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Hi everyone

I'd like to know what experiences you have had with these fish. I have 8 of these darlings and would like to know what are suitable tankmates for them. I have a 42G tall tank and would like to introduce some albino cories but I'm at a loss as to what else. I realize they are nippy fish and I want to make sure that whatever tankmates I add will not be bothered by them. An LFS worker suggested some rasboras of some sort and 1 or 2 bolivian rams, but I'm hesitant on this. Should I stick with a tetra species tank or are there some more aggressive or larger type fish that could hold their own with the tetras??

Thanks for your suggestions


*Mitch*

Doesn't anyone have any experience with these fish?


*Mitch*

No direct eperience, but their feisty nature immediately places several restrictions on the species that can be housed compatibly with them. Long flowing fins are out right from the start of course - so that rules out male Bettas, Angelfish and the like. Chances are you would be looking at putting them alongside Serpaes (which are similarly nippy and feisty) as one possible combination, or alongside fast movers such as Zebra Danios and Scissortails.

They may be compatible with some livebearers too, provided that the livebearers in question are not fancy varieties with extended finnage (Sailfin Mollies are struck off the compatibility list again, along with lyretails and other fancy Mollies). red Eyes would probably be feisty enough to live alongside Gambusias, which are themselves nippy and aggressive.

As for Cichlids, well, Red Eyes are not only tough enough to live alongside Kribs (I'd be very wary of putting Red Eyes in with assorted Apistogramma Dwarf Cichlids because several of those have elaborate finnage) but large adult specimens might even be tough enough to live alongside Firemouths. They might even make good dither fish for the moderately territorial and more compact Thorichthys Cichlids of which the Firemouth is simply the commonest in the trade and the best known. A quick check of the distribution maps shows that Red Eyes share their native waters with some fairly tough customers - other fishes from the Rio Solimoes through to the Amazonas proper include Satanoperca eartheater Cichlids, Severums and Oscars. However, I'd think twice about putting them in with Oscars because a big Oscar will regard them as lunch!

Some of the tougher Barbs would also make good company for them - Tiger Barbs being an obvious choice, being of similar size and temperament. A good choice if you can find it also would be either of Rasbora borapetensis or Rasbora pauciperforata, this latter species being known here in the UK as the Glowlight Rasbora because its colour scheme is remarkably similar to that of the Glowlight Tetra. However, the Glowlight Rasbora is a streamlined and fast moving fish that will be able to avoid any unwelcome attention from the Red Eyes. As for some of the other Barbs, more peaceful ones such as Checker Barbs or Tic-Tac-Toe Barbs might work, but I'd watch the Red-Eyes carefully in case they start picking upon the more peaceful fishes if you choose this route.

As for other Tetra companions, aside from Serpaes, I'd be looking at Rummy Noses (fast and streamlined), Buenos Aires Tetras (fast, streamlined and very tough - tough enough to be dither fish for Convicts!), Silver Tips (which exhibit some surprising territorial behaviour in the right setting, and are fun to watch when they do) and Lemons. Neons would probably be too delicate for the roughhouse of a Red Eye aquarium.

I'd also keep an eye on them with respect to how they interact with Corys too - while I haven't heard of any instances of Red Eyes beating up Corys, there are posters here who have had that happen with Serpaes in the past.

If your aquarium is big enough, then a small Doradid catfish might be a reasonable choice - not least because Doradids are underwater main battle tanks that can live with Oscars and Green Terrors!

Oh, by the way, Red Eyes are tough when it comes to water conditions. My LFS has them in regularly, and in the past they've survived some fairly unpleasant incidents there, such as the time the local water company dumped excess aluminium suplhate in the tap water. The Red Eye aquarium was given a water change at the time without the dealer knowing about the treatment chemicals coming through the tap, and the other fishes in there (some nice espei Rasboras and some juvenile Botia morleti loaches) were all dead in 24 hours. The Red Eyes survived.


Panda Catfish fan and keeper/breeder since Christmas 2002

Thank you so much for taking the time and providing me with this information Calilasseia. I've got my shopping list now! Very much appreciated


*Mitch*