Getting a Bristlenose pleco from Maidenhead aquatics

[CassCats]

You'd be looking at upper levels, could go with some rosy red minnows (6-8) and they'd stand out among your danios and not take up territory among the bottom dwellers.

Some other contenders:
Red eye tetras (6-8)
Bloodfin tetras (8-10)
Skirt tetras (6-8)


They'd play well with danios and are all from cooler areas of south american so will do great in low 70s temperatures, but you'd only be able to look at schoolers.

@GaryE would any Gardneri type killifish work in a 55 gallon with zebra danios, BN pleco, and garra or are they lower level fish/warmer water fish?

 

[GaryE]

They are cool water (20-24c) but garra get large, right? gardneri don't. A 14 cm tankmate would not be good for something smaller like that.

 

[CassCats]

They are cool water (20-24c) but garra get large, right? gardneri don't. A 14 cm tankmate would not be good for something smaller like that.

Panda garra only reach 4 inches max, they're a smaller garra.

 

[GaryE]

That shows my love of Garra... The name has a nice ring (as close to my name as a fish gets), but the fish never caught me. Still, 10cm would be trouble for a gardneri. They can be tough and ornery, but they don't do well with quick tankmates. They tend to lose the competition for food in most communities. They like to read the menu before they order up.

 

[CassCats]

Then yeah they'd not be a doable one either.

And golden panchax would eat the danios. Can you think of any cool water upper level "centerpiece" fish that could work? I'm stumped for compatible options.

 

[fishorama]

I'm going to say maybe 1 blue gourami (or gold, same species) for a centerpiece. They can handle the lower 70Fs temp & are pretty much an upper-mid level swimmer. They are pretty hardy for water parameters. They can be, not really aggressive, bossy? except to other gouramis, so just 1. I've kept 1 with danios but not long finned. Look at them very carefully, I would definitely QT for the full 4 weeks of health. & please, if you get 1, Do Not get a balloon gourami or any other balloon fish. Those are just way wrong!!

I like white cloud mountain minnows, but they need a school. A nice contrast to the danios but similar sized. Just be careful, sometimes they're sold as feeder fish here (US) in overcrowded tanks of iffy health. They can come in long finned but maybe not with your lf danios, you want contrast.

 

[CassCats]

I'm going to say maybe 1 blue gourami (or gold, same species) for a centerpiece. They can handle the lower 70Fs temp & are pretty much an upper-mid level swimmer. They are pretty hardy for water parameters. They can be, not really aggressive, bossy? except to other gouramis, so just 1. I've kept 1 with danios but not long finned. Look at them very carefully, I would definitely QT for the full 4 weeks of health. & please, if you get 1, Do Not get a balloon gourami or any other balloon fish. Those are just way wrong!!

I like white cloud mountain minnows, but they need a school. A nice contrast to the danios but similar sized. Just be careful, sometimes they're sold as feeder fish here (US) in overcrowded tanks of iffy health. They can come in long finned but maybe not with your lf danios, you want contrast.

Problem is the flow needs of the garra, which are hillstream fish, a gourami may not appreciate that

 

[fishorama]

Regular blue gouramis can handle some flow. But I always try to have some calmer areas for any fish that might need a break.

I'm also hoping the OP will have a few live plants for cover, for the garras & pleco to graze on & to break up the flow in some areas. You know me, plant club, lol. But I'm not nagging (yet), but java or bolbitus fern or most anubias would work well. They are very easy & like (or don't mind) some flow.

My garras did like a rest from the powerheads & filter flow or at least to get away from each other sometimes. Not that they were hiding in wood or rocks much. I tend to put a PH at 1 end along the back & allow more biofilms & algae along the front. Maybe that's why I see mostly fish tummies on my algae/aufwuchs grazers

 

[CassCats]

I do think I've seen that they've been caught in the main channel of the mekong river, so there may be something in that option, if OP is interested in that route then. Might be the only thing that *may* work

Hey who isn't eventually in the plant club in this hobby? Plants benefit fish lol anubias would be a great one because they're pretty tough and their leaves can take the rasping from plecos relatively well. Bolbitis though is a very nice plant, so definitely a good consideration too

 

[fishorama]

Bolbitis loves flow! Even just from a filter return is enough to make it more happy.

OK that's enough plant pushing for now...You know I tend to offtrack everyone's threads. I'll try to do better, but, you know me...

 

[Fishkeeper123]

Regular blue gouramis can handle some flow. But I always try to have some calmer areas for any fish that might need a break.

I'm also hoping the OP will have a few live plants for cover, for the garras & pleco to graze on & to break up the flow in some areas. You know me, plant club, lol. But I'm not nagging (yet), but java or bolbitus fern or most anubias would work well. They are very easy & like (or don't mind) some flow.

My garras did like a rest from the powerheads & filter flow or at least to get away from each other sometimes. Not that they were hiding in wood or rocks much. I tend to put a PH at 1 end along the back & allow more biofilms & algae along the front. Maybe that's why I see mostly fish tummies on my algae/aufwuchs grazers

My 72l has 2 fake plants and 2 real plants not sure what they are I think I sent a photo of my current tank and will be transferring over the plants with the driftwood. I plan to add some plants to the 200l but not sure what to do with plants and ornaments can I have some suggestions. Are blue gouramis okay for my tank set up bit confused on whether it was a yes or no?