Fish suggestions

[Adam Swarbrick]

Hello everyone,

I’m after some ideas for my tank. I’m planning to trade in the fish I have at the moment for a more active community. I will have an adult male long fin bristlenose pleco in the tank but that’s all I am set on so far. 
It’s a 40 gallon breeder planted with some slow growing crypts (pictured below) currently it houses harlequin rasboras, orange Venezuelan corys and some microctenepoma Ansotegi but nobody seams to come out much.

[Guppysnail]

Your water parameters would be helpful to folks suggesting the best fish ph/gh. There are lots of great hardy options but what they need makes the difference in quality recommendations vs generic. 

[cavdad45]

Look at a half dozen livebearers, always inquisitive and busy

BTW, that's a beautiful bristlenose

Edited November 30, 2022 by cavdad45

[Adam Swarbrick]

On 11/30/2022 at 10:47 PM, Guppysnail said:

Your water parameters would be helpful to folks suggesting the best fish ph/gh. There are lots of great hardy options but what they need makes the difference in quality recommendations vs generic. 

My water is super soft less than a drop in the hardness test kit and about 6.5pH great for Amazon species. I have had and bred a lot of common big box store type of stuff. So I’m hoping for something a little different?

[Guppysnail]

On 11/30/2022 at 6:25 PM, Adam Swarbrick said:

My water is super soft less than a drop in the hardness test kit and about 6.5pH great for Amazon species. I have had and bred a lot of common big box store type of stuff. So I’m hoping for something a little different?

Licorice gourami or an Apisto type come to mind. Why.. because I have hard water high ph and would love to have either of these but can’t because they need soft low ph. . They are also not common pet store fish but are readily available online. 

Edited December 1, 2022 by Guppysnail

[anitstuk]

On 12/1/2022 at 8:50 AM, Adam Swarbrick said:

Hello everyone,

I’m after some ideas for my tank. I’m planning to trade in the fish I have at the moment for a more active community. I will have an adult male long fin bristlenose pleco in the tank but that’s all I am set on so far. 
It’s a 40 gallon breeder planted with some slow growing crypts (pictured below) currently it houses harlequin rasboras, orange Venezuelan corys and some microctenepoma Ansotegi but nobody seams to come out much.

Some sort of soft water Gourami could work well or some sort of school fish. I was also thinking some Cherry Barbs. Nothing comes to mind currently besides that though.. 

[CorydorasEthan]

On 11/30/2022 at 3:50 PM, Adam Swarbrick said:

Hello everyone,

I’m after some ideas for my tank. I’m planning to trade in the fish I have at the moment for a more active community. I will have an adult male long fin bristlenose pleco in the tank but that’s all I am set on so far. 
It’s a 40 gallon breeder planted with some slow growing crypts (pictured below) currently it houses harlequin rasboras, orange Venezuelan corys and some microctenepoma Ansotegi but nobody seams to come out much.

I would suggest more Corydoras. They make a tank really lively! Also you could go for a shoal of pencilfish or tetras, which would fill in the middle quite nicely. One in specific that comes to mind are Congo tetras, which get nice and big (impressive finnage and color on the males) and would stay active.

I hope this helps! 

[Adam Swarbrick]

On 12/1/2022 at 1:54 AM, CorydorasEthan said:

I would suggest more Corydoras. They make a tank really lively! Also you could go for a shoal of pencilfish or tetras, which would fill in the middle quite nicely. One in specific that comes to mind are Congo tetras, which get nice and big (impressive finnage and color on the males) and would stay active.

I hope this helps! 

Would a group of congos be okay in a 40 breeder? I’ve seen mixed responses to tank size online….

[CorydorasEthan]

On 12/1/2022 at 11:18 AM, Adam Swarbrick said:

Would a group of congos be okay in a 40 breeder? I’ve seen mixed responses to tank size online….

Um, honestly I'm not really sure. A school of them might be a little cramped in a 40 gallon. Maybe you could try going for emperor tetras instead? They are a slightly smaller than the Congos and shouldn't require as much space. Other larger tetras you could try are diamond tetras or bleeding heart tetras.

[Adam Swarbrick]

Thank you, emperors look amazing I will be giving them a try

[Dwayne Brown]

Hrlquin Rasboras, and honey guramin wood be good chices.