Stocking ideas

[Stacey W.]

My 55g fw column style tank has been established for 2-2 1/2 years now. My current stock includes:

1 keyhole cichlid
6 panda corydora
4 angelicus botia
4 otocinclus
1 honey gourami ( just lost his buddy yesterday )
Any ideas? I don't want any tetras, guppies, molly's, or platy's. Just kinda boring to me.

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[Dallascowboys16]

You could get 6-8 thread fin rainbows to add some active swimmers and I might recommend getting your Keyhole a friend. They're pretty social animals and Im sure he's doing fine by himself but it would probably enhance his environment and you would be able to witness the courtship behaviors if you get a pair!

 

[Pseudomugil]

I disagree with threadfin rainbows unless you get them when they are fully grown.

A school of neon dwarf (praecox) rainbows would be nice though.

 

[cgthebeast]

A school of one of the various species of half beaks could work an give you movement along the top of the tank

 

[Stacey W.]

Thanks! great ideas. But don't want to get another keyhole. Mine has been in the tank as a juvenile and is full grown and BIG!

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[Stacey W.]

A school of one of the various species of half beaks could work an give you movement along the top of the tank

Don't halfbeak's like caves to hide in? Mine hiding spots are all taken. I need some movement up top. But can deal with my Keyhole when it's feeding time. He's a pig!

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[Dallascowboys16]

I disagree with threadfin rainbows unless you get them when they are fully grown.

A school of neon dwarf (praecox) rainbows would be nice though.

May I ask why the thread fins wouldn't work?

 

[michellev512]

I agree with threadfin rainbows. They are beautiful and will swim in your empty space...

 

[Stacey W.]

I agree with threadfin rainbows. They are beautiful and will swim in your empty space...

They are very beautiful but my tank is 30" long, 24" high, and 18" deep. Will my tank be long enough for them to zoom around?

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[Pseudomugil]

May I ask why the thread fins wouldn't work?

Threadfins are really tiny rainbows and if the keyhole is fully grown and the other fish are aggressive enough, the cichlid might eat them or they may not get enough food. I know from experience.

 

[bettaowner]

Adding to that, threadfins are really shy fish that show best in a small planted tank. A group of danio choprai would look nice.

 

[Stacey W.]

Adding to that, threadfins are really shy fish that show best in a small planted tank. A group of danio choprai would look nice.

I need fish that are not worried about my curious loaches and my big gentle keyhole. Pic is before the plants but this is his derpy pic.

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[sinibotia]

I know I'm a little biased in this idea, but a different school of medium sized botia would be fun. Mixed botia are really cool to watch. You could do dario or striata; almorhae get a bit larger and might be pushing it. Histronica would be amazing if you could find them. For a more mid-water dweller you could opt for dwarf loaches.

Aside from that, I really love rainbowfish! Dwarf neon blues are my favorites.

 

[Stacey W.]

I know I'm a little biased in this idea, but a different school of medium sized botia would be fun. Mixed botia are really cool to watch. You could do dario or striata; almorhae get a bit larger and might be pushing it. Histronica would be amazing if you could find them. For a more mid-water dweller you could opt for dwarf loaches.

Aside from that, I really love rainbowfish! Dwarf neon blues are my favorites.

I love my loaches I've had 2 of them for 1 year and the other 2 babies for 6 months. I love the idea of mixing botia. Mine have finally (I think) figured out all their roles after 3 days of quirrels without harm of course as they have grown into adults. They are like perpetual toddlers and very nosey.

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[sinibotia]

I love my loaches I've had 2 of them for 1 year and the other 2 babies for 6 months. I love the idea of mixing botia. Mine have finally (I think) figured out all their roles after 3 days of quirrels without harm of course as they have grown into adults. They are like perpetual toddlers and very nosey.

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The beauty of mixing them is that they seem to recognize that they are the same but also different, so you get a solid mix of inter-group playing and amusing harmless squabbles. My favorite tank in all of my years of fishkeeping was a 55 gallon (this was a growout tank, before anyone jumps!) with clown loaches, yoyo loaches, striata, kubotai, and dwarf loaches. The inter-group goofiness was amazing. Each group (and each individual) had its own quirks that made the tank perpetually fascinating. Unfortunately that tank got wiped out by resistant ich before they could make it into their new home

 

[cgthebeast]

Don't halfbeak's like caves to hide in? Mine hiding spots are all taken. I need some movement up top. But can deal with my Keyhole when it's feeding time. He's a pig!

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They do but really any floating plant or anything like that could offer shelter would be fine

 

[Pseudomugil]

A school of neon dwarf rainbows would look really nice! They're not at all shy like threadfins.