Rose line shark/torpedo barb VS Boesemani Rainbow

[sleeby]

Puntius denisonii (Rose line shark/torpedo barb/other names)

I'm still fighting my itch to get four Rose Line Sharks before they are gone again until next Spring.

110G tall (4'). Community tank. Three schools of barbs, two schools of tetras and a school of Danios (really two schools but they act as one).

(6)Neon and (9)rummy nose
(6) cherry barbs; (4) Pentazona; (8) Gold Checkered barbs
(4) cories
(2) petricola cats
(5) Lake Inle Danios; (4) Leopard Danios (zebra morph)

and a few hodge podge such as a dwarf guarami.

Anyhow, I'm moving the angels out into their own, new tank along with the school of checkered barbs and some rasboras and loaches. So I need a new center piece fish.

The Lake Inle Danios are about 3.5-4" and are danios. . .they are quick, active, inhabit the upper mid zone and play an incessent game of grab ass with each other and the leopards. The leopards seem almost dominant over them but it's pretty even and no one gets hurt.

Anyhow, if I get the rose lines it would need to be tonight or very soon as they have been selling the tank off all week.

I'm just not sure about if I want another danio like fish or something more graceful and slow. From watching videos of the rose lines they seem more subdued than Boesemanis.

Which would you choose if you were me? Both are colorful fish. The rainbows costing much less ($20 each for the rose lines).

or would you go another route for the center piece?

[frizzlefish]

First, I wanna know how you get your arm down in a 4' tall tank??! I almost fall into mine and it's only a 60 gallon! LOL

[sleeby]

It is tall! Not 4' tall but. . .no way I can reach the bottom. Since you ask, I will tell - I stole a nice, large wooden spoon from my wife and keep in on top of the hood and at hand. Other than moving stuff around I also use the spooned end to fan above the gravel to even it out where I want to. Second best tool only to my python.

Now - you said "First. . ." so you owe me a reply to my original query now! :)


Been watching vidies on youtube of both species and the rainbows seem slower and less danio like than the denisonii. Anyone have thoughts as to which is more graceful and/or less disruptive to those around it?

[Wild Turkey]

They make tools that make aquascaping in deep tanks a breeze. I'll post some links in a sec

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[frizzlefish]

Now - you said "First. . ." so you owe me a reply to my original query now! :)



Alright, alright. :) I have no personal experience with the rainbows or any of the other fish you've listed but I do think they are very beautiful, especially the bosemani.


Does that count as an answer?? LOL

[mac]

HMM, that is a fair amount of fish. Not that it will over stock the tank. But there will be quite a lot of schools and fish all over the place.

IMO and IME large schools in less species is always better looking.
As for the Danois I have found that the more you have the better behaved they are. So I would double to three or 4 times increase the size schools. That way you will have less aggression.

(6)Neon and (9)rummy nose
(6) cherry barbs; (4) Pentazona; (8) Gold Checkered barbs
(4) cories
(2) petricola cats
(5) Lake Inle Danios; (4) Leopard Danios (zebra morph)

What I would do with this list, and this is just me.

I would do this.

15 Cherry Barbs. 17 Pentazon Barbs. 10 Golden Checker Barbs.
Then
7+ Corys.

With the petricola cat, you do have to be careful. There are quite a few which are for Hard water Cichlid tank, which come from he rift lakes. And these are not suitable for soft water Aquariums. So these you do have to be careful not to get the wrong types. Because they can be hard to tell the species.

So that would be my main stocking.
Just to add color and some larger fish, I would get about 5 SAE's and a shoal or either the Rainbows say 5-7 or the Torpedo Barbs.

Hope this gives some help.

mac

[Algenco]

How could you pass up the Puntius denisonii :18:

[sleeby]

The checkered barb school will be moving out and into the new angel tank. BTW, for anyone reading, I bought them cause they were peaceful and schooling barbs - but after they were here for a week and eating well I found that they are gorgeous!

I would love to increase the pentazona school. . .hard to find fish though; but when I next have a chance I will; another great, pretty, peaceful, schooling barb.

What about a Pearl Gourami or three? I've always had the dwarf species but never the real deals. . .the pearls are attractive to me and seem (on the web) to be more peaceful than most gouramies.

[sleeby]

"How could you pass up the Puntius denisonii?"

Well, I've been fighting the good fight all week now. I went there tonight hoping they were all sold. . .but they weren't. Left with only a single plant. I was a good boy this day.

Mentioned to the owner that I was winning the battle and that I hoped they would all be sold by weekend and he mentioned that he had a whole tank full in the basement. . .so the war is not yet won. Need to get my attentions on something else for awhile. :-)

[mac]

Pearls are great fish to keep. Mine were great till the library had a power surge and the heater went open circuit. Heating the tank to 50'c ++.

I have found that they are very wonderful fish, but not that great with small fish. And they love lot's of places to hide away from each-other. But mind you even though they have tiffs from time to time, they would always swim around together.

Great fish.

mac

[sleeby]

But great fish for *this* tank?

[mac]

With the fish I have suggested they would be fine. Provided the tank has a reasonable amount of plant cover for them. Plants like Giant Hygro is one they love. Mine use to always hide in it, then dash out to school then have a tiff then hide ect.

mac

[sleeby]

So then your concerns are for the comfort of the pearls and not the tetras so much?

[Greggz]

Both are colorful, active, and peaceful fish.

I say get some of each. You won't be sorry.

Here are pics of a couple of mine:
13621

13622

[mac]

So then your concerns are for the comfort of the pearls and not the tetras so much?

Yea IME I have found the Peals vent there anger on them selves not others. So you just need to look out for that. Other wise they are great fish.

mac

[sleeby]

Greggz - which of the two is more active (disruptive of others) in your opinion?

The Denisonii cover all areas of the tank and, I think, the rainbows would be more likely to compete with the danios in the upper third.

Unfortunately, I am not only losing the inner struggle to not get the Denisonii but have now done enough research on Pearl Gourami that I am wanting a pair of those. . .

I believe that the rainbows would interfere/occupy the same space as the Gourami as well.

I'm reckonin that if I do decide the sharks are not for me once they grow larger I can easily sell the adults for $10 each and recoup half of the expense (and have had them for a year or two first).

[Greggz]

The Denisonii are the most active. They are in constant motion, and do go everywhere. Makes it very difficult to get a picture!

Of course, the rainbows are very active too. They do tend to stay in the top half of the tank when cruising.

I've got plenty of current in my tank, which I think helps keep them so active. I notice whenever I shut down the filters for a few minute, they slow down quite a bit.