top of the tank fish?

[TheNamelessPoet]

Ok after my Pictus disaster (here and here ) I restocked.
I now have 8 Neon Tetra, 2 Zebras (they are the size of the neons bit I dont think are dainos(sp)) , 3 Red and 3 gold barbs.
The tank looks much less empty now that it has more than 3 scared little fish and an evil Pictus .

The question is what can I put in with them... obviously I don't want a very big fish since I have quite a few now, and I like the smaller fish.
What can I put in that will stary closer to the top. most of my fish like it near the bottom... I will be getting a small pleco (I know i have to be specific since some get really big) for help with the cleanup. can I get some other fish for the top of the tank or is ig just going to be wasted space I must admit only 1 plant goes more than about 1/2 - 2/3 of the way to the top. should I just get taller plants (these are fake plants btw)

 

[betta4me]

You can look in to hatchets and see if they will fit in with what you have..? They are pretty neat looking, but I haven't researched them thoroughly.

 

[morningman]

Hatchets are O.k. Just remember to keep your taks COVERED. They are great leapers!

 

[laxpatrick]

Gouramis (dwarf)? Danios?

 

[morningman]

How about some galaxy Rasboros or rainbows?

 

[TheNamelessPoet]

How about some galaxy Rasboros or rainbows?

omg the galaxy Rasboros are one of the most beautiful fish I have seen!!! I just have to find some now can you get them mail order

 

[meegosh]

I would consider getting taller plants to make the fish feel more secure when they are higher up in the water column. I know guppies are not the most spectacular fish but they always seem to stay at the top of my tanks. Only when I feed them they will swim to the bottom to scavenge for food.

 

[TheNamelessPoet]

not a fan of guppies... these guys are relativly new tho.. ill let them scope the place out for a little while 1st

 

[morningman]

The Galaxy Rasboros can sometimes be found on Aquabid.com

 

[TheNamelessPoet]

do you guys have any luck buying them over the internet? I'd e afraid they would show up dead

 

[jcarlilesiu]

Killi fish are top swimmers and also great jumpers

 

[bluerose]

Bettas are also an option, although with your stocking list I'd only go with a female.

I have a female in my community tank, she's HUGE (bigger than my male...) and very vibrantly colored. Cool fish-- I like her.

 

[newfound77951]

I have some celestial pearl danios (the "official" common name for the galaxy rasbora now) that I got online and they arrived fine. Most important thing is to buy from a reputable seller. If you (or anyone else) does get some of these fish please make sure to buy tank raised fish NOT wild stock to lessen the pressure on the fishes' native habitat. There are plenty of people breeding these fish now.

That said, CPDs are not surface dwellers, mine stay mostly in the mid depths of the tank. While beautiful they are also teeny tiny and actually pretty hard to see unless your nose is against the tank. I would suggest a dwarf gourami as well, although there is no guarantee that they will exclusively stay at the surface. Hatchets will definitely stay at the top, but will require a tight cover and also prefer to be in a school, and you're getting close to being overstocked as it is. I would not recommend any rainbows except the dwarf varieties as they get big and require a lot of swimming space.

 

[daveydoodle]

Danios, Danios, Danios! Fast moving so they add an eye-catching component, their colors become more pronounced as adults, and they stay within a few inches of the top. I really like my Giants, but there are several other options out there.

 

[TheNamelessPoet]

thaks for the help guys.

 

[cwt]

My 3-month old danios are about the size of adult neons; yours will surely grow bigger than that. With other fish in the tank, all mine have stayed near the top of the tank, maybe to retain their role as the fish that are first to the dinner table every night