Fish suggestions

[Owlbehere]

Well I don't think my tigers are going to make it, I've gone from 6 to two in a matter of 3 days due to dropsy. I think it came in with two new tigers (the first to go), I have learned my lesson and now have a quarantine/hospital tank.

I am also going to find a new home for my Odessa barbs. I only have two and they are not happy, since they are happier in schools. I also can't find any locally under 10$ a fish and really don't want to ship any at the mo. Oh and they like cool water and my tank needs to be warmer :p. Yea I think they are pretty but not suited to my tank.

So... I will be left with a clown pleco, african knife fish and leopard bush fish. (The paradise fish is staying with the danios and platys they get along great and enjoy the same water temperature ranges) So I will be left with fish that I only see swimming around at night after lights out... oh so exciting.

I'm going to wait a little bit before getting new fish but I would like to start reading up and making a list of ones I want to purchase. Any you guys would suggest to get me started?
My water PH is high (8.0) but I would rather not fight to lower it and have it fluctuate (any suggestions to lower it safely and not have the water to change color)
My water temperature is between 74 and 78
I have light substrate (white gravel)
And my knife fish and leopard fish will eat anything the size of a female guppy and smaller, but will ignore anything larger.
Although, they are small at the moment so can't fit live fish in their mouth.

I would like some schools... I like lamp eye tetras and corys... I was considering them.

[troy]

I would get rid of the african knife fish and leopard fish because they will be able to eat most of your other fish eventually.

[Sharon]

Congo Tetras won't get eaten, and the tank is big enough for a nice school of them. Maybe an Angel Fish or a Gourami...

[Owlbehere]

how big do congos get? one site said 2.75 - 3" the another said 5...

[Sharon]

I'm expecting three to four inches for males, and two inches for females...

[Owlbehere]

I like the congo tetra the only drawbacks I see are the fact that they are timid and prefer subdued light and dark substrate. And their water parameters don't fall in my range of PH (of course not much does but at least some are more tolerant than others of 8.0). I don't want constantly stressed fish. They are very beautiful fish but wont be much fun if they are always faded. What do you think, would they be stressed?

I was wondering about buenos aires tetras and lamp eye tetras... They both can tolerate 8.0 PH and get 2"+. I love my 2 odessa barbs (they are starting to show vivid color so maybe not too upset there are only two of them, I think my male is starting to get ideas with the female) but the water temp is just a little higher than they would like. I want fish in the same temp range. And I think my 20g would be over populated. (4 danios, 2 white clouds, paradise fish, 2 wag platys and a dalmatian molly, UGF and HOB 20g bio wheel) It is cool water though.

I'm not giving up on my african knife and leopard fish because they really are the favorites of my tank; when they come out for a stroll during daylight hours at least. I lucked out, I think, and got peaceful ones. My dads favorite is the knife and my mom and bf love the leopard as do I. I would rather get larger fish to go in with them. From what I have read 2"+ is enough to deter them. They aren't like cichlids, with eyes bigger than their stomachs.

[Sharon]

Gabrielle, my Congos are certainly not timid, and they don't have subdued lighting or a dark substrate. They do have ph that is 7ish. My tapwater is 6 but the substrate in this tank keeps it up a bit. I'm not sure if PH is a big issue or if they would adjust as a lot of fish do....They are lovely fish, and make for a lively tank...

[Owlbehere]

I'll have to look into finding some :) What would be a good size school?

[Red]

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You will start to loose all your small fish. IMO the african gets to big for your 60 and will be stunted and have a shorter life span. They will eat the fish, knifes are good at night to pick off fish.

[Owlbehere]

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You will start to loose all your small fish. IMO the african gets to big for your 60 and will be stunted and have a shorter life span. They will eat the fish, knifes are good at night to pick off fish.
mmm... I still have a week left on his warranty I could take him back. Gosh I hate to break it to my dad. He comes in my room just to look at him. But, He would probably get over it.

[Sharon]

I'll have to look into finding some :) What would be a good size school?

I have six...I would have had more, but they are pricey here. I bought mine small, and they've grown fast.

[Owlbehere]

going off troy and sevs suggestion I took back the knife fish. Well I took him back ran to school and I'm going to do the return after classes. A perk of being ex employee everyone knows me. Woo I think I aced my biology exam! Still keeping my leopard even if I have to get him his own tank :) hopefully this makes it easier to stock my tank. So it's really hard type with an iPod touch so... Later :) gabrielle

[mac]

going off troy and sevs suggestion I took back the knife fish. Well I took him back ran to school and I'm going to do the return after classes. A perk of being ex employee everyone knows me. Woo I think I aced my biology exam! Still keeping my leopard even if I have to get him his own tank :) hopefully this makes it easier to stock my tank. So it's really hard type with an iPod touch so... Later :) gabrielle

Ipod touch. I find it great to use. Very easy to type for me. Wonderful, free internet if you go looking!

Great news with the African Knife out of the tank. That will help make things more safe.

Congos are far from timid, even in bright lighting. The best thing tyo do for these fish it to have quite a bit of plants. Helps to give the fish places to get out of the light if they want.

As for stocking, Congos would be a idea. Just one thing you will need to drip acclimatize then. So they are not shocked. Always worked for me.

A Butterfly fish would be great, that is if you have a tight fitting hood. These fish work great, and are wonderful.

mac

[Owlbehere]

Ipod touch. I find it great to use. Very easy to type for me. Wonderful, free internet if you go looking!

Great news with the African Knife out of the tank. That will help make things more safe.

Congos are far from timid, even in bright lighting. The best thing tyo do for these fish it to have quite a bit of plants. Helps to give the fish places to get out of the light if they want.

As for stocking, Congos would be a idea. Just one thing you will need to drip acclimatize then. So they are not shocked. Always worked for me.

A Butterfly fish would be great, that is if you have a tight fitting hood. These fish work great, and are wonderful.

mac
Uh small buttons. I hate that I type one letter but slightly hit the letter next to it and my words come out scrambled. I'm getting better at it though.

I took him back and used the credit to get a piece of mopani wood for my clown pleco. It makes a natural cave the way it is shaped and the under side is softer so I think he will like it. Going to start soaking it now.

I'm going to work on the layout of my ornaments and plants (artificial), needs better aquascaping. Then I'm going to go on a fish hunt. Making a list first with pros and cons of each fish. Need a home for my dalmatian molly now :P. I got it as a baby with the red wags not realizing what it was till it showed color. They were teensy tiny. But its not going to work in the 20g with the others.

[Owlbehere]

eek... I don't think I will be getting those congos anytime soon. I can't get them locally and online the cheapest was 5.99 with 40.00 shipping!!!:ssuprised: 5.99x6+40=75.94... They may be well worth it but I think I would like to use the money to get other fish... cheaper fish. :hmm3grin2orange: They can go into my dream planted tank when I get there.