middle/upper swimmers

[Tostada]

I have a 30 gal. hex. Currently it has

1 betta
6 velvet wag swords (2 male, 4 female)
5 panda corys (well, I'll have these by the end of the week)

I also have about 5 glass shrimp (do these things eat each other? I had 8 about 3 weeks ago), 1 gold mystery snail, and some MTS hiding somewhere. I have 3 bunches of anacharis and some driftwood in there, too.

I don't want to overstock, but it seems like the swords are the only ones who swim in the middle. The betta goes up to the top sometimes, but is usually hanging around in the bottom 1/3 of the tank. The shrimp go up to the top to get food, but then usually stay at the bottom. The mystery snail goes up to the top now and then, but is usually in the bottom 1/3 of the tank.

It seems like there's going to be a fine line between "empty in the middle" and overcrowded. Does anybody know something that would spend most of its time in the middle, be good for a relative beginner, and hopefully not be the same color as the fish I already have in there?

Some things I was thinking of were:

- add 3 more swords or platies, but a bright yellow variety

- a small school of rasboras would be cool and not take up much room

- 2 or 3 ghost cats (these are supposed to be middle/upper fish)

- a single red tail shark would be cool, but probaby a little too big and a little too aggressive

- some other cool single fish (can't think of much, and the types of things ppl usually get like an angel / ram / discus as a "centerpiece" fish would probably not be appropriate)

I can't add much more, and even if overstocking wasn't a problem, I would prefer to have just a couple small schools instead of a jumble of random fish, so I was thinking some yellow swords might be the best idea. That would probably bring the totals up to 6 females and 3 males.

 

[CaysE]

I find that once rasboras are used to the tank, they're all over the place. When I walk near the tank they're all at the top, presumably hoping for food, but most of the time if I'm sitting here for a little while and turn to look at them, they're swimming around all the plants at all levels of the tank.

Hatchets would make a good addition to your tank; they are mostly top swimmers.

 

[Pleco]

Killies usually stay near or at the top but they can be downright evil at times. My Beacon tetras are usually in the mid to top region of my tank.

 

[coldmachineUK]

Sunset platies would be an easy fish to keep, and you can keep them in small numbers too: they're an ideal starting fish. You could get 2 or 3 of them in without any problems I would have thought (but make sure you either get all females, or one male and two females...).

 

[Tostada]

The local store has some gold gouramis that are really beautiful. They only seemed to pick on each other, and one seemed pretty passive. I might take my chances with one of them for $3.50, and if that doesn't work out...

I might just go with adding some sunset/merigold/whatever platies or swords.

Some harlies or small tetras would be nice, though. I'd have to have 6 of them, though. They'd probably be happier if I had more like 8.

I guess my problem is, I think more schooling-like action would be cool. The swords don't really seem to school, they just kind of hang out with each other. If that's the way it's going to be, maybe I should go down to 4 or 5 swords and and a decent sized school of harlies that will actually swim together.

As much as I like harlies, though, they're not exactly adding any bright yellow to the tank, and bright yellow would really balance out the colors in there.

 

[Pleco]

In a 30 Hex i wouldnt put more than 1 gourami in the tank. I have a 40 tall and had 3 dwarf gouramis, now there is just one.

-Pleco

 

[Tostada]

Definitely just one gourami ... and I'll take him right back if he gets too mean.

 

[Pleco]

Definitely just one gourami ... and I'll take him right back if he gets too mean.

He shouldnt get mean with other fish, i think they are just aggressive with their own kind. Although maybe someone else that has raised gouramis can chime in on this one.

My new mystery snail is fun to watch, but it seems to be a pooping machine.

-Pleco

 

[joannde]

I have three male yellow/green snakeskin guppies and they tend to hang out together. Its not a school but I do generally get a flash of yellow in one spot. and they're definitely mid level occupants. Its an option.

 

[Mosaic]

Golden Wonder killies are upper level swimmers, and they're yellow too. I've never kept them personally, though, so I can't say much about their personalities.

 

[Pleco]

Golden Wonder killies are upper level swimmers, and they're yellow too. I've never kept them personally, though, so I can't say much about their personalities.

Killies have an evil streak to them. I had a couple in my tank until i found one with a tetra chunk in its mouth.

I think most people have killies in a species only tank, i kinda learned the hard way on why

-Pleco

 

[Musket]

I've heard the name several times but never knew anything about killies.. Here is a quick link I just looked up on the goldens in case you are interested. http://www.aqualandpetsplus.com/Minnows, Killies, Golden Wonder.htm
I like the gourami or some schooling fish idea. I have 2 iridescent gouramis and 2 honey dwarfs in my 46g and they don't pick on anyone. The 2 irridecents sometimes chase each other around. You could also get a male and female betta.. I have a beautiful bright yellow male. This would definitely add some color. Of course a gourami is much larger. All depends on what would look better in your eyes.

 

[odessadude]

Go for Australian Rainbows. All they do is hang out in the middle unless they are eating or laying eggs. Not only that, they are a mellow fish that won't disturb you set-up.

 

[IceH2O]

He doesn't have enough room for Australian rainbows. They are a schooling fish and need to be in groups of 6. They get 4-6 inches long.

I have 6 in my 75 gallon tank and they use every inch of that tank. A 30 Hex isn't near big enough.

IMO hex tanks should be outlawed. They aren't built with fish in mind,though they make nice planted tanks.

 

[odessadude]

http://www.aquariumadvice.com/viewtopic.php?t=84319

I will agree with the poster above about the worth of a hex tank, but look at these pics of my system, specifically the 20 gallon tanks. I have two Rainbows and in each 20 gallon and they are doing just fine.

My 135 gallon tank is packed full of them ( 15), but they are being moved out for a better schooling type fish.

 

[Tostada]

Well, I got the gold gourami. It looks like this one, except the colors are a tiny bit brighter:
http://juuri.org/fatalii/other/kuvat/DSCN7583.jpg

And I got the panda corys, so I don't think I'll be adding too much more.

Eventually I may take something out and add some rasboras.

Definitely just one gourami ... and I'll take him right back if he gets too mean.

He shouldnt get mean with other fish, i think they are just aggressive with their own kind. Although maybe someone else that has raised gouramis can chime in on this one.

My new mystery snail is fun to watch, but it seems to be a pooping machine.

-Pleco

I've got a huge mystery snail, and I've never even seen it poop. That gourami, though ... wow. It's taken three massive dumps that I've seen, and it's not like I've been staring at it the whole time since I put him in there 5 hours ago.

 

[crazycat]

i have a school of hengeli rasboras (scientific name: trigonostigma hengeli, commonly known as glowlight rasboras). they stay quite small about 3/4" and they school very nicely. ime they tend to stay middle to top. they are quite pretty with beautiful jewel-like salmon irridescent coloring. i have a school of about 20.

 

[Tostada]

i have a school of hengeli rasboras (scientific name: trigonostigma hengeli, commonly known as glowlight rasboras). they stay quite small about 3/4" and they school very nicely. ime they tend to stay middle to top. they are quite pretty with beautiful jewel-like salmon irridescent coloring. i have a school of about 20.

I googled them and they're really cool looking fish. I'll definitely make room for at least 7-8 if I ever find them at the store. I was thinking maybe I'd just make room for some Lemon Tetras eventually, but now I like the Hengelis.

Are they delicate? I don't know if I could handle worrying about anything more deliate than my panda corys.

 

[crazycat]

hengelis are pretty robust as soon as they get settled. you need good water conditions for them. i don't think they're any more difficult than any other fish.

glad you like them. they're really gorgeous.

 

[J-D]

I have 6 harlequin rasboras and I reckon you'd love them. If you google them they look pretty dull in most of the pictures you get back but under lights they have this almost ethereal orangey glow which is just gorgeous. They are really active schooling fish and generally very joyful little characters, and mine are almost always around the top of the tank. My only possible concern is that they might be small enough for your betta to see them as a tasty snack, but I don't know much about bettas so I might be wrong...in fact if I am wrong please tell me as I'd love to get a betta myself!

PS I've attached a picture of one of my harlequins doing his winston churchill impression with his bloodworm-cigar