Ideas for a top swimming fish........

[Kimlafeiet]

Looking for some suggestions for good top swimmers for my comminuty tank.
55 gallon, no live plants. Current stock is
1 Angelfish
1 Dwarf Gurami
1 BN Pleco
1 Boliviam Ram
6 Glass Cats
6 Neon Tetras

Between the pleco, ram and glass cats, the bottom is well stocked, and the tetras, angel and dg occupy the middle. My tank just seems off, and I would like a nice small school of something that primarily stays at the top. Dont want to go with guppies, as I have never had much luck with them. Of the original 10 I have purchased, only 1 is still alive, and he does well in my planted tank by himself.

 

[noelllll]

Danios swim near the top I'm pretty sure, mine do at least. They're also a really entertaining bunch to have in your tank

 

[Rivercats]

Hatchfish are great surface swimmers. Other good ones include Threadfin Rainbowfish, White Cloud Mountian Minnows (longfin ones are my favorite), and Harliquen Rasbora's which all tend to stay in the upper tank level.

 

[Borderlesscott]

I'd go with the Hatchet fish, I just recently added 12 to one of my tanks and I'm super impressed with the little guys - just be careful with the Angel fish, don't know how compatible Angels and Hatchets are.
I think they are really ugly, but African Butterfly fish might also do, they are a lot bigger than Hatchets - both species required a really good lid over the tank.

 

[Cornstar]

Danios swim near the top I'm pretty sure, mine do at least. They're also a really entertaining bunch to have in your tank

I second the danios, be sure to get them in a school though. They will definitely make your fish feel more secure.

 

[Kimlafeiet]

Thanks for the ideas. I think I may be leanind toward Danios or WCMMs. I have white clouds in my coldwater tank, and I quite enjoy them, but was not sure how they would do in a tropical tank (I keep the temp at 77-78 degrees).
If I go with Danios, could I mix up the school, say 2 blues, 2 leopard, 2 zebra (all long fin), or does my school need to be all the same? Has anyone had luck mixing a school of Danios?

 

[Rivercats]

I've never had issues over the years with angels harassing hatchets especially if the angels are small when you put the hatchets in .

 

[Borderlesscott]

Good to know Rivercats, often wondered as we sell both in the store I work in, was always a bit hesitant recommending them for tanks with Angels in.

 

[Rivercats]

I've never had problems putting them in with the "color" bred angels but I would be more hesitant adding them with Altum's.

 

[Rose22]

If I go with Danios, could I mix up the school, say 2 blues, 2 leopard, 2 zebra (all long fin), or does my school need to be all the same? Has anyone had luck mixing a school of Danios?

They will still school. I had 2 gold, 2 blue, 2 leopard (all 6 long fin) and 2 regular zebra. The 2 regular were the only ones left, and I felt bad for them being the only 2 in a tank with a bunch of red wag platy. They all school and interact with one another just fine. I haven't had any issues with the regular nipping the long fin or anything like that. My 2 golds didn't make it, but the others are all doing great.

 

[sobersteve323]

I used to have 8 zebra danios in a 50 gallon community and they never schooled and were all over the tank. They pretty much only went to the top during feeding. Was bummed because I got them thinking they would at least shoal lol.

 

[Kimlafeiet]

Hey guys......what about Gertrudae Rainbowfish? From what I can tell they are small peaceful fish that swim closer to the top. Anyone have any experience with them? They are just gorgeous!
Rivercats, you have threadfin rainbows, right? How do you like them? My local Petco had some last week, and I probably should have snatched them up when I had the chance, lol.

 

[Autumnsky]

Marble Hatchets - Gorgeous!!!

 

[Kimlafeiet]

I used to have 8 zebra danios in a 50 gallon community and they never schooled and were all over the tank. They pretty much only went to the top during feeding. Was bummed because I got them thinking they would at least shoal lol.

Lol. Its funny when you get a schooling fish to do just that, and they do exactly the opposite. My neons dont have any idea what a school is, never have.......and my glass cats are no better. When I first got my glass cats, they were sooooo skiddish in my qt tank, it took nearly a week to even get them to eat, and that was with the lights off, using frozen brine shrimp with a turkey baster dropped right in front of thier faces. They were so close together, it was impossible to tell them apart at all. When I finally moved them to the big tank, I was so worried they would stop eating again and hide forever, but nope. They own the tank, none of them swim together for more than a few seconds, and they are the first in line at feeding time. Im going to assume this is because they are comfortable in thier tank. I gave up on schooling fish, I would rather they swim freely and happy than school scared. Hehe

 

[Rivercats]

I love my Threadfin Rainbowfish. Just be sure to get both males and females as the males will display more. Also remember they will color up so much nicer once they have been in the tank for awhile. Even the females turn a nice iridescent greeny yellow.

Marble hatchets are my favorite of all the hatchets.

 

[Kimlafeiet]

Thanks everyone! I think I have my heart set on the Gertrudae rainbows. I found them in stock from thatfishstore.com. Has ayone ever purchased live fish from them before? Are they fairly repuatable or should I stay away? I am going to look locally to see if I can get my hands on some first........I have never ordered fish online "yikes".

I am also going to look into the marble hatchets, you guys have me very inrigued with them