# Ideas



## BarrySpang (Aug 28, 2007)

Hello everyone, I am new to this forum.

I am a a big fan of keeping and caring for fish (freshwater currently) and look forward to talking with you all.

I currently have a 36 gallon tank and have:
4 Serpae Tetras
2 Head and Tail Light Tetras
2 Swordtails
2 Golden Zebra Danios
1 Leopard Danio
1 Clown Barb (i believe)

They all live happily together and have had the mjority of them over a year now. 

I have been looking at the compatibility charts and have some ideas for new fish to get but was hoping some of you could recommend some that you have found to be interesting and good to keep. Some variation would be welcome.


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## BarrySpang (Aug 28, 2007)

Anyone? No?


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## jones57742 (Oct 31, 2006)

Bsp:

I imagine that no one is responding because many fish are available and fish beauty is a very personal thing.

I will try to give you some ideas even though I am not familiar with the danios and barbs.

It appears that you are "stocked up on" "mid to top depth in the tank" fish with two exceptions.
Via the addition of 2 more serpae tetras and 4 more head and tail light tetras, IMHO, your enjoyment of your tetras will increase due to their increased shoaling.

*If you have rock and/or wood caves and not a glass bottom then several plecos would be a good addition*.
You can peruse pleco's at
http://www.planetcatfish.com/catelog/numbers.php?mode=l&thumbs=16
I would recommend that you procure several of the same species and of a species which are omnivores but principally carnivores.
I you find a few which you like then
1) check on their availability in your area and
2) post which ones you considering procuring as members of the Forum may have experience with and be able to give definitive guidance with respect to these species.

*If you have some plants and not a glass bottom then cories would be a good addition.* 
I can recommend five sterbai.
http://www.planetcatfish.com/catelog/species_print.php?species_id=316

*I you do not have a glass bottom then loaches would be a good addition*.

I can recommend 3 Yoyo loaches based on experience.
http://www.loaches.com/species-index/botia-almorhae/?searchterm=yoyo

I can suggest 5 Sewellia lineolata based on the literature.
Please note that I have 6 of these on order.
http://www.loaches.com/species-index/sewellia-lineolata/?searchterm=Sewellia lineolata

TR


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## Lupin (Aug 2, 2006)

Welcome to Fishforum.com, Barry.:wave:

I would suggest adding 3-5 more danios. Follow Ron's suggestion on the tetra additions. If your tank has a powerful current, smooth rocks and temperature not exceeding 78 degrees Fahrenheit, then the hillstream loaches like the _Sewellia lineolata_ are for you otherwise stick with _Botia striata_, _Botia almorhae_ or _Botia kubotai_.

Good luck.

_P.S. If you click the names of some fish mentioned in this post, you will be directed to our own database containing information you needed regarding certain species of fish. More information is available by clicking Fish Profiles on the menu bar. We're still working on more fish profiles._


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## BarrySpang (Aug 28, 2007)

Liking the look of the loaches but would it be a problem that i have gravel at the bottom of the tank?

I had been aware that the fish i currently have are mainly top/middle dwellers so bottom dwellers would be welcome.

Im open to all suggestions so if people have personal favourites that are similar to the ones i already have then please share them


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## Lupin (Aug 2, 2006)

BarrySpang said:


> Liking the look of the loaches but would it be a problem that i have gravel at the bottom of the tank?
> 
> I had been aware that the fish i currently have are mainly top/middle dwellers so bottom dwellers would be welcome.
> 
> Im open to all suggestions so if people have personal favourites that are similar to the ones i already have then please share them


Gravel is okay as long as it does not have sharp edges.


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## mr.bojangles (Mar 11, 2007)

i would suggest some cherry barbs ... ther nice and colourful but are very tame as far as barbs go. as for bottom feeds id try and find some kind of catfih that doesnt get big. i hav a dwarf 3 lined cafish in my tank and hea only 3 inch and gobbles up everything on the bottom of the tank. or khuli loaches r cool to


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## BarrySpang (Aug 28, 2007)

The gravel is quite sharp i think.


Does anyone have any experience of X Ray Tetras? Found myself liking them.


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## Amphitrite (Sep 8, 2006)

I was going to suggest some corys as bottom dwellers, as it would be nice to fill the space. However, if your gravel is sharp it could damage their barbels and lead to infection. Do you have any pics of the gravel you could post?


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## willow (Sep 9, 2006)

hello there.
nope,no luck with x-ray tetras at all,although it was in the very
begining,i didn't bother to buy them again.
your barb would be better off in a larger group,
and i agree with all of the above.


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## Lupin (Aug 2, 2006)

BarrySpang said:


> Does anyone have any experience of X Ray Tetras? Found myself liking them.


Yes. They're quite hardy enough for me.:smoke:


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## BarrySpang (Aug 28, 2007)

kateyoup said:


> I was going to suggest some corys as bottom dwellers, as it would be nice to fill the space. However, if your gravel is sharp it could damage their barbels and lead to infection. Do you have any pics of the gravel you could post?


Its that brightly coloured stuff you get in most pet stores (green,grey and white)


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## jones57742 (Oct 31, 2006)

Barry:

Let me digress momentarily for your and hopefully other folks benefit.

A uniformly graded aggregate is one in which virtually all ot the stones are approximately the same size.

A well graded aggregate is one in which the stones vary in size and the stones "are graded" such that their sizes "mesh together" to form a semi-dense amalgamation.

Although I have never employed "the brightly colored stuff you get in most pet stores (green,grey and white)" I did "check it out" for my aquarium.

Most of the aggregates that I remember observing was uniformly graded and sub-rounded (ie. did not have sharp edges).

You can determine this from feeling of the material.
If it has sharp edges and corners then it is an angular material which Lupin was referencing as not being desirable.

TR


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## BarrySpang (Aug 28, 2007)

I dont believe it is very sharp.


Im getting a couple more serpae tetras as recommended.

Got some platies the other day which are nice n colourful and have settled in well.


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## BarrySpang (Aug 28, 2007)

Oh and i think i got it wrong in my first post, i dont actually have a clown barb it is in fact a Puntius fasciatus (Melon Barb)


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## BarrySpang (Aug 28, 2007)

Got a couple more serpae tetras so they are all happy now.

One thing i have noticed though is that on of my platies is hiding away in one of the top corner and only comes out now n again. He isnt being attacked or anything but will just swim around the outside of the tank at the top when he does come out of his corner.


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## BarrySpang (Aug 28, 2007)

Its rediculously hard to find loaches around here.


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## Lupin (Aug 2, 2006)

BarrySpang said:


> Its rediculously hard to find loaches around here.


Where are you located, Barry?


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## BarrySpang (Aug 28, 2007)

I live in Oxford Lupin, i have tried a couple of local stores but with no luck. I have been given the heads up on another one that i havent tried before so might pop in some time.

Although almost everywhere i look it says that keeping neon tetras with the fish i already keep, do you think there is a chance it would be ok? I do know of someone who keeps them in with bigger fish and they get on fine. Some of the larger neon tetras cant be much smaller than danios surely?


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## Falina (Feb 25, 2007)

Barry althoguh I'm a "helluva" further north than you, we are still both UK, I find that Hillstream loaches are hard to come by also. However, whenever I have seen them they have been labelled as "butterfly plecs" so just keep your eyes open for that as well.


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## Lupin (Aug 2, 2006)

Might be worth a trip to Peterborough if you have time. There is a Maidenheads Aquatic petshop owned by Emma Turner which owns the largest selection of loaches minus the Schistura species which have been restricted by the new rules and regulations.


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## BarrySpang (Aug 28, 2007)

Ah i know exactly where that is and have been wanting to pay a visit for a long time so will get myself there sometime this week.


I really like the look of the Lake Tebera Rainbowfish, and everywhere ive read about it it says that is an ideal community fish and cant eat smaller fish. Id love to keep some of them (if i can find some). 

Would that be a no go or a good idea?


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