i need target fish.

[pica_nuttalli]

what's a nice large-bodied tetra/barb with a small mouth that can take a lot of physical abuse? i'm thinking i need to add something to my 60g to distract the kribs from attacking the guppies.

my father's got 3 Lamp-eye tetras (Moenkhausia sanctaefilomenae) that i could convince him to give me (his tank's had no introductions/illnesses for 6 months). might those work? i know i'd eventually have to bring up the school size to 5+.

--EDIT--
i just now realized that my best male guppy is AWOL. i'm just going to quit guppies entirely.

so what a tetra/barb that:

1. reaches 1"-2" in length
2. is very hardy (can take a hit)
3. swims quickly
4. is fairly colorful
5. won't eat plants
6. won't be tempted to eat large fry (or can learn that eating fry is dangerous)
7. inhabit the middle reaches

my biggest aggressive fish are the kribs and the paradise fish. the size concern is by no measure the biggest issue; i really need advice on what's a tough smaller species.

 

[Lynz781]

Danios?

 

[rixy]

look at the danio and barb list made by the wolf on this page.should be helpful.

 

[annka5]

You're looking for a fish which will be perfectly happy to be attacked constantly by kribs....? That isn't a dither fish (used to reassure flightier species that it's safe to come out), it'd be, what, a target fish...?

 

[pica_nuttalli]

i just need something tougher than guppies. the last time they spawned, i had Buenos Aires Tetras and no fatalities. but i've since removed the BATs and didn't think about how that left the poor stupid guppies wide open. i suppose target fish is the better term... i'll make the appropriate edit.

--EDIT--
also, i seriously doubt that the attacks are "constant". i've yet to see any attacks by the kribs on other species while i've been watching the courtship and the last time they bred, the "attacks" were restricted to fish invading the invisible bubble surrounding the fry. the only fish that was being hunted down for extermination was Mrs. Krib--because she was eating fry. i can't be positive, but i don't think i had any losses after i removed her from the tank which means that everybody else learned that fry aren't for eating.

 

[Lateral Line]

I started looking at this yesterday, but got distracted. Oddly, one of the first things that popped into my head was Buenos Aires Tetras. They are fast, active, colourful and mildly aggressive/won't run from a fight. Why not put them back if you still have them.

The Red Eyed Tetras are a bit smaller and more docile. I would also expect them to stand up better then guppies however.

 

[pica_nuttalli]

lousy Buenos Aires Tets pulled up all my plants!!! other than that they were lovely fish, very tough. but i wasn't planting apongetons for their pleasure, so I sold them to the LFS that carries big tough fish! (so no other unwitting plant-lovers would buy them)


unless anyone tells me otherwise in the next few weeks, i think i'll just go with the Red-Eyes and maybe a handful of Danios. thanks for the assistance!

 

[freddyk]

There are a number of Rasbora's that would work well that get reasonably large and fast.

 

[Lateral Line]

Rasboras maybe agile and fast, but they are not aggressive and will be stressed and miserable by being picked on. Rasboras are not suited to this application.

 

[illusion54]

I'd say go with some danios.