Advice on tank mates needed

[chrisso81]

Hey gang, I'm about to set up a 2X18 with a pair of aggi's and I'm just wondering what I can chuck in there with them. I don't plan on breeding this pair so fry preservation is not an issue. I just want to set up a nice planted display with lots of colour.

Cheers, Chris

[flaggy]

Perhaps some small tetra as dither fish.

Some cory catfish to eat up excess food (of course, one wouldn't overfeed in the first place, right?). However, they would be eating your eggs but since you're not aiming to breed your aggis, this may not be an issue. Of course, they might get their eyes poked out by the female defending its spawn.

Maybe some surface dwelling fishes. I have some hatchetfish and they don't bother or compete with the apistos at the bottom.

Heard others also keep killies with apitos, but I had a very bad experience with them. Mainly my fault for not researching first and getting the right species.

Too many options, not enough tank (for me).

[Th0mas]

Cory will compete for tank space as both apisto and cory are bottom dweller. But it is true that they keeps the tank clean from uneaten food (as well as wigglers). I've never had any cory damage by a breeding apisto, even with some of the most agressive species (eg panduro).

Tetra provides lots of different colours, similar water requirement and won't compete for tank space.

For the plant, get a small CO2 injection setup. They work miracle to plant (green ones) and extra light is needed if you want those red plants to thrive.

As for the number of tanks - there's never enough regardless how many you've got.

Thomas.

[wickedglass]

I have always liked pencil fish, they're quite hardy and very peaceful, and bristlenoses (although they can get annoying) as tankmates ... also dwarf cories, such as C. pygmaeus and C. hastatus do well, but like pencil fish should be kept in a small group of no less than 3 ... various species of tetra are also nice, and like Thomas says, they can add nice flashes of colour, but some of them can get quite aggressive when they get jiggy at that time of the year. I've had silver-tip tetras trying to mate with my aggie females to the point of having to take the aggies out of the tank because they were getting too stressed!

[flaggy]

Some tankmates for my trifasciata and cacatuoides

[chrisso81]

Thanks for the replies guys, at the moment I have a rough list penciled in:

1m 1f A. agasizzi
3 albino bristlenose
4 C. trilineatus (haven't seen any of the pygmy species around but I like these guys)
6 Harlequin rasbora
10-15 tetras of some sort
Some marble hatchetfish MAYBE.

What do you think? I'm also wondering what filter to use on this tank. Will definitely be going an external canister, tossing up between a Fluval 205 or 305, or an Eheim Classic, not sure which one tho, 2213?

Cheers, Chris

[Th0mas]

For a 2x18, I think that's already a fair number of fish in there. I wouldn't recommended to put any more inside unless you're willing to take the risk.

Thomas.

[gingerbeer01]

Nice list. I reckon I would drop the bristlenoe for some ottos, or something like that. They don't get as big, don;t eat plants if you are going that way.

OK, I am just anti bristlenose.

For tetras love a school of cardinals - look good in any tank.

Steve

[flaggy]

I agree with gingerbeer, the ottos may be a good alternative to bristlenose. Mine keeps a low profile but a big tummy from cleaning up the algae from the plants and glass, doesn't bother anyone and doesn't take up any valuable floor space better reserved for the apistos.

Also, dwarf gouramis could be quite nice to add some colour to the tank with a number of varieties available. Mine seem to keep middle to top. They like to build bubble nests which could be quite interesting.

[Th0mas]

I'll steer away from the gourami, as they're from different region and don't handle soft acidic water that well.

Thomas.

[*Chris*]

having said that there are small chocalate gouramis that handle nothing but soft and acidic
they are the discus or the gourami world