Best schooling fish for planted tanks

[Khaleesi_413]

I'm looking to add a group of schooling fish into my 30g, lightly planted tank. I have some swords and crypts in the tank now but I'm looking to add more in the future. I'm wondering what kinds of fish i can add that won't nibble on my plants.

Currently i have 1 gold gourami, about 10 guppies, and 3 julii corys.

I've kept harlequin rasboras before and i really like them. Zebra danios and bleeding heart tetras also look neat but I'm not sure if they'll try to eat my plants. Anyone have recommendations?

[King Fisher]

A wide range of tetras, danios, swordtails should work. Killifish might be an option.

[earhtmother]

At least 3 more Julii too please

[Khaleesi_413]

Originally Posted by earhtmother

At least 3 more Julii too please

I am planning to add more! Just looking for other stocking options

[Khaleesi_413]

Originally Posted by King Fisher

A wide range of tetras, danios, swordtails should work. Killifish might be an option.

Have you kept zebra danios in a planted tank? Will they nibble on plants? I've read mixed responses on other forums

[BBradbury]

Hello Khal...

Guppies will overpopulate a small tank in a few months, if given reasonably good water conditions. So, to be on the safe side, you shouldn't be adding more fish.

B

[V227]

A school of 6 Columbian Tetras would look really good. They also would likely snack on baby guppies, keeping the population under control.
This is an old pic of a school of Columbians swimming with a school of Silver Dollars.

[Khaleesi_413]

Originally Posted by BBradbury

Hello Khal...

Guppies will overpopulate a small tank in a few months, if given reasonably good water conditions. So, to be on the safe side, you shouldn't be adding more fish.

B

I've had the guppies for quite some time and i haven't had any fry unfortunately

[Khaleesi_413]

Originally Posted by V227

A school of 6 Columbian Tetras would look really good. They also would likely snack on baby guppies, keeping the population under control.
This is an old pic of a school of Columbians swimming with a school of Silver Dollars.

They look like the bleeding heart tetras! Are they the same thing?

[MattS99]

I totally second Colombian tetras, I've had my school of them in a decently planted 20 long for over 3 years now. Never touched any plants. I also kept them with guppies, so they should play nice.

Colombians and bleeding hearts are totally different, Colombians have a blue body with red fins.

[Khaleesi_413]

When i add more cories, do they have to be julii cories like my others? Or will different species still get along and hang out with each other?

[V227]

Different varieties of Cory Cats kept together in the same tank usually will get along fine. They won't necessarily school together.

[Khaleesi_413]

Originally Posted by V227

Different varieties of Cory Cats kept together in the same tank usually will get along fine. They won't necessarily school together.

So my best bet is just to get more julii so the others are more comfortable then?

[V227]

That choice is up to you. If you are interested in watching schooling behavior then buying like species is the way to go.

[King Fisher]

Originally Posted by V227

A school of 6 Columbian Tetras would look really good. They also would likely snack on baby guppies, keeping the population under control.
This is an old pic of a school of Columbians swimming with a school of Silver Dollars.

Did you keep those Columbians with Cichlids?

[V227]

Columbians get pretty big for a tetra. You can certainly keep them with Firemouths, Rams or Electric Blue Acara with no trouble. I've kept them successfully with Salvinis and a Green Terror. Anything larger, like Oscars or Red Terrors the Columbians would likely be a quick snack.

[King Fisher]

Originally Posted by V227

Columbians get pretty big for a tetra. You can certainly keep them with Firemouths, Rams or Electric Blue Acara with no trouble. I've kept them successfully with Salvinis and a Green Terror. Anything larger, like Oscars or Red Terrors the Columbians would likely be a quick snack.

Cool. I was thinking about getting those for my 150g cichlid tank.

[V227]

KF

Shop around for the Columbians. My favorite mom & pop LFS sells them for $1.99 and they are good quality. Pet Smart sells them locally for about $3.49 and the quality IMO is subpar. Petco sell
Columbians locally for $1.99 and IMO the quality was better than Petsmart.

[King Fisher]

Nice. I got a Petco and one mom and pop LFS that is more into SW than FW fish....but they will order whatever I want.