Suggestions For Top Dwelling Fish

[A creature void of form]

I'm looking to fill out the upper area of my 15G aquarium. I was considering Marbled Hatchetfish, but I've read that they're really prone to leaping out of the tank so a 'tight fitting lid' is a must. Fine, I have one. But what about water changes, or cleaning the tank? How do I stop these crazy guys from ejecting out of the water?

Any other suggestions are welcome.

My water parameters are:

PH: 6.4
GH: Soft
Temp: 26c
Plants: some that reach to the surface. I suppose Water Lettuice is a must for top dwellers?
Other inhabitants: Just 2 x Bolivian Rams so far (keeping strictly to the bottom 2/3rds of the tank).

 

[SJ2K]

Hatchets fish will be fine, just keep an eye open if you can water change (like I do) without taking the lid off, just through a feeding hatch then great Danios are also conciderd top dwellers but unfortunatly a little too active for smaller aquariums.

Anyone else got more suggestions?

 

[A creature void of form]

Yeah I think the Hatchetfish are fantastic, it's just that I can't seem to find them in my area. If I do get them then the ones that manage to jump out - I suppose I could always just throw 'em back in, because the lid would be off only when I'd be right next to the tank.

I wonder how long a fish could survive out of water? Humans can survive in outer space for 30 seconds with no suit on (apparently), although I imagine a fish can last a few minutes! I do find it odd that they would want to leap out of the tank. Maybe it's an evasive survival technique used for escaping predators.

That's a shame about the Danios. Too small for a 15 gallon, eh? I might go for a betta, but I ideally want a group of small schooling fish.

 

[SJ2K]

If you've ever been fishing before (which by the sounds of it, maybe not) you'll see fish can survive quite easily out of water for a good 3-5 minutes So I wouldnt worry too much, just minimize the open lid space incase one gives it a go

I wouldnt go for a betta, not a great community fish and they dislike current. I find my male guppies stay near the surface alot (provided there's fish on the bottom).

 

[A creature void of form]

Ah, I see. Thanks for the input.

Maybe I could order the Hatchetfish online and have them delivered...although I find that concept really odd!

 

[Leitch]

My tank is also a 15G, but its pretty much up to full stock.

However its filtrated at aerated very well, (to filters causeing surface movement + airstone)

My tank was fishless cycled and its about day 14 of adding fish and still no deaths. (yay)

But id love to add some hatchet fish, however i guess my neons or platys wont get on well with them. Can anyone confirm this?

Also what group size to hatchet fish prefer?

 

[A creature void of form]

Hi Leitch,

What fish do you have in your tank so far? I'm interested because we have the same volume tank and I'm looking for ideas. Is it a 24"x12"x15" high tank?

As to the Hatchet Fish, I've looked around the internet and the consensus is that they are a good community fish, providing you keep them with placid occupants and give them shelter (i.e, floating plants). Others will hopefully have some first-hand knowledge of keeping them...

 

[Leitch]

Those measurements sound about right.

At the minute i have 3 platys, 6 neon tetras, and 6 pygmy corydoras.

I wouldent mind hatchet fish but i dont know much about them, and i dont have real plants in my tank. Can you get fake floating plants?

 

[fergalthefish]

how about panchax? they live at the surface.

 

[A creature void of form]

Those measurements sound about right.

At the minute i have 3 platys, 6 neon tetras, and 6 pygmy corydoras.

I wouldent mind hatchet fish but i dont know much about them, and i dont have real plants in my tank. Can you get fake floating plants?

I'm not sure if you can get plastic floating plants, but they would need some kind of shelter at the top of the tank because they spend a lot of the time at the very surface of the water and scare easily. Their mouths are on top of their heads! One other thing - they don't like sharing the top 2/3rds of the water with other fish. How are your platys and neons? Are they darting around all the time? If so, this may be too stressful for the hatchetfish.

 

[Leitch]

Yea i think im gonna forget about them.

Im concentrating on my smaller tank now. Thinking of getting a betta.

Well im off to post a big thread in the betta section, check it out later if you know anything about bettas ;D