Small schooling fish to go with GBRs in 30 gallon long

[MammaBearinTN]

I want fish that school really well, and that can live nicely in GBR water parameters. I'd prefer them to be small, since I don't want them to take up to much bioload and I want at least 10.

So far, I'm considering cardinal tetras and black neon tetras.

Any other suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

 

[Avel1896]

Hello,
The kind of fishes you wish need a certain minimum length to live in good conditions, so what's your tank's ?
What do you mean GBR water ?

 

[Essjay]

MammaBearin just means fish that need the same water parameters as German blue rams (GBRs). Rams need soft acidic water and a temperature in the high 20s C. Not many fish can cope with temperature this high.


Cardinal tetras would be fine with GBRs. I think black neons need it a bit cooler through (their mid range temp is 24 deg C).

 

[Avel1896]

Ah ok "ram" is the diminutive form of ramirezi.
@Essjay SeriouslyFish and FishBase say

27 to 30°C

for ramirezi.

 

[Essjay]

Yes, that's the trouble. Most other fish need 24 to 25 deg C. There are not many other species of fish which can live permanently at 27 to 30 deg C.

 

[Avel1896]

If @MammaBearinTN view is not breeding, ramirezi can easily live at 25°C.

 

[MammaBearinTN]

,If @MammaBearinTN view is not breeding, ramirezi can easily live at 25°C.

I'm planning on keeping the GBRs with 10 tetras (I guess, Cardinal tetras) along with about 6 Sterbai corydoras, probably a honey gourami, and a couple of snails.

 

[Avel1896]

How long is your tank ? I need to know because you plan to put 2 territorial species : ramirezi and gourami. It could end badly if neither one nor the other gives in, or if the dominant one harries the dominated in danger of dying from stress.

 

[MammaBearinTN]

It's a 36" X 12 X 18 .

I'm not going to throw everything in the tank, and I will have a backup plan if my rams and gourami are aggressive to one another. I'm also planning on having two well-planned hiding areas on both sides of the tank.

 

[Avel1896]

Ramirezi lives especially in the tank lower half as honey gourami lives in tank upper half, so why not ? What kinf of schooling fishes do you like ?
On the other hand if you'll get 2 couples they'll sure fight ??

 

[MammaBearinTN]

Well, my requirements are fish that school and do well in my water parameters, so it's likely going to be 10-12 cardinal tetras, a few sterbai corydoras, and a pair of GBRs. I would like to get a gourami in there, but I'll definitely be prepared to rehome it. Along with two or three snails, that will be it.

 

[Mick85]

In my 22gal I've got my GBR living with a school of harlequin rasboras and a honey gourami. All of them seem to get along! GBR does like to chase away my red eye balloon tetras though. Think he just likes to see the little fatties run!

 

[MammaBearinTN]

MammaBearin just means fish that need the same water parameters as German blue rams (GBRs). Rams need soft acidic water and a temperature in the high 20s C. Not many fish can cope with temperature this high.


Cardinal tetras would be fine with GBRs. I think black neons need it a bit cooler through (their mid range temp is 24 deg C).

Thanks so much for taking the time to reply. I was wondering what you think of this combination. Of course, I would take my time adding them as my plants fill in. Temperature would be kept at around 80 degrees.

30 gallon long (36" X 12" X 17")
aquaclear 50 with sponge prefilter
2nd filtration, sponge filter (want something I can battery operate for power outages)

8-10 Cardinal tetras
5 stergai corydoras
6 guppies
1 or 2 GBR (single male or pair)
2 nerite snails

Generally speaking, the cardinals and guppies would stay in the top half, and the corydoras and GBR would stay in the lower half.

Please feel free to share your opinion. Thanks!

 

[MammaBearinTN]

In my 22gal I've got my GBR living with a school of harlequin rasboras and a honey gourami. All of them seem to get along! GBR does like to chase away my red eye balloon tetras though. Think he just likes to see the little fatties run!

That seems like an interesting combo!

 

[Slaphppy7]

Have a look at rummynose tetras, IMO the best schooling tetra out there...they'd love the footprint of a 30L

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