Red Eye Tetra and Plants

[deonild]

I'm exploring some different options as far as inhabitants for my first tank, while it's cycling. Now I'm looking at Red Eye Tetra. I recently found a great deal on T5 lighting so I'm going to do live plants, mostly easy to grow ones as I won't have co2, and minimal fertilizers. On Elmer's aquarium's website they say Red Eye's are very peaceful, so I hope they are good tank mates for a Blue Gourami and a Bristlenose Pleco?

Also, I've found a source that says they may nibble at plants. Would they be recommended for a lightly planted aquarium? Will the plants eventually die or are their nibblings not very much? I will be feeding them well, 2 times a day, but not over feeding.

[gm72]

I have kept red eyes in a planted tank and never noticed any nibbling. The stocking you suggest sounds very cool.

[rich311k]

Mine never bothered my plants. I think that stocking will be just fine.

[smaug]

Go for it ,red eyes are a very nice tetra,get a group of at least 6.

[rangur1]

i like your idea, i feel with your idea of 1 blue gourami, 1 bristlenose, 12 harliquin rasboras along with say 6 red eye tetras about max for a 30gal long.
your betta will be outcompeted for food forcing you to overfeed.
i would reconsider having this particular fish. good luck

[deonild]

My betta will be in her own tank, I was thinking of either H. Rasbora or Red eye's but now I like the idea of having both schooling.

[Wild Turkey]

Any fish will nibble on stuff if it doesnt get fed, but when ive kept red eyes I never noticed any nibbles. They are very cool looking but kinda skittish ime. The price is right! I think they are 99cents here, very cheap for a cool looking fish.

[bushwhacker]

i've had red eye tetras for over a year in a planted tank.. great looking fish i plan on a fairly large school when i restart the 75 g angel tank

[Lady Hobbs]

Me, too. I just got the red eyes a week ago and like them a lot. I have a planted with black skirts, golds, black neons, red eyes and Colombian reds. The columbian reds are neat, too. But no one is eating plants.

[lobsternoob]

My red eyes do nibble plants a bit, but they dont nibble enough to even keep up with the plants growth, and im underlit in most tanks. It shouldn't be any problem for ya, they're fun fish too.

[Joethegreek]

I don't think it will matter about the plants. In my experience any fish will nibble on plants just to do it. I had a green terror that loved to bite up my plastic plants, and make some sort of floating nest to hide under. And i used to feed him tons of food with a good variety. The plants will be ok.