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Cardinal tetra may not be very ideal for you. They tend to shoal rather than school.
This is my current setup for my tank. I'm thinking of stocking it with small schooling fishes but I'm torn between harlequin rasboras and cardinals. I would also like to get some cherry shrimps for my tank too. Which do you guys think I should get? Thanks!
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Cardinal tetra may not be very ideal for you. They tend to shoal rather than school.
Mmm, I heard that about them but a couple of guys were debating that they did. I already ready that harlequin rasboras school rather tightly but might be a little big for a 2ft. They recommended espei rasboras instead. What do you think?Originally Posted by magpie
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If you have only option cardinals or rasbora, I would suggest rasbora. But if you dont mind guppies, tiny endlers won't disappoint you. Have a look.
If you decided to go with rasbora, look for their compatibility with shrimps.
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I choosing between the two because I was looking for schooling fishes. I've just seen the tiny endlers and they look great! I just read that they needed a tank with a lid as they tend to jump out and my current setup is an open top.
I've heard that ras jumps too but I can't confirm that.
Thanks for the tip! I'll check that out. (:
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Borara brigittae or merah may be another option. Since they are smaller in size you can get more maybe 20 plus fish. It makes ur scape looks bigger with this small fish.
Oh Boraras sounds good too. I would love to have a larger school of smaller fishes. What about Espei Rasboras? I heard they're really small and school tightly.
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If the fish is frightened then they will school tightly to feel more secured. you obviously do not want this situation in your tank. So dont worry much about schooling and choose the smaller fish in bigger number.
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Mmm! I heard that introducing a predator-ish fish would make them school more but the constant presence of one would increase stress on the fishes and they will have a higher mortality rate.
That's a good advice. I shall keep that in mind. Thanks! (:
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Espei are great directional schoolers. Good flow makes them happy. Don't be fooled by their pale appearance in lfs. Treat them well and they will reward you with a nice copper glow as they mature. You're also right they don't grow as big as harlequins, perfect for a 2ft tank.
I find that they are not the most outgoing fish, and in an iwugami setup with minimum hiding space they will congregate and school even more tightly.
I suggest you get at least 20++ juveniles and allow them to grow out, you can then select and keep the ones with nice colorations and balance out the bioload.
Update: most lfs tend to mix them with hengali rasbora, which spots a more transparent body. They are nice fish too, but when mixed with espei can be quite distracting. I'll recommend a single species stocking.
Thank you for your in depth response! Espei are good eh? Excellent because I really like how small they are and the fact that they are directional schoolers.
That's good too! I love it when fishes school tightly in an aquarium. I just hope it isn't too stressful for them.
Oh? 20+? That's a good idea selecting the few nicer ones. I shall definitely do that. By any chance are you from Singapore? If so, are there any good lfs that you would recommend that have them?
I appreciate the tip. I'm intending to get only one species of fish for my tank. Thanks! (:
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I think the Espei in our lfs are farm bred, they're not seasonal and readily available. I got 20 pieces for seaview a year ago for less than $15 after discount (can't remember the exact price, but definitely not more than 80¢ each). They are cheap as juvies. I still have about 16 of them in my 2ft, they are hardy and easy to care for.
Some lfs sells "nicer" ones at higher price, but I think it's due to their maturity; not like they are a special breed/lineage or wild caught.
Like I said, buy them young (hence cheap) and grow them out, then select the nicer ones and give the rest away (please don't cull them). The tricky part is differentiating them from hengali rasboras and picking the ones with good color potential. With experience you'll be able to make good guesses.
This may help you http://www.acquarioacquadolce.it/wp-...gonostigma.jpg
Just don't buy prepacked fishes. Pick a nice weekday and visit seaview when it's not crowded, take a stool and make yourself comfortable, and take your time to choose. It's the most fun part of this hobby, and why folks rush through it is simply beyond me.
Ahhh, that's fantastic! I shall head down to seaview in a couple of weeks once my tank cycles. I'll pick 20 as you suggested and choose the nicer ones once they mature.
Thanks for the image to help me differentiate! I'm really new to rasboras and this would be very very helpful.
Haha yeah, I enjoy slowly choosing my fishes too. It's like choosing potential roommates so you want to make sure you choose nice ones. I'll try to head down during the weekdays because weekends can get insanely packed.
Thanks for your help, Ivan!
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