Advice on new fish to add to my 50 gallon tank

[dm76]

Hello. I haven't been on this forum in a few years but got a lot of help when building my tank. It is a 50 gallon wide planted tank with a couple pieces of driftwood. Right now it has the following:

1 pearl gourami
4 harlequin rasboras
2 black neon tetras
3 sterbai corys
1 bristlenose pleco
many many many red cherry shrimp!

I had more than that originally but some died over 3 or 4 years. I had 3 pearls initially but two died within the first month, and I used to have 6 each of the harlequins and tetras, 4 sterbai, 4 otos, and a bamboo shrimp.

Since there aren't too many fish in there now, I would love to hear some opinions on some fish to add. Maybe something different, something to add more color, maybe a couple bigger ones too since the pearl is the only big one (more gouramis maybe?). I definitely want another bamboo shrimp because that looked pretty cool in there, but other than that I am open to hear your ideas. And of course nothing that will not get along with what I have in there now. Here is a picture of the tank as it looks now

 

[Matt68005]

Endlers livebesrers would look cool in there imo

 

[FeldmansFish]

Up the rasbora, tetra, and Cory shoals to six as the like being in (larger) groups. Very pretty tank btw!

 

[Smcoyle87]

I agree, add more to make some nice shoals!

 

[dm76]

I thought about doing that and getting them back up to 8 each, but kind of wanted something different. Will those tetras school with other types of tetras? Or if I add more of the same, can I add a whole other school of different fish as well? I would also like to have at least one other fish that stands out but will get along with the gouarami and not eat the shrimp.

 

[Lucas82]

I would go with Rainbow fish. They are very beautiful community fish. Boesemani are the most popular, but there are many cool varities and most good local non-chain pet stores can get a lot of varities. My avatar is a picture of one of my Sepik Rainbows.

 

[dm76]

I'm going by the fish store today so I think I'll start by buying 4 more harlequins to up them to 8. Then I'll take a look at everything there and if there is anything that catches my eye I'll check back with you guys to see if it will work. Thanks for the replies.

 

[dm76]

I ended up buying 4 more harlequins and a bamboo shrimp. I looked around the shop and saw some green neon tetras that I have never noticed before. I think I like those better than the regular neon tetras and they would probably look pretty good in my tank. If I added those instead of getting more black neons, would the 3 black neons I have school with those?

 

[Smcoyle87]

Probably, yes.

 

[dm76]

Great. What do you think, like 6 maybe? More? Then I would have two shoals (the rasboras and the tetras). Would I still be able to get one more shoal of something else in there? I really would like another big fish in there but I don't want to disrupt the pearl so if there is a risk of that then it won't be worth it. But even if it's not big, another unique type of fish or two in there would be great.

 

[Smcoyle87]

What type of filter do you have?

 

[dm76]

Eheim 2217

 

[Sharpchick]

You'll see a lot more of your cories if you up their number to 6 total.

 

[Smcoyle87]

Agreed, if it was my tank, I would possibly get like 2 more cories and the 6 green neons. That's a pretty bustling tank! IMO, that's perfect!

 

[dm76]

I think I originally had 6 so maybe I will get 2 more. Funny you mention that because ever since I trimmed the plants a couple of weeks ago, I am seeing the coriies a lot. I trim them every few months but have never seen them as often as I am now. They are pretty fun to watch! I used to have otos too but those eventaully died. Those were always hiding out.

 

[Borderlesscott]

Coral Red PencilFish if you can source some, maybe some Hatchetfish as well.