Tetra/rainbow Suggestions?

[KathyM]

Hi you lot

I'm going to be stocking my 6 x 2 x 2 soon, and in it will be:

2 angels
2 rams
5 penguin tetras
6 cories
3 plecs (gibby, BN and royal)

Then hopefully there will be some other medium low aggression cichlids going in (rainbows, possibly keyhole, etc).

I'd like to have a shoal of something that isn't under 2" (ideally 3-4"), but which isn't a fin nipping species like the Black Widows. I've also been recommended rainbow fish? Can anyone suggest what would look good and fit nicely in my tank? Budget is as always an issue with me *lol*, so I can't have expensive species.

Thanks

Kathy

 

[sylvia]

Neon blue/dwarf (praecox) rainbowfish are nice: http/fish-tank.freeservers.com/praecox2.jpg Don't be put off by their dull coloration at your LFS - they'll color up in no time.

Clown rasboras are another to consider: http/www.myfishtank.net/images/fish/clownrasbora.jpg They grow to about 3" and look stunning in a group. Don't keep them with anything too aggressive though (so take care with your choice of cichlid - they'd be fine with keyholes for example).

Harlequin rasboras are also great and an excellent schooling fish: http/www.tjorvar.is/assets/images/autoge...eteromorpha.jpg They grow to 2" and actualy come in a small selection of color morphs.
http/www.liveaquaria.com/product/scateg.cfm?pCatId=887 This is the only example I could find unfortunately - the differences are far more obvious in real life (and the colors are so much brighter as well).

You may also want to consider danios such as Danio kerri: http/fishbase.org/Photos/ThumbnailsSummary.php?ID=12066 They grow to 2" and I think they are absolutely beautiful.

In terms of tetras, black phantoms are a lovely choice: http/www.fishesnpets.net/gallery/tetra/blackphatom.jpg These happen to be my favourite species. Males are just stunning with their long fins whereas the females add some extra color because they have some bright red coloring. Both sexes can change color quite rapidly from a very dark black to a pale silver-grey. They have these shimemring irridescent blue-green patches behind their gills as well and, if you catch them at a specific angle, the scales around their dorsal area produce a sparkling effect. Obviously, I love them! lol They also make the perfect alternative to black widows/skirts as they have a similar body shape but won't nip.

Another nice tetra is the congo: http/www.plantedtank.net/images/fish/congotetra.jpg They don't school that closely but they make up for that in color.

Another fish i realy like the look of when combined with angels, is the scissortail rasbora: http/fishbase.org/Photos/ThumbnailsSummary.php?ID=4771 These fish remind me of miniature bala sharks and they act similar to balas as well. They do grow larger than any of the above though - so you may need to re-concider your stocking plans if you decide to keep them.
In the UK, the fish sold under 'scissortail rasbora' may sometimes be a different species (Rasbora spilocerca) that stays a lot smaller and may get eaten by angels and some of the other larger cichlids you might include. Make shure you know which is which (Rasbora trilineata BTW, is the 'normal' one).

Those are just a few I like but there are so many others that would work just as well. One thing I'd suggest you do is go to your LFS and take a look around. Write down the common and scientific name of anything that catches your eye and then come back and ask about it or research it on the net.

 

[KathyM]

Hi Sylvia

Thanks so much for the tips and the links - I'll have a look at them with my cup of coffee

The downside to shopping around is that I've been today to the LFS, and although it was borderline good/bad last time, today it was pretty bad to say the least. Fish were wrongly labelled and many were ill. Most were vastly overpriced too.

The next nearest is a 20 minute train ride to Bradford (Pets at Home so we rule that out) then there's a shop in Leeds (a bit further away). So really it's best for me to know what I want before I go and get them to order in, or to go to Trimar (which I might order from tomorrow for them to send out on Monday).

Some of the tetras/rainbows they have:

CELEBES RAINBOW......2.65......4 FOR 10.00
GLOSSOLEPIS INCISUS......5.99 M
IRIATHERINA WERNERI.......5.00 PR
MELANOTAENIA BOESMANNI......3.99 M
MELANOTAENIA LACUSTRIS.......4.49 M
MELANOTAENIA LACUSTRIS.......6.49 L
MELANOTAENIA PARKINSONI......4.49 L
MELANOTAENIA PARKINSONI......6.49
MELANOTAENIA PARVA...........£18.00 PR LOVELY M
MELANOTAENIA PRAECOX.......2.65 4 FOR 10.00 ML
MELANOTAENIA TRIFASCIATA.......3.99 FEW
PSEUDOMUGIL FURCATA..........4.00 PR

Black Phantoms - £1.65.....4 for £6
Bleeding Heart - £2.25
Blue Emperor (Kerri) - £1.20....5 for £5 <----- I assume this is the Kerri danio?
Blue Tetra - £1.10....5 for £5
Columbian Tetra - £1.10...5 for £5
Congo Tetra - £5.50
Diamond Tetra - £1.10....5 for £5
Red Phantom - £1.35.....4 for £5
Rosy Tetra - £1.85....4 for £7
Rummy Nose - £1.85.....4 for £7
Serpae Tetra - £1.10....5 for £5


Sorry for the great huge list. I've marked the ones I'm interested in in bold - any more info while I look them up would be great (eg. are they nippy, or nice? *lol*...and do they go with the other fish well size wise). When it comes to Rainbows - how many do you need for them to be happy? Because for at least this payday, it makes a difference *lol*.