Upgrading From 20 To 25 Gallons

[Darkehorse]

OK, so the cycle of obsession has started as I managed to obtain a 25 gallon. I am going to move all of my current stock into the 25 gallon probably this weekend.

I currently have a 20 Gallon freshwater (PH 7, KH < 1, GH < 1, 80 degrees F) with the following stock:

1 Upside Down Catfish (Synodontis nigriventris)
1 Spotted Climbing Perch (Ctenopoma acutirostre)
5 Neon rainbows (Melanotaenia praecox)
2 Bolivian Rams (Mikrogeophagus altispinosus)
2 ottos
1 wood shrimp and 1 blue mystery snail (he climbed on the filter intake and apparently couldn't get off and died).
*Plants*
Salvinia Natans (Water Velvet)
Azolla caroliniana (Fairy Moss)
Pistia stratiotes (Water Lettuce)
some Duckweed and Greater Duckweed sprinkled in.
Marimo Moss Balls.


I'm trying to rehome the upside down cat and 1 otto (I will eventually return them to the fish store if I can't find someone who wants them soon), and I will probably replace the snail.
I'd like to add some fish with more a bit more color/character. I don't really care for dither type fish. I'd also really like some fish that inhabit the upper region of the tanks. My current fish will come to the surface to feed, but for the most part most of my stock like the bottom or at best the middle (rainbows). Since I have floating plants, it can't be something that can be bothered by them.

Obviously the fish will need to be peaceful and community safe.

Here are some of the fish I'm considering.

Dario dario
Bumblebee or Peacock Goby
Chocolate Gourami (I've read these guys aren't very hardy, so I'm hesitant to try to keep one, but they are oh so pretty)
Florida Flagfish (don't know much about these guys, but they seem interesting)
Rhombo Barb(s)
Some sort of colorful Killifish.
Panda Corys

Any thought on the above fish? I can't readily get ANY of these fish locally, so I will have to either mail order or special order them. I've already got a source for the Dario dario, but for the others I will probably have to find a LFS who is actually willing to return my calls / e-mails about special orders.

Thanks in advance, as always you guys are a huge help. Also feel free to make suggestions based upon your experience.

-Darke

 

[vinylman]

You don't have to add any fish; just let the ones you have enjoy the extra swimming space. Five gallons really isn't a great deal more.

 

[Darkehorse]

You don't have to add any fish; just let the ones you have enjoy the extra swimming space. Five gallons really isn't a great deal more.

Well that's correct obviously. But after I rehome the upside down cat and one of the ottos, I do think I will have some room to grow. Any suggestions are appreciated.

-Darke

 

[firetank]

hi darkehorse...

personally i would:

1)lose the ctenopoma, they really prefer to be in small groups and a little more tank space would suit them...
2)keep the otto, maybe get a couple more. they are small enough not to have a massive impact with the added bioload on the filter..
3)forget about the chocolate gourami, they prefer ph on or around 6 and are very sensitive toward boisterous tankmates and water quality.. think
those rams may well be the death of them..
4)dont mix peacock gobies with very small species (ie Dario sp) as in my experience they are very predacious and sneaky beggars with it.

instead:

I would reccomend Dario\Badis sp - Dario avg size 4cm (3\4 each needs their own cave) other Badis 5\6 cm ( a pair),, require live\frozen foods but very interesting and a lot of character

Badis

2 or 3 panda or even Julii Cories are nice little specimens..

I wouldnt add TOO many extra fish in their unless you have adequate filtration, remember live\frozen foods contribute more to the general waste in the system.

 

[BigC]

American Flags (Jordanella floridae) are classed as being killifish. They mainly inhabit the lower water levels and behave somewhat like dwarf cichlids in their courtship and fry rearing. http/www.aquarticles.com/articles/breedi...lag%20Fish.html
As for a top dwelling killifish that stays there then you will probably be looking at a pretty drab fish in comparison with the likes of Fundulopanchax and Aphyosemion. Most top dwelling killifish have less striking colours. That is not to say that these fish don't have a great following.....they do. A. striatum is an excellent novices fish as is A. australe and Fp. gardneri but they will no inhabit the upper water strata as you require. A nice little fish that would achieve this request would be Ps. annulatus, but being small they may be liable to predation. Otherwise go for Epiplatys dageti Monroviae although not as colourful but still a nice fish nonetheless.
I hope this was of some help to you.
Regards
BigC

 

[Darkehorse]

hi darkehorse...

personally i would:

1)lose the ctenopoma, they really prefer to be in small groups and a little more tank space would suit them...
2)keep the otto, maybe get a couple more. they are small enough not to have a massive impact with the added bioload on the filter..
3)forget about the chocolate gourami, they prefer ph on or around 6 and are very sensitive toward boisterous tankmates and water quality.. think
those rams may well be the death of them..
4)dont mix peacock gobies with very small species (ie Dario sp) as in my experience they are very predacious and sneaky beggars with it.

instead:

I would reccomend Dario\Badis sp - Dario avg size 4cm (3\4 each needs their own cave) other Badis 5\6 cm ( a pair),, require live\frozen foods but very interesting and a lot of character

Badis

2 or 3 panda or even Julii Cories are nice little specimens..

I wouldnt add TOO many extra fish in their unless you have adequate filtration, remember live\frozen foods contribute more to the general waste in the system.

Thanks for the suggestions FT!

1) Regarding the Ctenopoma: I've read that they can get along nicely by themselves, and I'm quite fond of her, so I think I'm going to keep her. Eventually (within about a year), I'm going to get a larger tank in which I will put her with some archers and other oddballs. I appreciate the concern though.
2) Re Ottos: Noted.
3) I've also read they're hard to keep. I'll scrap the chocolate Gourami, especially if it will be bothered by the rams.
4) Ok, Peacock Goby is nixed too. How about the bumble bee goby?

I really like Dario Dario, so I'm probably going to get one. The other Badis species (that are readily available) just don't seem to excite me much. The way it's leaning right now I want to add 1 Dario Dario, 1 Bumblee Bee Goby (or 2 Panda Corys), and 1 Killifish.

-Darke

 

[firetank]

Ctenopoma are really nice fish, i'm after microctenopoma ansorgii when I can find some, but they dont come around that often...

bumblebees can be kept in both brackish and freshwater and we sold and maintained them in both setups when I ran the LFS a few years back..
but I would personally keep them to a brackish set-up, so would probably go for the Dario (I would get a couple) and I think you would get a pair of smaller cories in there

(I always prefer to get fish in general in 2 or 3's I just feel you get a better feel of their all-round behaviour ~ unless they are meant for solitary maintainance!)

have to defer to someone else on the Killies, they arent my area....