Another ?...boseman tankmates?

[bethyMT]

Ok, I recently posted about my pitifully small tank and my cycling upgrade. I will have my four rainbows in there...one is an australian, and three are bosemans. My new tank is 55g, 48"...not ideal, I know, but a bit better than what they have now.

My question is: other than my guppies (which I am stuck with because my daughters love them), can I even begin to think about adding other, smaller, schooling fish in the 55? Nothing slow-moving or slow-witted, right?

Could I add, say, a small school of corys for the bottom? I have noticed that my rainbows have very little interest in the bottom third of the tank. Has anyone successfully pulled this off? I am a bit concerned as the pH of my water is 8.0, perhaps not great for corys to begin with.

And, if DH wants a small school of tetras, could he have that?

I just have no idea what to do with this tank, now that it looks like my cycling attempt may be successful. I just don't know how to stock it...the rainbows take total first priority though. If nobody else goes in there, it's fine. But I just want to ask smart people before I go and make a dumb set of decisions.

[Lady Hobbs]

Rainbows will eat tetra's so I would stay away from them. Bows have a big mouth but a small throat but manage to get them down. Cories will be fine and also some larger tetra's.

[bethyMT]

I will def. steer Dh in the direction of larger tetras. Or I will just pick. God knows I am researching like a madwoman. It'll be November sometime before we are ready to add any new fish....assuming the cycle completes in a couple of weeks and transferring the existing fish goes well.

It's so very exciting to know that in addition to somewhat ameliorating the situation for my bows, I get some new fish! And cool ones too! Of course, these will be added slowly (if at all...IDK what is available here).

And I don't have to be stupid about taking care of these fish either! I'm so grateful for the information.

[steeler58]

I agree with Laddy Hobbs about bigger Tetras. You could get some Rummy Nose although they like their PH lower than Rainbows. Lemon Tetras, Diamond Tetras and Serpae should make good tank mates as they are not as fussy about PH. I usually don't like to recommend Serpae but Rainbows move so fast I don't believe they woulf bother them at all.

[Starrman]

I have eight red eye tetras. They're pretty good size, a bit bigger than some suggested to have with the Bosemani Rainbows. I also have a five panda corries, along with a few others. I'm planning on getting six bosemani's in the near future.

[Indian Woods Angels]

I have a spawning group of 9 Melanotaenia Bosemani in a 75 gallon. Each is about 5 inches in length, they are only 2 years old at this point. They live to be 10 or so. I've seen larger, keep this in mind when choosing housing for them.

[koaladarshana]

I've had sterbai and emerald corys with rainbows before. No problems ever arose from keeping them together.

[bethyMT]

I have a spawning group of 9 Melanotaenia Bosemani in a 75 gallon. Each is about 5 inches in length, they are only 2 years old at this point. They live to be 10 or so. I've seen larger, keep this in mind when choosing housing for them.


I totally know this. I made the decision to keep them because my 55g long may be better for them than some yahoo that buys them from the LFS I would sell them to. And there is only four...three bosemans and one 9 year old australian.

I figure I will keep the old girl with me no matter what. The others, I hope, will be OK in my 55g, 48"long tank with her.

I am sincerely trying to be humane.Really really.

[steeler58]

I totally know this. I made the decision to keep them because my 55g long may be better for them than some yahoo that buys them from the LFS I would sell them to. And there is only four...three bosemans and one 9 year old australian.

I figure I will keep the old girl with me no matter what. The others, I hope, will be OK in my 55g, 48"long tank with her.

I am sincerely trying to be humane.Really really.
Good on you.

[fishmommie]

Good on you.

++

Another tetra to consider is the Colombian. They are about 2 - 2 1/4 inches, nice robust fish, not nippers. They don't school exactly, but tend to like each others company and stay in a loose group so they show nicely. very nice hardy fish. I have 8 in my 30 and they're gorgeous.

[Lady Hobbs]

I wish you were around me and you could have my boesemani and turquoise. I only have the 3 left and they take over my whole 55 gallon tank. I'd like to soak their food in a tranquilizer. lol I have them with an angel and 20 black skirts and a few cherry barbs.

[bethyMT]

We ended up getting 8 black skirt tetras on Saturday. They are a really nice addition...the rainbows seems to think they are part of the family...they swim together...not schooling, but just hanging out. The black skirts are lively and encourage my lethargic bows to move more. No nipping that I can see either; maybe the school of 8 is enough.

I tried drip acclimation this time, and I am so happy that I didn't lose any of the tetras (at least so far).

The tank looks really nice, at least IMO. In a few weeks I will get some cories and the tank will be complete, save for the lighting and plant upgrade.

[Lady Hobbs]

I don't acclimate anything anymore since my fish are bought pretty much in the town where I live. I drop them in the quarantine tank and shut the light off. You need the pH and the temp the same as the come from. If those needs are met, I don't see the point.

I have black skirts in a tank at my sons house that are now into their 8th year. I don't know how they live at his house so must be there are pretty hardy dudes.

[VerdantGrotto]

I'd like to get a few rainbow Bosemans... Either that or a GBRam.
I've looked around for a Boseman but no stores near me carry them. I probably would have to Order them wouldn't I.