Koi Fish Information Centre

Hi, Lisa. Flatter me by asking my opinion on a lovely fish combination.
Cardinal Tetras (or the Green Neon)
The smaller Honey Gourami - in the wild color or - if you can hold out till you find these - the bright yellow with bright orange fins….
Pygmy Cories - after your tank has been up and running for a couple of months. These are sometimes called Monkey Cories because their schooling behavior leads to up into the aquartic plant canopy. This is why you wait to buy a dozen - the micro life these fish graze will have time to cover leaves and stems and ornaments…… and the water will have time to “settle down.”
I live the Marble Hatchet. If lit from the side, they show patches of vivid irridescent blue. And I just like ‘em
Blue eyes, if you can find them. Wow. I’ve only found them once in may area and they were lovely.
Scare up some Cherry Red Shirmp when your plants are settled in and growing. You will be spend lots of time watching them and their color really is an eye catching red. I found a couple of Orange Algae Eating shrimp - these were bright orange and I prefer them to the Cherry Red because they are larger. I could see those hot orange shrimp from across the room. Mine disappeaared the couple of days I forgot to seal openings in the tank top.
Asolene spixa snails. You may find them in a store or invest in a purchase from Aquabid. I will supply you with my seller’s name. Extremely showy color and pattern.
Wilma Duncan may sell these,too. You will want to get a couple of Nerite snails from her. The Nerite is OK to watch - it’s tank vaule? It keeps the glass polished and algae free. These little Nerites do your cleaning chores for you I have one left, that rascal has polished my 20 Long tank for 3 years.
Kribs? If you must. I like ‘em, finally bought some. They seemed to requrie a larger territory than I really would want to ‘give away’ to a pair of fish. How about German Blue Rams? Of, remembering how well you handled small fish in the past - how about the tiny Checkerboad Cichlid/ Dicrosso or Diacrossia or some such.
You’ll be mixing South American and SE Asian fish so some matchmaking skill will be required
There could be conflict with Gourmai and Hatchet fish….. even with surface floating plants. The Hatchets would stress knowing that the Gourami will be surfacing every so often for LIFE - to breathe. You might want to hunt for some Pygmy Gourami. Way too cute a fish.
The very handsome little Loach - Sids could replace the small Cories.
And Badis or Dario could replace the Cichlids. I don’t trust these and tiny Loaches with Shrimp and Snails, though.
I like color, variety of shapes and behaviors, critters for all levels of a tank and -for me- small fish (so I can have a lot)
Joanna, LMD

Category: Philippines Internet Koi Society