Please recommend not-so-skittish fish for a small tank.

**KeIgO86** · 18th Sep 2010, 13:41

Hi all

Could you kindly recommend some fish that are not so skittish for an aquarium with the follow specs below? I tried rummynose tetras and they were so spooked when i stood up in front of the tank (placed at my desk) 2 out of 10 jumped out. Even be simply turning the lights off, 2 jumped out again. I doubt its the water conditions as they have a bright red coloration on their nose already when they started getting spooked and jumping out.

Tank Specs:
36x24x26cm (Braceless Optiwhite)
White oyama background
Open aquascape with mostly jap hairgrass and a moss covered bogwood
Filtration/Water flow: 300l/h canister; outlet: 10mm lily pipe
GEX dark green packet

**iaintay** · 18th Sep 2010, 22:55

Have you tried bettas? They are gorgeous! German Rams?

**Jungle-mania** · 20th Sep 2010, 08:57

You can't use bettas, they are not community fish by nature and you need alot of experience to let them live in a tank together successfully. But the tank would be great for one betta and a pair of otos.

The problem is not the fishes, but your setup. Your tank is too small for 10 rummynose. You might want to use a dark background too, it calms the fishes too.

**iaintay** · 20th Sep 2010, 17:49

I think bettas are perfect in a 36cm tank, i even have one in a 7gal tank all by himself.

Not enough swimming space for them as they are very active fishes, stressing them.

**k3nlim** · 20th Sep 2010, 20:07

small tetras like neon or ember might be good.
It will be better if the background is darker to calm the fishes as what jungle mania had said.

**iaintay** · 20th Sep 2010, 20:37

Neon to me, is kinda active. Not peaceful.

**Jungle-mania** · 20th Sep 2010, 21:12

You might want to consider pygmy gourami, chcocolate gourami, borara brigittae, borara merah. But IMO,they will be equally spook easily. I recommend using some frog bits as cover for the time being to keep them cosy and impede on their ability of jumping.

**iaintay** · 20th Sep 2010, 21:27

If all else fails, you could try shrimps! Fire red shrimps. Not skittish, very peaceful.

**k3nlim** · 20th Sep 2010, 22:18

Originally Posted by eiontay

Neon to me, is kinda active. Not peaceful.

They shoal quite nicely in certain numbers and conditions..not so easily spooked due to strength in numbers

**Jungle-mania** · 21st Sep 2010, 06:06

Originally Posted by k3nlim

They shoal quite nicely in certain numbers and conditions..not so easily spooked due to strength in numbers

Tank size is the issue here, there is very little depth for them. OT here, like your quote, strikes a chord with me. =)

**iaintay** · 21st Sep 2010, 21:48

Hmm, probaably my neons hates me. Most of them jumped out of my 2ft -.- but my cardinal didn't. And my neons were just hiding in a corner. Wonder what spooked them! Hahah. RIP to them. You could try female bettas! Can be placed in a group and there with be alpha female taking charge.

**k3nlim** · 21st Sep 2010, 22:35

Actually overcrowding will cause any fishes to be skittish in my opinion ( i only have 5 ember, 1 silver and 3 black neon tetras in a 2ft tank). Ember (max around 6?) should do relatively fine in 1ft tank? Darken the tank by using lower lights or planting heavily might do the trick or consider what fishes swim near the bottom or mid level and plan if they will be suitable for the setup.

totally agreed with jungle mania regarding the depth of the tank