drop in there). I actually get pretty decent flow from my HOB and the small sponge filter I have tucked in the corner.

 

[Slaphppy7]

Thanks all for the replies. Do water changes every week, nitrates are a bit high for sure and I may try some pothos or something like that which is easy to grow and may help a bit with the nitrates.

Honestly, the hillstream loaches were a bit of an experiment because I thought they looked so cool. They have been doing great and are really entertaining (eat up all of the brown algae plus algae wafers, pellets that make it to the bottom, and the periodic veg I drop in there). I actually get pretty decent flow from my HOB and the small sponge filter I have tucked in the corner.

They ARE a neat looking fish...more info: https://www.seriouslyfish.com/species/sewellia-lineolata