Help me pick out some fish.

[tug]

I am looking for some inhabitants for a planted tank that is 36" x 12" x 16" with a pH of 5.5, 4dGH. My significant other would love to have Angelfish but I worry the tank is a little small. If I decide against keeping Pterophyllum "scalare" in this tank I have a breading pair of Kribensis and a Red whiptail waiting in the wings. Any suggestions?

[scientist0724]

In one of my planted tanks, I have keyhole cichlids (Cleithracara maronii) and they are very peaceful. Take a look at some of the Central and South American cichlids. Also, a lot of the West African cichlids are pretty and peaceful. They are very pretty and most are peaceful and only get a little aggressive during breeding.

In other tanks, I have Apistogrammas, small tetras, small loaches.

There are so many possibilities for a planted tank.

Arlene

[tug]

Hi Arlene,
The keyhole cichlids (Cleithracara maronii) are beautiful. They would love the little wood log/cave I have. Thank you so much for the suggestion. What other fish if any do you keep with the C maronii? I am hoping to keep shrimp again. The Kribensis finished off all of my RCS, about +100, in record time.

I have also thought about Apistogrammas. How are they in a community tank with small tetras and shrimp?

I don't want to rush into anything if I can help it. The tank was just planted and I am changing about 80% of the water 3x week for the next few weeks.

There are so many possibilities for a planted tank.

Probably the most stressful part of starting an aquarium for me is deciding what fish to keep.

[Aaron]

I'm not much on fish, but I do think the angels are better suited to a bigger tank. They really do best in schools in large tanks.

The kribensis you have would work really nicely though. If they spawn continually you'll want to take out the juveniles periodically as there's not much room for extra pairs of fish in that size tank.

[DelawareJim]

Apistos and Cories look great together in a planted tank, but the Apistos have a certain fondness for shrimp.

Cheers.
Jim

[tug]

Hmmm, maybe I should be looking for fish that could live with the kribensis. Shrimp are definitely not going to work. But, if Kribensis get along with green tetras I could probably be alright without RCS. I feel a brain cramp coming on.

Apistos and Cories look great together in a planted tank, but the Apistos have a certain fondness for shrimp.

What about Kribensis, Apistos and Cories?

[scientist0724]

My keyhole cichlids are kept in a community tank with angels, a whole bunch of different tetras like emerald-eyes, embers and small rasboras, small loaches like hovering, Burmese rosy, yo-yo, and skunk. There are also bristlenose plecos. I'm sure that I'm forgetting some other fish in there.

My Apistogrammas are currently in a tank by themselves because I want to breed them.

I don't keep shrimp with my Apistos, Keyholes, or Angels. They are notorious for eating shrimp. I keep shrimp with small fish like Daisy Rice Rice, Pygmy corys, and Boraras.

Arlene

[150EH]

I keep Kribs in my larger tank (150) but I really like nano fish in all my smaller tanks, I like to get the feel of a minature world in the tank. I have some Hara minuscula - Burmese Mini Moth Cat that are really peaceful and my favorite mini catfish and are mature at 1.5 inches, they look like and swim like little sharks wearing camo but are great in a community stlye tank, also a couple of Oto's for clean up might be good.

You could have a large school of Rasboras, there are several types that only get to a inch or so, I have the Microdevario kubotai - Green Rasbora which flash a almost neon green and are quite active but don't bother my shrimp, there are several other Rasboras that would work well but I can't have shrimp in the tank with the Kribs as they might last a week or a month but they always become dinner at some point.

Would you like to keep any shrimp in the tank or have a pair of larger fish as your focal point?





Pelvicachromis sacrimontis - Green Kribensis

[tug]

Thank you everyone for your help. Tim has a good point - small fish in my miniature world it is.
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