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Right, if this is a NEW 38 gallon aquarium with no other fish in it yet, and you're looking for some nice contrasting Tetras to go in there, you have a wealth of options.

Lemons and Emperors would be a nice contrasting mix. Say 8 to 10 of each.

If you're fond of Serpaes, then they'd go well with Red-Eye Tetras, which are also nippy and fractious. Just don't put anything in there with long fins to accompany them, or the long finned fish will be shredded in minutes!

Another possibility is Columbian Red Blues and Lemons. Another nice contrasting setup. Or, if you feel like having something a little different, you could pair the Lemons up with Marbled Hatchet Fish.

Another good contrasting mix would be Silver Tips and Glowlights. Or, you could go for a shoal of Head And Tail Light Tetras with Tranclucent Bloodfins. If you want your tank to be hyperactive, try mixing Lemons and Rosies!

Of course, you need not be restricted to the 'everyday' Tetras you see at the dealer's if you're prepared to wait for special orders. Something unusual such as Loreto Tetras (which are usually bypassed by collectors because they live in the same waters as the much more marketable Neon Tetras!) or if you can find it, the Belgian Flag Tetra, Hyphessobrycon heterorhabdus.

Me, I'd go for the Lemons/Rosies mix. That would be non stop entertainment because both sets of males would start jousting (within species) as they matured, but their jousting would be 'safe' and wouldn't involve damage. Chances are you'd have quite a spawning frenzy in there if they both decided to spawn at the same time!


Last edited by Calilasseia at 19-Jan-2006 00:48

Panda Catfish fan and keeper/breeder since Christmas 2002

Cali that sounds very interesting, but I don't think I'm ready to try breeding yet.

I am not going to add them to the uncycled aquarium, just wanted to know if they were sensitive so I would know when to add them. My aquarium is like half cycled now. I tried to seed it, but didn't do a good enough job...I have nitrites, nitrates and ammonia. My 8 neons are in there. They are very tough because when my 10g parameters went crazy they lived in 3ppm ammonia for a week...so they are doing great in 0.25ppm ammonia and 2ppm nitrite. I won't add the glowlights for atleast a couple weeks.

*Kristin*

Adult Glowlights are pretty hardy. They'll adjust to a range of water chemistry parameters if acclimatised with due care and attention, and once settled, will become an excellent addition to the aquarium.

Your BIG problem will come if you decide to breed them, because Glowlight fry are extremely sensitive to carbonate hardness, and need extremely low values (less than 0.5°KH) for the first 7 days of life. Having said that, Glowlights provide a minor spawning novelty - the breeding pair perform a synchronised 'barrel roll' when releasing eggs!


Panda Catfish fan and keeper/breeder since Christmas 2002

Cool. I have decided on the glowlights. I have seen those in LFS so I know I will be able to find them.



*Kristin*

I agree, glowlight tetras are quite hardier than neons and cardinals. And when the mature, most of them will get brilliant white tips on the ends of there fins (caudal, pelvic, dorsal, and anal) which look really nice. I had them with cardinal tetras and they looked great together, so I am guessing they would look nice with neons too.

I would consider glowlights fairly hardy, much
more so than neons,
but of course they would not take a cycling tank
any more than a neon would.


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I may get the glowlights. I think Harlies would just make the tank seem funny, since they are so different than neons. Glowlights would make everything go together nicely.

Are they sensitive? I won't add them for few weeks since the tank is still new, but I was wondering if they were pretty hardy. I don't know much about them.

*Kristin*

I agree - regular glowlights are very nice-looking fish. They look wonderful in planted tanks.

______________
Cake or death?

with neons - glowlights!!
Mine look fabulous schooling together!


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I will definitely keep in mind to watch them.

I am going to the LFS's this weekend to get some fish to add to my 55g and will see what they have (and if they have pencilfish). If I don't see any, I will ask if they can order them...that way when I am ready, I will know where to go.

Thanks for your suggestions...when I set the tank up..I will keep you guys (and girl ) up to date on what I am able to get...and will have pictures. It will be a few months though . I just got a new 29g, so gotta get it planted and stocked first.


Any tetra suggestions to go with neons in a 29g? I was actually thinking about Harlies (i know they're not tetras)...but was curious about what other people would suggest.
I may put my male betta in there, so a not so nippy tetra would be great (although I could always take him out before adding another school).

*Kristin*

Interesting Calli,
I had pencils a couple years back,
and they were never aggressive with each other
not in the slightest.
Not only that but their tiny mouths dont seem
to be able to do much damage!
Maybe yours had too much testosterone!



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Lemons should go well with Pearl Gouramies. Lemons aren't nippy, but they can be fairly boisterous among their own kind (in a safe way).

I suspect that if you had a Pearl Gourami in with the Tetras, they'd shoal more tightly. This might have a beneficial effect on curbing any rogue personality tendencies in any Beckford's Pencils that you do get. I'd run with this combination, but again, watch the Beckford's Pencils like a hawk just to make sure they don't misbehave ...


Panda Catfish fan and keeper/breeder since Christmas 2002

I will have to see if I can find Beckford's Pencilfish. I have not seen any type of pencilfish at my LFS's.

What tetras would be good with Pearl Gouramis? And wouldn't stress them or nip their fins? Would lemons be ok?

I want a trio of Pearl Gouramis as the centerpieces. I also want lemons though...so if they aren't compatible I will be forced to choose.

What else would go with the lemons and pearls (if they can go together)? Would the pencilfish?

Thanks for all the suggestions...I can't wait to set this tank up.

*Kristin*

Oh, I had Beckford's Pencils and Lemons together, and they looked great ... until my psychotic males started exterminating the females ...

In a 38 gallon I suspect there would be enough space to keep a shoal of Beckford's happy, but I wouldn't put them in a smaller space because, in my experience, they can become very territorial - perhaps I had a rogue bunch, but mine started off behaving like normal shoaling Characins, then in about six weeks started behaving like Mbuna ... and hardcore criminal Mbuna such as Pseudotropheus elongatus into the bargain!

If GirlieGirl gets Beckford's to go with her Lemons, I'd advise her to watch them like a hawk. In a 38 gallon setup they should have enough space to allow a group of 10 alongside 10 Lemons, but I'd make sure that the planting arrangement gave hiding places to any individuals that were low in the pecking order, and even then, still watch them like a hawk. Oh they're bomb proof in hardiness terms, can't fault them on that score, but I'd opt for a 3 females to 1 male ratio at least to try and stave off any 'wife beating' that might take place. Mine were vicious ... so much for the textbooks calling them 'peaceful shoaling Characins'!


Panda Catfish fan and keeper/breeder since Christmas 2002

Personally, of all the tetras I have,
my two faves to combine are:
Neons/Cardinals and Glowlight Tetras
or
Buenos Aires and Red Eye Tetras

Both these two paired will school together,
and they sure look great.

Another Pairing I think that would look great is:
Beckfords Pencilfish and Lemon Tetras.
They would contrast nicely, the body shapes are quite different, and they would look great together!
Dont forget Pencilfish - they are one of the most forgotten Characins!

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So I thought I was getting a 48g tank...but turns out it is a 38g. I am not complaining though, because it was free. I love tetras and want to have atleast 2 schools in there...maybe 3 if they will fit. The dimensions are
36L x 12.5W x 20H (inches).

I want to plant it and maybe have Eco Complete as substrate. If not that then it will be natural gravel.

I already have head and tailight, Rummynose, and neon tetras, so I am looking for another kind (or two).

What do you suggest??

*Kristin*

But that doesn't mean they can't hold their own. I could easily see a 5" gourami putting any little tetra that messes with it in its place.

From what I hear/read Pearl Gourami's are very peaceful towards fish of other species.

What about lemons and fish such as Pearl Gouramis?

*Kristin*

If I'm mistaken, lemons can hold their own against serpaes. The blue ram would be the only thing I'd worry about getting kicked around.