Need another tank..?

[NannaLou]

Well, eventually I have what looks like a happy Betta but I have definitely caught MTS...

I thought I’d done quite well researching what a Betta would need by way of a home, what I hadn’t realised was that there was so much more than tank size and real plants...all the Nitrogen cycle, water hardness etc.

I thought “one beautiful fish”...but I want more...I’d like a tank full of small shoaling fish...

So I wonder if you would once again share the benefit of your experience?

Tank size yet to be determined and purchased...

I would really like to make a Walstad system/style tank. I like the idea of going chemical and additive free (or as close as is possible). So this is going to be a long process before I get to go fish shopping, but the number and type of fish will guide my purchasing...

I’ve been looking around the lfs and I like the Harlequin Rasboras (Trigonostigma Hetermorpha ?) It says they will grow to 5cms although the ones in the shops were much smaller (younger?) and I have seen Celestial Pearl Danio (Danio Margatatus) online, although it has cautioned that they don’t always ‘school’.

Thoughts, would they make good tank mates, how many would I need to make a ‘schooling group’ how big would I need the tank..?

Oh, water hardness 281 ppm (mg/l calcium carbonate) and 16 dh. (I’m using 50/50 tap/RO in my Betta tank to soften the water)

Thanks in advance...

 

[OliveFish05]

Hi! I believe most rasboras are softer water fish by nature!
The bigger the school, the more natural behaviors the fish will show, assuming the tank space is sufficient. A good school number is 12, more if you have the funds/space, in my opinion and experience. Not sure o compatibility of those species, but I do know that you could also have a nice school of Cories or a pleco with either of those species! You coukd have a nice size school in a 20 gallon long, but if you wanted to add more species I would go bigger/longer to really allow each species to school.

 

[Essjay]

There's shoaling and there's schooling. Many people use them interchangeably but strictly speaking they are different things.

Shoaling is a species that lives in groups of hundreds or even thousands in the wild, so living in a groups is hard wired into these fish. They become stressed when there aren't enough of them. But they don't necessarily all swim together; as long as they know there are others of the same species in the tank, they are happy.

Schooling is where shoaling fish swim in formation, acting as one. Many marine fish do this - we've all seen nature programmes on TV where a whole shoal of silvery fish swim in a ball together. The fish we keep will do this if they feel threatened - they are new to the tank; there's no decor to hide behind; that human has stuck her arms in the tank again. But when they are not threatened, the majority go their own way.



With your hardness, it does restrict the fish you can keep. Starting at the small end there are endlers, males only as females will have fry every month. They are not shoaling fish but they do like company of their own kind.
Some of the Pseudomugils would be fine, check their hardness requirements

Search Results pseudomugil — Seriously Fish

www.seriouslyfish.com

For the bottom, Hara jerdoni might be OK

Hara jerdoni (Asian Stone Catfish) — Seriously Fish

www.seriouslyfish.com

Of course, you might want a much bigger tank than the one you have now, or you might be willing to use RO in another tank as well, both of which would open the choice.




Chemical free - do you ave chlorine or chloramine in your tap water? Your water company should be able to tell you, it won't be on the website so you'd have to phone them. Chlorine gasses out on standing, so if you have that you can leave a container of water to stand for a couple of days for water changes. But chloramine does not gas off, so you would have to use a dechlorinator.

 

[NannaLou]

@Essjay - more research on terms!! It’s hard work this fish-keeping!

Looking for a bigger tank and will need to think about how much RO water I can carry!!

Ill read up and come back with more thoughts and questions ?

 

[Essjay]

You could always buy your own RO equipment

 

[carligraceee]

@Essjay - more research on terms!! It’s hard work this fish-keeping!

Looking for a bigger tank and will need to think about how much RO water I can carry!!

Ill read up and come back with more thoughts and questions ?

Goodness Essjay really hit the mark with this but I was going to say the same thing.

Your water if too hard for Raspboras. Unless you want to work on softening your water (If you want, I can post a link), you will need to go in a different route. Some hard water 'shoaling' or 'schooling' fish include the following:

- Tiger barbs
- White cloud minnows
- Diamond tetras
- Red-eye tetra

If you are willing to go for hard water fish:

- Mollies
- Platys
- Endlers
- Guppies

These are community fish.

- Cichlids
- Guoramis (80% sure)

These can live on their own.

I can find you a link that guides you in softening your water if you really want Rapsboras or Danios, but I just never recommend because it is more cost than it is worth (in my opinion).

Hope this helps!

 

[PheonixKingZ]

You could always buy your own RO equipment

This is definitely the better option than buying pre-made RO water from your LFS. I got my unit for $60.

 

[coriesinhawaii]

The fish we keep will do this if they feel threatened - they are new to the tank; there's no decor to hide behind; that human has stuck her arms in the tank again

?

 

[NannaLou]

You could always buy your own RO equipment

Don’t....just don’t....?

 

[NannaLou]

Goodness Essjay really hit the mark with this but I was going to say the same thing.

Your water if too hard for Raspboras. Unless you want to work on softening your water (If you want, I can post a link), you will need to go in a different route. Some hard water 'shoaling' or 'schooling' fish include the following:

- Tiger barbs
- White cloud minnows
- Diamond tetras
- Red-eye tetra

If you are willing to go for hard water fish:

- Mollies
- Platys
- Endlers
- Guppies

These are community fish.

- Cichlids
- Guoramis (80% sure)

These can live on their own.

I can find you a link that guides you in softening your water if you really want Rapsboras or Danios, but I just never recommend because it is more cost than it is worth (in my opinion).

Hope this helps!

Thank you for the list! I don’t sleep very well so I’ve been reading....?

I think I’m going to keep things simple and choose fish that suit the water I have...no RO setup (yet ?..?)

I’m thinking about having a 54 ltr tank

I’m now looking at the Endlers and Guppies.
I think I’ve read that a rule of thumb is 1cm of fish to 1 ltr of water (but as always there are lots of exceptions ...). On that basis, if an Endler is about 1 inch (2.5 cms) I could have 21...and guppy’s @ 3.5 cms 15.

My worry with both of these is the breeding rate...I don’t want the worry of 100s of babies and trying to get rid of them safely. Can you keep male only groups..? I think I only want one type of fish in the tank so I can have “lots”...

Further advice..?

 

[I Like Rare Fish]

20 gallons are mere puddels. I say to go with a 55. They are much easier to maintain water chemistry. Also, that "rule of thumb" should never, I repeat, NEVER be used. Within reason, it is fine, but in my 55, I have a Delhezi Bichir, and he is only 8 inches, and he requires weekly water changes of 90%. NEVER use that rule. I can hlp you with stock. Rasboras like acidic water by nature, and you can also have killifish. Gimme a tank size, and I'm your man

 

[NannaLou]

20 gallons are mere puddels. I say to go with a 55. They are much easier to maintain water chemistry. Also, that "rule of thumb" should never, I repeat, NEVER be used. Within reason, it is fine, but in my 55, I have a Delhezi Bichir, and he is only 8 inches, and he requires weekly water changes of 90%. NEVER use that rule. I can hlp you with stock. Rasboras like acidic water by nature, and you can also have killifish. Gimme a tank size, and I'm your man

That’s the thing...there is no tank yet. I want to get a tank that will let me have the image I have in my head: live plants, Walstad style, lots of little fish in and out of the plants. I don’t think I can do 200+ ltrs (and some fish like puddles!!)

 

[Lajos_Detari]

Endlers and Guppies are great if you don't plan to have RO filters.

Get only all males as they are more beautiful and they don't grow as big as the females.
Also, you don't need to worry about having babies.

Get some plants, driftwoods, sand or gravel to make your tank look like a small stream of water.

 

[Essjay]

We have another member with hard water, though she's not been on the forum for a few weeks. Check out this thread for inspiration (though remember this is for a tank larger than 54 litres)

Hardwater stock semi finals

Ok I think I've finally narrowed down my list. Disappointed to not have Boesemani Rainbowfish or Celestial Pearl Danios or Threadfin Rainbowfish. But they're in the 250ppm range and my tap water is 307ppm. Tank is 127 litres or 34 US gallons. 90cm/36" length x 48cm/18" height x 30cm/12" width...

www.fishforums.net

 

[Lajos_Detari]

I guess you can also consider the Shell Dweller from Lake Tanganyikan but they are more expensive than the normal Endlers and Guppies. But there are special breeds of Guppies and Endlers that are expensive.

Meet the shell dwellers

In the dangerous expanses of open water, it can pay to be a small fish. So small, in fact, that you can hide in a snail shell. Meet evolution’s curiosities from Tanganyika.

www.practicalfishkeeping.co.uk

Tanganyikan shell dwellers

A complete guide to caring for fish in aquarium or pond.

mobile.dudasite.com

Neolamprologus multifasciatus | A detailed guide to keep and raise these shell dweller

The complete and exclusive guide about my experience in keeping and breeding the smallest cichlids ever known, the shell-dweller Neolamprologus multifasciatus.

www.paraladakapa.pt