Best Tank mate choice

[Alabastor]

I'm going to be getting a 20 gallon tank in a few months or a 29
I already have
2 Zebra Danio's
3 Neon Tetra's
1 Pleco of some small kind

I'd like to stick to South American fish if I could. Just post what you think would look good together and would get along.

If you have any good King of the tank idea's include that to. My tank is stable at a PH of 6.9 and hopefully my new tank will maintain that same number.

 

[talloulou]

IMO you could use more danios and more tetras. These fish like bigger schools than what you have. At least 5 neons and at least 5 danios.

 

[talloulou]

Also, you do know zebra danios are from india......

 

[talloulou]

Anyway you could try a pair of german blue rams. I know I always recommend these, but I just love mine so much. They are a south american cichlid, I''m pretty sure (someone please correct me if I'm lying) Anyway a pair should be okay in your tank. And with their cool mohawks they should have the king of tank look you are going for, lol. But definitely increase that danio school to keep the danios from bugging the heck out of everyone else.

Also definitely go for the biggest tank you can get, and buy long over tall.

 

[Alabastor]

Ok thanks for you input. I know where the danio's come from by the way. I've never really had a problem with the Danio's, they used to pester the neons but now they leave them alone and stick to themselfs.

Arnt Rams also called Dwarf ButterFly Cichilids?

 

[rubysoho]

The German Blue Rams have lots of common names including the one you mentioned. I suggest you check out the discussion on blue rams that has been going on in the Freshwater And Brackish - General Discussion Forum. Most of these guys are imported and all are very inbred so it is hard to find a healthy one. They also are prone to carrying internal parasites which they eventually die from about a month after you get them home. It can be very discouraging to someone who doesn't know this about rams because one day the rams will look beautiful and the next they are dead. But, I suggest them if yo are willing to put in the time and effort. They are wonderful fish and the reward is very nice if you manage to get a breeding pair. Lots of fun to watch.

 

[talloulou]

I still think the danios would behave more like danios for you if you have a bigger school. Plus once you decide on what type of new fish you are going to buy it would be good to add a couple more danios at the same time (IMO) to keep the two danios from relentlessly chasing your new fish. They will chase each other instead.

.....okay shutting up now

 

[rubysoho]

I second what talloulou just said

 

[gheitman]

I recommend going with as big a tank as you can afford because the more water you have the more stable the environment is. Going with at least 8 neon tetras, 5 or 6 zebra danios, a small pleco like a pitbull or bristlenose and a pair of German blue rams will give you a nice community tank. You could also look at substituting some corys for the danios to give you some bottom feeders that are from South America. If you only get a 20 gallon tank you might want to leave out the pleco.

 

[Alabastor]

I already told you the pleco is of a small type and he's here to stay

He's only 3 1/2 inches and it took him since november 15th to grow a 1/4 of an inch

 

[FawnN]

I definitely would not go with blue rams until you have an established tank. Because of what Rubysoho mentioned, blue rams are very sensitive to pH and changing water conditions.

 

[mr86mister]

i do understand he is small....its your choice what you want to do, but IMO you're pleco will do better in the 29....the bigger the better and he has more algae to eat but if he is small and you have plans for the 29 in the future the 20 should do fine as long as its just him for an algae eater....good set of fish though

 

[Alabastor]

I do give him other things to eat. He's a fan of plain shrimp pellets and will latch onto those for awhile. I also sometimes switch them out for algea waffers (broken up a bit)

He used to grab them with his mouth and swim off to his cave it eat it alone, it was cute. But now he's calmed down and eats in plain sight