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I have a 42 gallon corner tank (taller than it is wide) but bought a more-than-adequate filter (Fluval 304, rated at 70 gallons). I plan on doing a fishless cycle before putting fish in there, but there is the question:

What fish shall I put in my tank?


1) black neon Tetras - I REALLY like them. This is my base. A school - how big a school?

2) one short-tailed (crown tail) male betta, OR two females?

that's as far as I've gotten... what else?

turquoise rainbow fish? some other rainbow?
Pearl Gourami?

Reccomendations? I love the silver/tinfoil/blue/black color-changing in the light/mother-of-pearl kinds of colors.

Also - I'd like to slightly understock. How many tetras? One place said at least 5, another said 9-12 is better. How many other fish can I get?

Sorry to not be more specific... I'm just starting to think about this, but if anyone has input I will read it eagerly



Thanks,

Melissa

Well...on the stocking....since you like black neons...make them your main focus....go with a nice big school 12+ sounds great to me .
Honestly, I'm not sure I'd put bettas in there period. I think they'd go better in a smaller tank and to me just don't work.
As for how much stocking....that filter is fine, however as it's a canister you wont have the surface agitation that you would with a HOB style filter. And since it's surface area rather than gallonage that's more important in stocking you'll want to keep that in mind. Another thing to consider is the fact that the tank is taller than wide, I'd stay with smaller sized fish in such a case.

^_^[hr width='40%']"Cause you can't jump the track,we're like cars on a cable
and life's like an hourglass, glued to the table
No one can find the rewind button girl,
So cradle your head in you hands
And breathe, just breathe..."

2pearl gourmis
1 betta
1 elephantnose
15 black neons
1bn
1 RTBS

I wouldnt put rainbow fish with a betta

---

''All the clown fish and yellow tangs in the world cant save you now!''

if you wanted to be safeER you could use a wild betta or a female betta

[font color="#800080"] Have a look at Dwarf neon rainbow fish. If you have a good sized school of each the dwarf neon rainbows and the black neons (anyone else see a neon theme?) you might have room for a few bottom feeders. Will you be planting this tank?[/font]

Much thanks for your input... a few more questions...

Babel - see, I have only one Betta (happy in a 5 gallon filtered heated cycled tank) but I LOVE to watch him. He is so expressive - interested and interesting. I have made a promise to co-habitors to not increase the number of tanks so my only chance for more Betta is this community tank. Would it be unhappy for the Betta to be in a 42 gallon or would it just be that they are easier to watch in a smaller tank? Would two females be happier in there than 1 male?

Also - I know there is less surface area AND less agitation but I do have tons of good air-pump action going on (long bubble wall along the back of the tank), so as long as the power doesn't go out it should be plenty oxegynated. I do want to stay with smaller fish, or if not small then fish that go up and down, since any fish that was big that wanted to swim back and forth would not be happy. And fish don't usually go up and down, so yeah, small is good.

Alex - elephant nose - cool idea! I was looking around on the web at them and they are extremely cool looking. I will look for them on my next fish-store rounds and see if there are any around here. thanks for the idea!

What is bn and RTBS?

Would rainbows bother a Betta? (or vice versa?) or do you just think it wouldn't look good?

Trillian - the dwarf neon rainbows are awesome! If I had 12-15 black neon's and wanted also dwarf neons, about how many could I put in (and still be slightly understocked)?

I'm not going to plant right away, but I have plenty of silk plants and hidey-places. I am only starting to experiment with plants in a smaller tank. Maybe someday, but not in the initial plan.

Thanks again..

Hi,
For some reason folks like to use initials for fish.
A BN is a Bristlenose Catfish.
A RTBS is a Red Tail Black Shark.
Don't worry... Always ask, and soon you will be spouting
these things like a pro.

Frank


-->>> The Confidence of Amateurs, is the Envy of Professionals <<<--

Would rainbows bother a Betta?

I think a betta would bother the rainbows beacuse of their colour &amp; start attacking the poor rainbow shishies! :#(

The issues with bettas is that generally they dont like the stronger current. Key word in that of course is "generally" ... there are always plenty of exceptions and if you plan the tank to include places out of the current than they may be happy.

^_^ [hr width='40%']"Cause you can't jump the track, we're like cars on a cable
and life's like an hourglass, glued to the table
No one can find the rewind button girl,
So cradle your head in you hands
And breathe, just breathe..."

Why don't you get 2 Angels, 1 school of Corydoras &amp; 1 school of Black Neon Tetra's.


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