What would you recommend?! Just can't decide...

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Schemauk

New Fish
#1
Sep 25, 2012
7
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#1
Morning everyone :)

First of all would just like to say hi, have been using the forums for a while as an information source, but have finally decided to join... I'm really getting into the whole aquarium thing, addictign isn't it?!
So I started my first ever tank - freshwater, tropical - a couple of weeks a go now. I cycled it just as I'd been advised to, and now its coming to the end of that process; My last water test at my LFS proved minimal ammonia (considering no water change since 2 days before) and high nitrates (or nitrites?! The not as bad one, I always get them mixed up!) which proves my good bacterias are starting to really break down the ammonia and work correctly -GET IN! :D
I currently have 4 flame tail guppies (flame macariffs I believe they were titled in the shop) and a clown pleco in a 26g/100l tank. I am hoping to pick up a few more fish on Friday after a fully successful test and was wandering if you guys had any good ideas for fish to get?!
I'm pretty certain I want 3 more of the flame tails, just so the 4 guys on their own don't get drowned out on their own, but what do you think would be good to go with them? I've been thinking platies - which, don't get me wrong, are pretty cool - but they are a bit boring at the same time... Everyone seems to have them! Maybe that says something though I suppose :p
I think I'd like to stay generally quite small, but some medium size fish may make the tank look a bit more exciting?
Either way, if you got any decent ideas them throw them my direction, I'd love some sort of inspiration before I head there on Friday. It's an oriental themed tank if that helps, white gravel substrate with a fair amount of green - non planted, all fake at the minute.

I also have a 6g/25l tank on its way for a betta, if you want to suggest some decent aquascaping ideas then don't be shy :D

Thanks in advance guys, and a pleasure to be here finally *thumbsups Will make sure I set up a signature, avatar and so on when I get home!

Schema.
 

skjl47

skjl47

Large Fish
#2
Nov 13, 2010
712
0
0
Northeastern Tennessee.
#2
Hello; zebra danio are a hardy, small fast swimming fish. They are very lively and do well with many other fishes. There are a few vanities of these small danioes even including genetically modified types called glofish in brite yellows, greens and yellows.
Neon and cardinal tetras are very colorful. I have a group in with some cherry barbs now.
One things to keep in mind is that whatever the initial fish you pick turns out to be, that this can likely limit what can be placed in with them later. For example a group of tiger barbs are smaller fish that are a bit aggressive and many other fish do not do well with them. Same for serape tetras. Tigers and serapaes can be kept together.
 

Omnominator

Omnominator

Large Fish
#3
Sep 19, 2012
101
0
0
Clearwater, Fl
#3
If you get tetras, you should probably get 4+, otherwise they will usually start to nip other fish. Also take note that guppies are livebearers and they will populate the tank quite quickly if given proper care. Mollies would be a nice edition to your tank. Keep in mind they are also livebearers.
 

T

Thyra

Superstar Fish
#4
Jun 2, 2010
1,891
0
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Yelm, WA
#4
Platies and all the variations they come in are very colorful and certainly not boring. I have not personally had any problems with the serpaes in my community tanks - I have them in two of them. As Omnominater states tetras do better in groups of at least 4. I also have a male betta in each of my community tanks - they do like top floating plants - even if they are fake.
 

S

Schemauk

New Fish
#5
Sep 25, 2012
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#5
Thyra said:
I also have a male betta in each of my community tanks - they do like top floating plants - even if they are fake.
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I had played with this idea, but wouldn't the betta attack my flame tail guppies?! Is it worth the risk of trying it?!
Thanks for all the info guys, appreciate it :)
 

skjl47

skjl47

Large Fish
#6
Nov 13, 2010
712
0
0
Northeastern Tennessee.
#6
Schemauk said:
I had played with this idea, but wouldn't the betta attack my flame tail guppies?! Is it worth the risk of trying it?!
Thanks for all the info guys, appreciate it :)
Click to expand...
Hello; My experience with male bettas is that they are the ones nipped. While they could go after other fish, they move a bit slow compared to most other fish. They have long fins that other fish will take a nip at and cause tears.
 

S

Schemauk

New Fish
#7
Sep 25, 2012
7
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#7
skjl47 said:
Hello; My experience with male bettas is that they are the ones nipped.
Click to expand...
I think my guppies would be quite 'nippy' so to speak. I have four boys at the minute (pretty sure, judging by their pointy anal fin?) and 2 of them are quite playful and pushy already. Will probably be getting 3 more lads to join them too.
Not only that, I don't think a betta would be able to cope with the current... My filter isn't adjustable, and shoost the water out at a fair pace - the guppies enjoy playing in it, swimming against the current then letting themselves get shot backwards - so I think introducing a betta would just be generally unfair to the poor chap.

Pretty sure I will be looking at some platies on Friday, possibly a few tetras.
How many fish in total would you recommend I get guys, taking into account I wouldnt be getting anything larger than a platy? Unless anyone thinks a medium/large(ish) size tropical fish would make a nice 'centrepiece' fish?
 

lauraf

lauraf

Superstar Fish
#11
Jan 1, 2010
2,181
0
0
Vancouver, British Columbia
#11
You can usually tell male guppies from the females because the males are so darn pretty, and the females rather drab. I love the look of a collection of male guppies - it is very striking. You could add a few more guppies, do one dwarf gourami as a 'centrepiece' fish, and maybe fouror five cories or kuhli loaches. That would be a very attractive tank.
 

CAPSLOCK

CAPSLOCK

Elite Fish
#14
Jul 19, 2004
3,682
33
48
39
Cape Cod
#14
I agree not to do a betta with those guppies & the current, esp. since you are already planning a smaller betta tank. One of the smaller gouramis, or a female betta, would be a nice centerpiece fish.

I also like cherry barbs, you could do one or a pair. They stay pretty small and are peaceful unlike a lot of other barbs. They also swim at the low-mid level of the tank, so not everyone is up at the top.
 

Sky Diamond

Sky Diamond

Medium Fish
#15
Sep 30, 2012
76
0
0
Blue Mountains, NSW, Australia
#15
I wouldn't put a male Betta in a tank with other fish, especially when your tank is so big. In my experience with male Bettas, they hate big tanks and their filters as they often seem fight against the filter, even in small tanks.

The males only seem to be able to stand sponge filters. With female Bettas, they're fine with Guppies, Dwarf Gouramis, Tetras and Angel Fish - this is just what I've mixed with my own fish over the years. I've had three female Bettas in with these fish at one time and even have one in my tank now with a Platy, baby Angel Fish and three Dwarf Gouramis. I've also had Ram Cichlids go fine with them and the Guppies as well as Butterfly Cichlids.
 

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Thyra

Superstar Fish
#16
Jun 2, 2010
1,891
0
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Yelm, WA
#16
I have found that the larger tanks with male bettas work better and that they seem to feel more secure - they are not actually "fighters" except when cornered and protecting their territory. None of my male bettas have ever shown any signs of aggression, but I do have one tank with female bettas in and they have been the aggressive ones amongst each other. I had to remove one because I thought perhaps she was really a young male, but she is now in a different community tank and doing fine.
 

S

Schemauk

New Fish
#17
Sep 25, 2012
7
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0
#17
Thanks to all for the input, really appreciate it and have taken a lot of it of board.
Definitely won't be going for the betta in the community tank, but am now playing with the idea of the cories... Would they be alright on my small gravel substrate? I'd take a guess that the largest bits of gravel will measure no more than the + symbol on a keyboard :p sorry, but using my surroundings for measurements,, im not at home! Hahahaa.
Either way, I think either a couple of cherry barbs or dwarf gourami will sit nicely in the tank.
 

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