Compatibility Questions

[Rhodie]

Okay, so, I'm not new to the hobby, and this is about an already-established tank, but I'm not sure what other board to put it in. Hope this is okay!

One of my tanks is a 5.5 gallon, planted, and currently it has 3 male guppies, 3 amano shrimp, 1 nerite, 3-5 assassin snails (to kill off those little pesty snails that are eating my plants), and a couple of golden eel kuhli loaches.

Now, here's the thing. I've been wanting to renovate and add different stock to this tank for a while.
I want to move the male guppies to a different tank, and get a group of least killifish. I have never had least killies before.

My question is: would the least killies be compatible with the amanos and/or the loaches, or would it be best to relocate the shrimp and/or loaches to different tanks as well? Would the amanos be a threat to the adult killifish? I kind of assume both the loaches as well as the shrimp would be a threat to the baby killies, though.

Also, kind of related: what would be the best kind of substrate for the killifish? Currently the substrate is a layer of normal aquarium gravel topped with a decent layer of larger, smooth gravel. Should I change it up or would that be suffifient?

Anyway. thank you in advance to those who reply?

 

[pwypGlofish]

I found out that killifish, in some instances don’t do well with dwarf shrimps like Amano shrimps... The Kuhli loaches I’m not sure: They’re bottom feeders and killifish are top feeders so I think it might work.

Killifish “...They will not eat or bother plants, but they are fairly voracious predators of dwarf shrimp and even small fish such as microrasboras and very small danios or tetras. As with most predatory fish, the Golden Wonder Killifish will eat any animal that will fit in its mouth.” Aquaticarts.com

 

[Rhodie]

I found out that killifish, in some instances don’t do well with dwarf shrimps like Amano shrimps... The Kuhli loaches I’m not sure: They’re bottom feeders and killifish are top feeders so I think it might work.

Killifish “...They will not eat or bother plants, but they are fairly voracious predators of dwarf shrimp and even small fish such as microrasboras and very small danios or tetras. As with most predatory fish, the Golden Wonder Killifish will eat any animal that will fit in its mouth.” Aquaticarts.com

Thank you for the insight!
The thing is, least killis aren't true killifish; they're livebearers, and more closely related to things like guppies and mollies. They don't belong to any of the killifish families.

I did get a chance to talk with someone at my local aquarium specialy store today, and he told me that the least killis would likely do just fine with both the amanos and the loaches. If they do happen to not get along, I know for sure I have another tank that would suit the amanos well.

Regardless, I do appreciate you taking the time to reply here. That info may come in handy if i ever do decide to get true killifish

 

[pwypGlofish]

No problem! Dude, my job is to help people that need advice and your shrimps will be fine if that’s what your fish store told you

 

[Rhodie]

I definitely appreciate it!

 

[Autumnsky]

The Least Killis or Heterandria Formosa, like plants for a feeling of security.

The substrate you have may need some fertilizer capsules or tablets to grow good plants. You might consider a planted tank substrate.

 

[Rhodie]

The Least Killis or Heterandria Formosa, like plants for a feeling of security.

The substrate you have may need some fertilizer capsules or tablets to grow good plants. You might consider a planted tank substrate.

Thanks for the advice!
The tank currently has a nice population of cabomba what seems to be doing well, as well as a couple of purple crypts (forget the exact variety) and some variety of small anubias that all seem to be doing pretty darn well.
I got a variety pack of "floater" plants today, including some rotala and a couple baby java ferns among others, some of which i planted and some of which I did end up floating.
Currently I add a dose of API Leaf Zone to the tank weekly, but I'll definitely at least be looking in to fertilizer capsules/tablets as well under your advice. I'd rather not have to completely re-do the substrate if only because I know it'd be kind of a pain, haha, but if that's what it comes to i'd rather be unhappy for a little bit so that the plants thrive as well as possible.

 

[Arget]

The Kuhlis eat snails.

 

[Rhodie]

The Kuhlis eat snails.

They certainly don't eat enough of them ? the original three assassin snails I put in that tank are all still alive, as are the babies they've made, along with tons of pesty ramshorns
they're golden eel kuhlis (Pangio doriae) so that may have something to do with it, but... I have another tank with groups of regular ol' Pangio kuhlii, P. doriae, and P. filinaris all together, and both the assassin snail and ramshorn population in that tank seems unaffected by the loaches.

Definitely not saying you're wrong, just sharing my personal experience with kuhli loach species vs. snails

 

[pwypGlofish]

Well that’s great! Maybe it’s their name (assassin snails) lol.

 

[Arget]

Maybe it's what type of snails you've got? I've got 5 Pangio oblonga, and they made quite the pile of empty MTS shells in a 33g flatback hex. Or you might just have lazy loaches.

 

[Autumnsky]

Another option if it doesn't bother you about it is collecting a few of your unwanted snails and wait till feeding time, then squish them for the bottom feeders, and without the shell, they may realize these are food and get busy eating them.

It sometimes takes a few tries to introduce a new food, maybe do so in the evening and let the lighting be dim or off so they are more active coming around in the open, if they happen to be a little shy, making sure they are hungry.

Over time you can put them in the tank, less squished, more whole, and they can get the idea they need to do the hard work, lol.

 

[Rhodie]

Well that’s great! Maybe it’s their name (assassin snails) lol.

Lol, maybe the name precedes them the loaches are like "assassin snails? better not mess with that!"
(kidding, kidding)

Maybe it's what type of snails you've got? I've got 5 Pangio oblonga, and they made quite the pile of empty MTS shells in a 33g flatback hex. Or you might just have lazy loaches.

It very well could be! I've never had MTS's so I'm not sure.
It could also be the loach species too? I have 5 P. oblonga in a tank with a mystery snail who had a raft of eggs hatch, and I know for a fact that the loaches gobbled up (or at least tried to) quite a few of the babies

Another option if it doesn't bother you about it is collecting a few of your unwanted snails and wait till feeding time, then squish them for the bottom feeders, and without the shell, they may realize these are food and get busy eating them.

It sometimes takes a few tries to introduce a new food, maybe do so in the evening and let the lighting be dim or off so they are more active coming around in the open, if they happen to be a little shy, making sure they are hungry.

Over time you can put them in the tank, less squished, more whole, and they can get the idea they need to do the hard work, lol.

This is really good advice! I do already squish some of the pesty snails sometimes, but at random intervals and not necessarily during feeding time. The amano shrimp have definitely picked up on this being a treat for them, haha
I think i'll be trying this method, though I already set up snail traps so i can gather some to feed my pea puffers, so I shouldn't have to do much extra work at all. Thank you!