How should I re-stock this tank?
I have a planted Fluval Flex 123-litre aquarium. My fish stock has gradually diminished through old age, and I now only have two otos, which are around four years old, and some cherry shrimp. I’ve been contemplating adding a shoal of galaxy rasbora and asian rummynoses, or black phantoms and either ember tetras or dwarf pencilfish.
Corys or whiptail catfish have also been shortlisted, although I’m not sure whether I have enough floor space for these. I would like a dwarf cichlid of sorts, but I’d imagine that will seriously impact on the shrimp and my water may be a bit on the hard side at 17-18°dH for them to be happy. The pH is 7.2 and temperature 23°C, which the otos and shrimp seem to be enjoying.
Although I’m far from a biotope, I do like the idea that the fish are all vaguely from the same area of the world. Any suggestions are welcome.
JONATHAN BROWN
NEALE SAYS: If you have hard water, asian rummynose, Sawbwa resplendens, are good picks, but they dislike high temperatures, so you’d need to choose tankmates accordingly. They’re also a bit nippy, though more along the lines of barbs than, say, pufferfish. They’re boisterous, hyperactive, and greedy: small shrimps would definitely be viewed as food. Personally, I’d recommend them as choices for species tanks, or perhaps biotopes alongside catfish or loaches that can keep out of their way.
Black phantom tetras,
Hyphessobrycon megalopterus, on the other hand, are great little fish. They’re adaptable and peaceful, though lively and a bit greedy. They should be fine with Otocinclus, and while some juvenile shrimps might be eaten, adults will be left alone.
I can’t recommend whiptails highly enough. They basically do the same thing as Corydoras, so I’d either keep one or the other, as they’ll compete for food. But groups of Rineloricaria spp. are great fun, and if you have a sandy substrate, you’ll see them dig into it at times, almost like flounders, with little more than their eyes on show. Some species will even change their colour somewhat to blend in. All in all, these are lovely, peaceful fish that are easily reared on things like sinking catfish pellets and frozen bloodworms.
However, I’d skip catfish altogether if I was keeping dwarf cichlids. The problem is that once cichlids settle in and become territorial, they can be a bit hard on Corydoras in particular. I have mixed feelings about cichlids, even dwarf cichlids, in community tanks. While some species are certainly peaceful most of the time, mated pairs will, at best, be territorial, and at worst, land you with flocks of juvenile cichlids you’ll need to rehome every couple of months. A singleton can work, of course, and I think female kribs are hard to beat in terms of size, colour, and personality. Personally, I’d sooner have a group of catfish than a single cichlid though, however cute.