Mid to top swimmer ideas

[dinnerflexor]

I have a planted 25 gal. freshwater low tech tank. The tank is only a few months new Currently 4 penta barbs (peaceful barb), 4 otos (yeah they made it a month!!), 2-3 amano shrimp (hard to see them) and 3 fancy guppy males who are always flaring at each other and they limit possibilities but have been with me since the beginning. I have hard water and movement on the top from the filter. The guppies go all over but the rest stay in the vegetation. I looked into dwarf Gouramis but the stores only sell males-I don't want a lone fish. I was looking into some of the smaller rainbows (Celebese, Threadfin, or Neon dwarf)
I have about 10" above the vegetation w/o anything (plants need some more time) I added a picture. I'm looking for something colorful and am not interested in danios. Any ideas thoughts or opinions?

 

[FishCr8zy]

I have a planted 25 gal. freshwater low tech tank. The tank is only a few months new Currently 4 penta barbs (peaceful barb), 4 otos (yeah they made it a month!!), 2-3 amano shrimp (hard to see them) and 3 fancy guppy males who are always flaring at each other and they limit possibilities but have been with me since the beginning. I have hard water and movement on the top from the filter. The guppies go all over but the rest stay in the vegetation. I looked into dwarf Gouramis but the stores only sell males-I don't want a lone fish. I was looking into some of the smaller rainbows (Celebese, Threadfin, or Neon dwarf)
I have about 10" above the vegetation w/o anything (plants need some more time) I added a picture. I'm looking for something colorful and am not interested in danios. Any ideas thoughts or opinions?

German/blue rams are pretty colorful fish and will live in a community tank.
Threadfin rainbows are great too. I prefer bosemani rainbows though.
A school of Silver mollies is also a cool sight in a planted tank.

 

[azmodan]

I like all of the dwarf rainbows, particularly furcata, threadfin, and spotted blue-eyed. Any of those would be great additions, just mind the male to female ratio.

 

[Rivercats]

The Spotted Blue-eyes would be a good choice. The Threadfins which I keep really like alot of running room if possible. Mine are very active. Longfinned White Clouds also tend to use the upper levels as do my Harliquen Rasbora's. Marbled Hatchetfish are also another good choice.

 

[Kimlafeiet]

Im going to second Rivercats on the Minnows. I don't have the long-finned ones, but I have the golden white clouds and they are great little top dwellers. Lots of fun

 

[ejaramillo01]

Agreed, to me the Spotted Blue-eyes would be a good mid to top swimer

 

[FishCr8zy]

The Spotted Blue-eyes would be a good choice. The Threadfins which I keep really like alot of running room if possible. Mine are very active. Longfinned White Clouds also tend to use the upper levels as do my Harliquen Rasbora's. Marbled Hatchetfish are also another good choice.

I have normal hatchetfish and I love them. Marbled ones look even better.

 

[KoobLis]

I'm going to say - Celestial Pearl Danios would look beautiful in your tank. Sadly though, you've already ruled out danios..

 

[Aquatic_Adam]

I'm going to say - Celestial Pearl Danios would look beautiful in your tank. Sadly though, you've already ruled out danios..

That and CPDs wouldn't fit the range he wants. They would be another fish that would hide in the plants and usually range to the mid-low strata in the tank.

 

[KoobLis]

That and CPDs wouldn't fit the range he wants. They would be another fish that would hide in the plants and usually range to the mid-low strata in the tank.

Very true, I am just so selfishly obsessed with CPDs that I just forgot all about the ranges that he wanted lol.

 

[dinnerflexor]

Thank you for all your ideas. I agree Pearl Danios are beautiful. I am seriously considering a second tank
I ended up getting 5 Celebese Rainbows (2M/3F) but one of the males was overly territorial so I took him back with one F and got 5 Harlequin Rasboras. Now I'm probably a little over stocked but everyone is getting along and the tank is active.
3 Fancy Guppies, 4 Penta Barbs, 4 Oto cats, 3 Celebese, 5 H. Rasboras, 3 Amano shrimp