Tetras??

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kevbc03

kevbc03

Piranha
MFK Member
Oct 12, 2008
1,497
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Cleveland
Hello MFK!

So, I have kept all sorts of different kinds of fish in the past and wanted to try something new and simple.

I find tetras to be beautiful, peaceful, and active fish. I have never tried to keep tetras, which is a bit strange because they seem like they would be a great beginner fish for any hobbyist. I have an empty 55 gallon that has been cycling for about a month now. This will be a species-only tank. 2 penguin 350s with bio-wheel. Amazon type decor with driftwood and rocks. Temp set at 80. Params are great. I am ready.

I want to ask a few questions and hopefully you guys will give me some advice and opinions.

1. What is the most active, schooling tetra that can be housed in a 55 gallon (opinion)?
2. How many can I keep in a 55 for a size-relative shoal?
3. Diet?
4. Any chance of breeding in a 55?
5. Would I need a cleanup crew?

Thanks in advance
 
Neon tetras are good and bleeding heart tetras are good for schooling to and yes they could breed but u have to be their and put in a separate tank to avoid them getting eaten, a clean up crew tht would be good is a dojo loach he will be good in a 55 and they are not aggressive at all I had mine with neon tetras and he was fine:)


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U could fit 12 to 15 if no clean up crew and 8-10 with a dojo in it but honestly these tetras are not poop machines they will be good with out one just have good filtration.


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Tetra species only tank? I would say Exodon Paradoxus shoal, you would need 25+ for 55G and few cory cats or yoyo loach for clean up crew...those are mini piranha :D
 
Yuki Rihwa said:
Tetra species only tank? I would say Exodon Paradoxus shoal, you would need 25+ for 55G and few cory cats or yoyo loach for clean up crew...those are mini piranha :D
Click to expand...

Yes I am well aware of the exos lol Unfortunately I would like a peaceful type of tetra.

Bleeding tetras look cool. Neons would be cool as well but I heard they dwindle very quickly. Any hardier tetras out there?
 
Try some red and blue Columbian tetras. They have great color and school well.


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Rummynose tetras school the tightest, and I would say if you have them alone in there you could easily do 30-40. Most tetras don't have a big bioload. A bigger number would be an especially attractive display if you did planted, and that would help in regards to bioload as well. My personal favorite tetras are Glowlights - they have an understated simple beauty. Diamonds are also nice, and black neons are too. If you went bigger, Emperor tetras are gorgeous but you wouldn't be able to have as many of them (or the Diamonds). Ember tetras are tiny, but deep bodied, and very pretty if you can find them. If you had them alone, you could easily do 60, imo. Also not a tetras, but Harlequin Rasboras are one of my very favorite schooling fish.

Dojo loaches probably shouldn't be kept at 80 degrees, they are more cool water. If you want to do clean up crew I'd go with either a BN pleco, or otos, and/or cories (a school of them would look very nice too, especially if you did one of the pygmy types and got 20+ along with 20+ small tetra species - those kinds of cories are truly tiny!). Not South American, but you could also go with small loaches like Kuhlis, sidthumunki, or striata.

Edited to add - yes, ime, I have found normal Neons dwindle in numbers pretty quickly, but all the others I have mentioned are quite hardy and long lived. I have some of those species 5+ years.
 
kno4te said:
Try some red and blue Columbian tetras. They have great color and school well.


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Click to expand...

These are great fish.

Also i recommend:

Lemon tetras.
Bleeding heart tetras
Diamond tetras.
Red eye tetras.

Oh and Congo tetras, African, not South American, but so beautiful.
 
kevbc03 said:
Yes I am well aware of the exos lol Unfortunately I would like a peaceful type of tetra.

Bleeding tetras look cool. Neons would be cool as well but I heard they dwindle very quickly. Any hardier tetras out there?
Click to expand...
*Buenos Aries (unsafe for planted tank)
*Red Serpa
*Congo Tetra (unsafe for planted tank)
**Madagascar Rainbowfish is another option for community tank and like other rainbow species this is almost disease proof species :D
 
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