New tank. What should I do?

[Xabien]

Hello. I currently have a 33 gallon tank with 3 clown loaches, 1 para pleco, 3 mollies, 5 neon tetras, 5 black phantom tetras and 6 live plants. I recently got a 15 gallon corner tank.

I was thinking of moving the neon and black phantom tetras to the new tank and maybe getting a few more tetras to turn it into a tetra only tank. Then I could put 1 or 2 angel fish in the main tank. What do you guys think?

Thanks.

 

[tkos]

With the 15 gallon, I would put the tetras in but then add a bottom feeder like cory catfish (maybe 4-5 of them), instead of another tetra. In a smaller tank the tetars will just intermingle anyway and not really form distinct school.

 

[Kerrinne]

I think more tetras are always good. I can't wait to have my 'tetra tank' next year! I really have a great passion for these little guys. If you do a tetra tank, let me know! I'd love to see pictures and know what types of tetras you end up getting. To me, they are such remarkable fish in a large variety.

I will have a bottom feeder in with mine, but I think I've decided against corys in it. People here have suggested corys, but I think I'm going to put a few of them in my large tank when I get it next year instead.

For my tetra tank, I'm likely going to go with a Brown Bumblebee Cat. Otherwise known as the South American Bumblebee Cat, though from what I gather often labeled wrong in the Wal-Marts and PetSmarts. I have been reading on all the bottom feeders, and this one only gets up to 6" max, and that's pretty small from what I've read on most cats! It is reported to do very well with community fish like tetras and requires only some coverage. But I think overall bottom feeders might depend on preference too.

1-2 Angel fish should be ok in the 33 gal, as I believe someone here says - 10 gal per angel fish!

 

[Xabien]

I was at the LDFS (long distance fish shop) today and the Discus fish caught me and my girlfriends eye. She said she would buy me 2 for christmas. Do you think they would do ok in the main tank?

 

[madasafish]

Discus...

Not in my opinion. And I think you'll run into some considerable opposition with others here. Discus are fantastic and grow to 8 inches! They can be very large fish given time. You need to keep them in a 70+ gallon aquarium IMHO. But, a 33 is fine for some young discus if you're willing to upgrade sometime in the future.

A better solution would be to buy rams--bolivian or blue--as Allivymar recently did. They are beautiful fish which stay small. Very fun to watch.

 

[Electrobes]

don't clown loaches get huge? I dunno if you can keep them in there long..

 

[Sati]

don't clown loaches get huge? I dunno if you can keep them in there long..

Yes, they get very large, possibly over a foot in length.

 

[Allivymar]

Clowns get to be around a foot long; however they do so rather slowly as opposed to fish like plecos. A 33g would be ok for a year or so. Mine are in a 55g; I have a few years before they outgrow that tank.

Discus are tough; they have some very exacting water parameter and space needs. Do a google on them and you'll see what I mean. Beautiful fish, but require a lot of work and a decent sized tank.

The angels will work well in the 33g tho; 2 would be perfect. And you can find angels which are just as showy as discus (IMHO *grin*).

 

[Kerrinne]

Alli loves those angels. I think angels are beautiful too. But if I'm going to have a bigger tank - I want more fish taking up that space rather than one or two large fish. It's the scrooge side of me that requires so many fish bodies per square inch since I'll be paying more for a bigger tank! LOL ::sigh:: The logic of a frugal capricorn.

 

[Xabien]

Yeah. The plan with the clown loaches was to upgrade my tank in the future. Or if I can;t afford it the LDFS said they accepted fish back. I also like angels. But my girlfriend thinks their ugly. We both like those male red dwarf gouramis though I am just thinking that they may be a bit boring and similar to my mollies.