# new species list?



## ffemt89 (Mar 22, 2012)

Hey all,

I'm looking to redo my aquarium (35 gallon tall) as I've said in some other posts. I'm looking to have it planted and be a tropical set up. I want a good balanced set up and this is what I've got in mind:

Angelfish - im not sure what kind but probably just* 1*
Neon Tetras - these will be the main draw in the tank so I'm thinking *10-12*
Guppies - im not sure about these but i want some color in the tank maybe *6-8*
Cories - as ill need something to clean up *2-3*
Cherry Shrimp - I read they're great algae eaters and can breed in freshwater *3-4*

Any input or suggests would be great!

Chive On,
Alex


----------



## susankat (Nov 15, 2008)

ffemt89 said:


> Hey all,
> 
> I'm looking to redo my aquarium (35 gallon tall) as I've said in some other posts. I'm looking to have it planted and be a tropical set up. I want a good balanced set up and this is what I've got in mind:
> 
> ...


1 angel will be fine
neon tetras, natural food source for an adult angel
cories are good, but you will need to feed them
cherry shrimp have lots of cover as the angel would enjoy them
guppies can be fine, but can also be nipped by angel.


----------



## ffemt89 (Mar 22, 2012)

susankat said:


> 1 angel will be fine
> neon tetras, natural food source for an adult angel
> cories are good, but you will need to feed them
> cherry shrimp have lots of cover as the angel would enjoy them
> guppies can be fine, but can also be nipped by angel.


So it would be advisable to remove the angel from the list and then go with the rest of it as planned? 

What do you mean I will need to feed them? I mean I'm well aware that they will have to eat but is flake food not enough?


----------



## susankat (Nov 15, 2008)

Yes remove the angel from the equation and should be fine. Corys need more than just flake food, they need things like shrimp pellets and frozen bloodworms to remain healthy.


----------



## ffemt89 (Mar 22, 2012)

susankat said:


> Yes remove the angel from the equation and should be fine. Corys need more than just flake food, they need things like shrimp pellets and frozen bloodworms to remain healthy.


Awesome! Thanks for the information. Any suggestion on something I may be able to replace the angel with? Something a little bigger than the other fish but would still be community safe?


----------



## Goby (Mar 21, 2012)

I kept a Golden Angelfish for many years. She was about the size of a dime when I acquired her and when she died she was larger than a baseball. She ruled a 5ft tall hexagon tank that was around 40 gallons- a tall and skinny tank. I think the vertical height of the tank suited her swimming behaviors well. I provided her with tank mates several times over the years, including neon tetras, but she simply hated any other fish in “her” tank. When she was alone in her tank she would exhibit the typical relaxing graceful demeanor the species is known for. But when other fish were in her tank...she'd get nervous and seemed miserable. Plus, she’d outright bite them. She tolerated a marbled mate for a couple years and they even spawned, but she wasn't all that thrilled about his presence either. She is, by far, my all-time favorite fish ever.

And who doesn’t love a beautiful school of neon tetras? Great choice! I’ve kept them and they do well in groups…when kept alone, they get depressed. I’m not sure how many would be appropriate to keep in a 35 gallon tank? I do remember that they were super sensitive to water instability…usually the first ones to croak with any little spike of anything. It may be challenging to keep neon tetras in a newer set up. I fear it will be challenging to keep them with an angelfish…as the angel matures she might make them lunch. Neon tetras could be lunch to many potential tank mates.

Cories are cute, busy, and harmless in my experience. My all-time fav freshwater cleaner is the bristle nose pleco w/ white spots. And I had good luck with shrimp reproducing in freshwater…not so good in saltwater though. In fact, I can barely keep them healthy in saltwater it seems. Lots of super spectacular guppies to choose from…fun fun! But their beautiful tails may start to look ragged with an angelfish nearby. Best of luck to you!


----------



## ffemt89 (Mar 22, 2012)

Goby said:


> I kept a Golden Angelfish for many years. She was about the size of a dime when I acquired her and when she died she was larger than a baseball. She ruled a 5ft tall hexagon tank that was around 40 gallons- a tall and skinny tank. I think the vertical height of the tank suited her swimming behaviors well. I provided her with tank mates several times over the years, including neon tetras, but she simply hated any other fish in “her” tank. When she was alone in her tank she would exhibit the typical relaxing graceful demeanor the species is known for. But when other fish were in her tank...she'd get nervous and seemed miserable. Plus, she’d outright bite them. She tolerated a marbled mate for a couple years and they even spawned, but she wasn't all that thrilled about his presence either. She is, by far, my all-time favorite fish ever.
> 
> And who doesn’t love a beautiful school of neon tetras? Great choice! I’ve kept them and they really only do well in groups…when kept alone, they get depressed. I’m not sure how many would be appropriate to keep in a 35 gallon tank? I do remember that they were super sensitive to water instability…usually the first once to croak with any little spike of anything. It may be challenging to keep neon tetras in a newer set up. I fear it will be challenging to keep them with an angelfish…as the angel matures she might make them lunch. Neon tetras could be lunch to many potential tank mates.
> 
> Cories are cute, busy, and harmless in my experience. My all-time fav freshwater cleaner is the bristle nose pleco w/ white spots. And I had good luck with shrimp reproducing in freshwater…not so good in saltwater though. In fact, I can barely keep them healthy in saltwater it seems. Lots of super spectacular guppies to choose from…fun fun! Bu their beautiful tails may start to look ragged with an angelfish nearby. Best of luck to you!



Thanks for the encouragement! The tank is currently set up and functioning and has been for about 2 years now, Im down to three fish and am on a buying hiatus until they all pass or i can find someone to take them. The plan is to keep the tank functioning throughout the redo or at least save the current water while i redo the substrate and plant it so that the cycle won't take as long.


----------



## ffemt89 (Mar 22, 2012)

I was just looking maybe I will throw some rummy nose tetras into the mix instead of the angelfish to add some more variety to the tank


----------



## scooterlady (May 10, 2011)

Dwarf Ram Cichlids would be a nice addition...


----------



## ffemt89 (Mar 22, 2012)

scooterlady said:


> Dwarf Ram Cichlids would be a nice addition...


Never even heard of them however if they're anything like say a Blue Ram I'm already interested. Thanks for the idea!


----------



## scooterlady (May 10, 2011)

There's also the Bolivian Ram. I have a pair that I really enjoy watching. Very beautiful but less colorful than the German Blue, but also less sensitive. They've even spawned!


----------



## ffemt89 (Mar 22, 2012)

thats awesome! I always just assumed that since they were a cichlid that they would be too aggressive for a community tank especially with the little fish i wanted to put in this one


----------



## Cadiedid (Oct 26, 2011)

I don't have experience with angelfish, but I sure do enjoy my cherry shrimp! They live in a planted tank with danios and recently some babies have managed to survive and evade their busy fish tankmates. I love to get close to the tank and watch the RCS do their thing. They are always busy grazing and a joy to observe!


----------



## Mr_Pat (Apr 13, 2010)

instead of the neons maybe see if you can find the cardinal tetras we actually have a mixed school of about 30 cardinals and 20 neons in our 90 gallon, along with the rummy nose which by the way seem to be more show offs then the cards or the neons lol.. we only have 8 oof the rummy but they constantly come to the front of the tank when i walk and and run back and forth. and if you do the cherry shrimp you'll have a ton in no time .. at least thats my experience over the coarse of the last month and a half ish.. started with 40 and now my lil 15 gallon tank i set up for them is loaded.. another small fish you might look into is Galaxy Rasobora AKA Celestial Pearl Danio,


----------



## ffemt89 (Mar 22, 2012)

So I've progressed in redoing my tank, the redo is done!!!! LOTS of live plants, sand substrate and a couple of awesome pieces of driftwood. I think my final species list is as follows, any input would be awesome!

4-6 Albino Cory
8-10 Neon Tetra
8-10 Rummynose Tetra
4 Scarlet Badis (1M, 3F)
6-8 RCS
6-8 Ramshorn Snails


----------



## ffemt89 (Mar 22, 2012)

the tank will probably be converted to an open top as well which is why Im going with fish that from what I've ready aren't very jumpy and stay towards the bottom 1/2 or 2/3 of the tank


----------



## susankat (Nov 15, 2008)

Good luck in finding female scarlet badis, they are few and far between.


----------



## ffemt89 (Mar 22, 2012)

well there goes that plan haha

I thought they'd fit what i wanted perfectly too!


----------

