Lemon and Other Tetras

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FreshwaterJeff

Aquarium Advice Apprentice
Joined
Mar 28, 2006
Messages
42
Location
Chicago, IL
Since I'm not starting my 30 gal planted tank until July, I've had nothing to do but time to think, re-think, and re-think again about what I want to put in it.

I'm still planning on focusing the tank around a pair or trio (2 F, 1 M) of German Blue Rams, and I've somehow become attached to the idea of an All-South America tank (thus ditching the original kuhliis idea) - but I'm having an awfully tough time picking a schooling fish.

I love rummynoses, but I've heard they're fry eaters and would like to at least give my GBRs a shot at raising some youngin's. I also like diamond head neons, black neons, cardinals, green fires, glowlights, gold neons, penguins, and purple emperors...but lately, Lemon Tetras have turned my head.

Now, talk me into or out of them, or point me in another schooling fish direction :)

(While we're on the subject, the potential for fry is also causing me grief on the bottomfeeder side. I'm planning on a small group of otos (3-5), and may expand the tank's region north a bit and add a couple sunburst mollies for added algae control. My natural instinct, then, would be to add 4-5 panda corys to fill out the bottom of the tank...if not for the fry. If I went with a bristlenose or rubberlip plec instead, would there be enough algae to go around, or would it be ok so long as i supplemented with algae-based food sources - flakes or tablets, etc.? Should I just get over the all-Americas tank idea and get kuhliis or yoyos instead to fill more of the cory "clean up crew" role instead of a pleco that's going to be somewhat redundant to the efforts of the otos and mollies? Am I thinking too hard? Should I stop before I hurt myself?)
 
:lol: I know what it's like to hurt yourself over thinking a tank. The rummy nose will be no more of a threat to fry than most all other tetras. I would abandon the mollie idea simply because they're more brackish fish, and the rams more black water. Truth is Jeff, it's pretty hard to build any biotope around raising fry. If that's your goal, you'd be better off to set up a 10g breeding tank for just that purpose. JMO
 
My Lemons are the most active fish in my tank. It is like feeding a school of piranhas and they will nip at my other fish to get the food first. I have some bigger ones and their color is a nice light yellow. I'm currently trying to find new lighting to enhance their color. I only have 5 right now because I don't seem to have any luck with the new little ones that I add to their school.

My glolights are more peaceful and slower moving then my lemons. I like them better then the lemons because of how they move.....just more relaxing to watch.

I have 7 glolights, 5 Lemons, 1 female krib, 4 Cory cats (need to get some more Cory's this weekend)

I don't have any fry experience, but my Tetras are always on the look out for food....so If I had to guess, I'd say that lemons would eat your GBR fry. I wouldn't trust mine with fry for a second. :lol:


The very hardest part of starting my tank was finding the right fish for it. I'm just happy that my husband didn't care because that would have added another factor to the want list. I just let him choose between two that I picked. :lol: You can't listen to the LFS because they will sell you anything that is in the same isle of tanks with green dots. :roll: You will quickly learn that all green dot fish aren't compatible like they'd lead you to believe.

This is only my opinion on my tank occupants, but my Cory cats don't generally get to the food that the tetras don't eat, because there isn't anything that they miss. I have to feed the Cory's their own shrimp pellets and wafers after lights out. So, I wouldn't consider them cleanup crews as long as you have tetras that will clean up for themselves.
 
Thanks for the input. I think you're right - if I'm really interested in raising GBR fry, I should set up a breeding tank. Maybe I will down the road...

You're probably right about the mollies as well. Oh, bother...

So, I don't like the nippiness of the Lemons...maybe I'll stick with the rummynoses (or the black neons, cardinals, green fires, glowlights, penguin....ack, I'm doing it again ;))
 
Lemons really aren't that bad, but they do seem to be a tad bit more aggressive then my glolights. I read someone say that Tetras just like to pick on one another and that is the truth. I don't have any experience with other tetras, but I'm thinking from what I've read thus far that most of them will chase or give little nips at others every once in awhile. I don't tolerate chasing and nippy fish so what they do isn't bad enough for me to think of getting rid of them. The hardest part about putting together a fish list is to find people that agree on the same thing about that fish. Don't take the lemons off your list if you like them. They aren't mean nasty nippy rip the fins off your other fish fish.

I wanted to add that I am fairly new at owning Tetras so this is just my newbie opinion on the fish.

I sat and really observed my glolights this morning, before I posted this, and they chase one another too. LOL

Hey, this might be just how they play in that glass box......we don't know.
 
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