Tetra choice

[viciouswolf11]

I recently posted a forum stated as amazon Biotope Help, which was a bit of a dogs dinner and rather embarrassing for me. I am now unsure of what other tetras I can choose apart from the mentioned glowlights.

I like over 5 different species but I cant choose the best, please help me choose one of the following or another you prefer to these
If choosing a seperate Tetra, make it between the sizes of 3 and 6 cm:

http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=h ... Ag&dur=575

Royal Tetra


http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=h ... 29,r:4,s:0

black phantom Tetra


http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=h ... 29,r:1,s:0

Rummy nose Tetra


http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=h ... 29,r:1,s:0

Lemon Tetra


http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=h ... 29,r:3,s:0

Cochus blue Tetra


http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=h ... 29,r:1,s:0

White skirt Tetra

[Silurus]

Avoid the white skirts, as this is an artificially-bred strain.

[viciouswolf11]

thanks for the info.

[firefish11]

Black Neon Tetra (Hyphessobrycon herbertaxelrodi) are a personal favorite of mine.

http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod ... catid=1582

I've had a small school of 10 that have been keeping a Golden Nugget company for a few years without any problems in water with a pH7.

Just curious but what kinda water parameters are you looking at keeping these guys in?

[viciouswolf11]

All neutral tank levels.

[apistomaster]

I don't know the size of your tank but what looks nice is to keep two schools of Tetras with different shapes. For example, from your list:
Rummy Nose Tetras which are light colored and slender
and
Black Phantom Tetras which are black with a rhomboid shaped body.
Over the years I have wanted large displays of Tetras and will, for example, breed Black Phantoms or Black Neons and Ember Tetras so I can have a hundred or more for little cost.
I like mass displays like that. Right now I have a 125 gal planted Tetra tank which has many species but the main fish are 100 Green Neon Tetras. They look really cool when they all school together.

[viciouswolf11]

Big tank for tetras, The tank is a 3*1*1.5 foot tank, Don't know much of gallon measurement but think its 50 gallons.

[mummymonkey]

Big tank for tetras, The tank is a 3*1*1.5 foot tank, Don't know much of gallon measurement but think its 50 gallons.

About half that.

[viciouswolf11]

Then Apistomasters tank is twice as big as I thought, It must be huge, I'd love it if you posted a picture of it.

[racoll]

The tank is a 3*1*1.5 foot tank, Don't know much of gallon measurement but think its 50 gallons.

mummymonkey is correct. Your tank is 28 UK gallons, but it won't be filled right to the top and there will be displacement from decor, so taking off say 10% for this, gives you 25 UK gallons (or about 115 litres).

[viciouswolf11]

just calculated the size to fish ratio and without the Tinfoils I will have enough room which is great as im leaving them out and im leaving out a second Cichid species.

[viciouswolf11]

Replying to Apistomaster would you say that if I follow that idea through then a school of six of each Tetra with the phantoms going in first then the rummynose a week later, would be fine

[racoll]

We seem to be discussing the same question in two different threads now. It gets very confusing when this happens. For reference, the other thread is here.

Regarding the tetras: as you have decided to keep the rainbow cichlids, and as we have discussed in the other thread, you will need to drastically increase the hardness and pH of your water to give them a good quality of life.

This will not be ideal for many tetras. The black phantoms will probably be okay, but the rummynose really need soft acidic water, and cannot be recommended to keep with these cichlids. This is why I suggested keeping the rainbow cichlids in a species tank.

[viciouswolf11]

Thats fine, I didn't suggest the two different tetras and for the LAST time I am changing the Ph to neutral, and personally I prefer the phantoms to the Rummies and after checking on up them iv'e found out they will be fine in a neutral tank, as will the Rainbow and all the other suggestions, plus I am leaving out the Kribensis'.

[racoll]

I am changing the Ph to neutral, and personally I prefer the phantoms to the Rummies and after checking on up them iv'e found out they will be fine in a neutral tank

Well keep just the phantoms then.

What you are proposing, is keeping an extreme blackwater species (rummynose tetras) which require very acidic soft water, with a species adapted to extremely high levels of dissolved minerals (hard water). You really couldn't try and choose species that are worse companions for each other. By keeping both of them at the extremes of their tolerances is just bad fishkeeping, and is totally avoidable.

You want your fish to thrive, not just survive, right?

[viciouswolf11]

I do, remember I haven't been a tetra fan in the past, I am only just getting interested in them "I know I should do research before thinking to keep them but any past tetras have been easy and I was not expecting such an available tetra would have these higher needs" now don't go off slightly insulting me or just 'pointing out things' in your next post as I can already see it. Just please be helpful and stop attempting to patronise me, please. now lets just forget about the strange attitude of your previous posts and hopefully we can just get along now.

[racoll]

any past tetras have been easy and I was not expecting such an available tetra would have these higher needs

There is a very good reason you have found tetras easy to keep in the past: it's because you have soft, acidic tapwater, perfect for tetras.

Seeing as you want to now keep Central American cichlids, you will have to change your water so it is no longer good for some tetras.

Does this make any sense?

[sidguppy]

Just please be helpful and stop attempting to patronise me, please. now lets just forget about the strange attitude of your previous posts and hopefully we can just get along now.

go to the bathroom, stand in front of the mirror and repeat to yourself what you typed here.....maybe you'll see the Pteranodon-sized flaw floating around in the ointment.

because all I can see is someone who's hellbent on doing what already has entered the head (not the brain) and if anyone is uppity enough and doesn't agree with what amounts to a very bad example of fishkeeping and not agreeing with you 100%, he or she is showing "a strange attitude"....

now I would be getting in trouble with Jools if I'd advice you to let your head be checked, so I will not do so.

but I congratulate you with the choice of the nickname, because it sure is spot on

[viciouswolf11]

Trust me, I do agree with Racoll, maybe I just read forums badly I shall re-read it, maybe your right, if you are then sorry to Racoll. Didn't mean to be look personal about it.

[viciouswolf11]

I know that is why and of course it makes sense, Iv'e been saying for the past day and a half that I will keep them at PH 7, although I will be honest with Racoll, I wasn't sure I was ready to keep these tetras with Cichlids as I haven't kept the Rummynose before, but I have kept the phantoms and Know how to care with them, sorry for the misread, I will take the previous post down now.

[viciouswolf11]

I am thinking of blood fin tetras now as they prefer slightly harder water meaning that they will be better for my rainbow cichlid, tell me what you think of this.

[apistomaster]

You asked me about getting six Black Phantoms then six Rummy Nose soon after and that would be fine. You really do have ideal water as is for Tetras, Apistogramma or other S. American dwarf Cichlids and almost all other small S. American Catfish. These are your fish choices that follow the path of least resistance. Perfect water for Discus.

Is there any possibility of being able to set up another tank for the Rainbow Cichlid? Since you only have one it could be as small as 38 liters.

[Jools]

@

now I would be getting in trouble with Jools if I'd advice you to let your head be checked, so I will not do so.

Indeed. But I've been very impressed at everyone's responses in trying to help viciouswolf11 despite the confusing double posting and aggressive language. In many other forums this would have gone nuclear by now - I think a few folks have already tuned out mind you and I don't blame them - but thanks everyone for keeping it civil.

Jools

[viciouswolf11]

I want to apologize about previous posts, I have a slight aspergers and dyslexia problem allowing me to pick up some things the wrong way, sorry about the previous thoughts of rudeness. I really have to get this problem checked out. please tell those who have tuned out that I'm sorry, really was not supposed to be personal, maybe we should just get back to the topic at hand and sorry for the double threads.

[racoll]

I am thinking of blood fin tetras now as they prefer slightly harder water meaning that they will be better for my rainbow cichlid, tell me what you think of this.

The bloodfin tetra Aphyocharax anisitsi would be a good choice for the rainbow cichlids as these tetras are quite undemanding in terms of water quality.

You really do have ideal water as is for Tetras, Apistogramma or other S. American dwarf Cichlids and almost all other small S. American Catfish. These are your fish choices that follow the path of least resistance.

This is exactly the philosophy I'm trying to get across: "the path of least resistance". If you have suitable water for South American softwater fish, then it's best to stick with them. Changing water chemistry is a pain, and you can really mess it up badly and kill things if you don't know what you are doing.

[viciouswolf11]

I do see what you are saying but of course I need to change it as the Rainbow I am talking about is already in my possession 'and I must move it as it is being territorial, this is only because its in a ten gallon tank, more than doubling the space should help him, he isn't hurting anything, just chasing them' so I need something hardy, as this seems to be difficult for some I will ask if their are any central american schooling fish suitable for my tank, doesn't have to be tetras.

[racoll]

I need something hardy, as this seems to be difficult for some, I will ask if their are any central american schooling suitable for my tank, doesn't have to be tetras.

if will keep you happy i will keep the water neutral,

I get the impression that you think it's somehow our fault that you can't keep any fish you like together. You are free to buy any fish you want, and then see what happens, but I guarantee you will not be getting the best out of them if you do this. What we offer is advice: take it or leave it.

Anyway, if you reread my last post, you will notice that I said bloodfin tetras will be fine in the alkaline water if you want them (as would the black phantom tetras). If you do want to have a Central American theme, however, then you will need to look no further than platies and swordtails to accompany your rainbow cichlids.

[viciouswolf11]

No, It wasn't supposed to seem like that, it just seemed like you were annoyed at me for keeping the tetras with the Herotilapia, I was just wanting to keep everyone here happy so that a grudge wasn't kept over me for the rest of my life on this forum, I will not keep one fish with another if you tell me that it will kill them, But I want to keep something in this tank other than the rainbows and my cats, even then I'd have to remove the cats if the Cichlids bred. So I need to compromise somehow, I just want info on tetras that will be fine in the neutral water, I'm happy with the result of the blood fins being all right. I am wondering if full size black neons would be ok, if not then that's ok as well, but i'm being offered them free in return for the plec I gave to the someone, I trust these site members a little more than on-line profiles, so even though these profiles say it will be fine I would rather double check with you guy's.

PS: I'm doing all else that would bring out these tetras colours so I thought what the hell. "black gravel, heavy planting a small amount of frog bit etc."

[racoll]

I am wondering if full size black neons would be ok,

Yup, these will be fine too.

[viciouswolf11]

great, thanks