# I'm getting tired of small fish, what's next?



## Knight~Ryder (Dec 2, 2007)

Alright, I think I am getting my fill on small fish. I want to start something different. I still want fish that are super hardy, but bigger. I also want fewer fish then what I deal with now, but maintain the same tank.

Anyone have any suggestions for me as I start something new?


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## emc7 (Jul 23, 2005)

In the same tank? Are we talking single fish? Pairs of the same (with possible fry)? Or a few fish that get along?


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## Obsidian (May 20, 2007)

Are you planning on keeping your current fish?


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## Knight~Ryder (Dec 2, 2007)

If I do start a new idea, no I won't keep them. I will donate them to the Salvation army. Actually my brother can take them.


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## emc7 (Jul 23, 2005)

Well if you haven't watched substrate-spawning cichlids raise fry yet, you should do it. My Hemichromis Lifililli spawned again and its so neat to watch the parents shepherd the cloud around. Also, they are now bright cherry red.


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## jones57742 (Sep 8, 2007)

Knight~Ryder said:


> Alright, I think I am getting my fill on small fish. I want to start something different. I still want fish that are super hardy, but bigger. I also want fewer fish then what I deal with now, but maintain the same tank.
> 
> Anyone have any suggestions for me as I start something new?


KR:

You will be significantly limited with your your 38G not only by the volume but also by the tank's dimensions (36 x 12 x 20) with respect to the fishs' dimensions ie. the maximum size fish is probably, IMHO, 8".

The fish which the "monster fish keepers" enjoy such as *Arowana's* "will be out the question" obviously as are many other nice fish, ie. *Oscars*.

Your best choices, IMHO, are

1) A pair of 6" African Cichlids which are not extremely aggressive (em and obs can help here) as many of these Cichlids are very very pretty fish; or

2) A pair of *Pearlscale Angels*, a pair of lohachata's *DD Black Angels* , and three *Bristlenose Pleco's*.

TR


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## Gourami Swami (Jul 4, 2006)

I think a cool mini mbuna setup would look great, and by this I mean a small harem of yellow labs or similarly mellow cichlids. If you want to go with fish larger than that you can but I wouldn't do anything over 6-8' or so. A severum would work, a lone JD would be okay, almost anything in the archocentrus genus... Search the cichlid-forum profiles section for interesting fish in the range of 6" or so. As far as non-cichlids go, you could do some cool oddballs like a tire track/fire eel or perhaps a senegal Bichir.
Good luck


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## emc7 (Jul 23, 2005)

I wouldn't go Mbuna. Maybe small victorian haps or river fish like kribs or dwarf jewels, or shellies or julies or lelupi.


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## Knight~Ryder (Dec 2, 2007)

What are the hardiest cichlids?
I had a few bolivian rams in my tank, but they up and died on me in a month...still don't know why. Maybe it was the stress of other fish in the tank.

I also see that if I change my tank to a cichlid tank, I will need to change the decorations as the stuff I have in there now is more suited to small fish.


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## emc7 (Jul 23, 2005)

You could keep kribs in a planted tank,many people do. The key with all river fish is water changes. Brichardi are hard to kill and will fill up a tank that size with babies in no time, but they do like a few rocks.


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## smark (Dec 2, 2008)

Try a Cichlid tank. I went with the Mbuna. Electric blue Johani, Blue 
Morii, Yellow Labs, Zebra cichlids. They are a hardy fish that do well with 2 to 3 females per male. Lots of color. A victorian tank would be real nice also. Don't mix Mbuna with Victorians as it might not turn out well. I have a female carrying eggs in a ten gallon nursing tank. The mouth brooding thing is real cool. 
If you go with Cichlids you might think of doing a species only tank with one male and three or so females.
Cichlids like sandy bottoms but not crushed coral as it tends to cut into the mouth. Pool filter sand works well with some rocks and lots of hideouts.


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## Gourami Swami (Jul 4, 2006)

A small mbuna setup would definately be possible in a 38 in my opinion, but yes you would have to change your decorations around, to something with a large rock structure like this










which would give the fish adequate hiding spots. I wouldnt mix species personally just to make your chances of success higher, and I definately wouldnt do johanni. Labs or zerbas are a better bet


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## Toshogu (Apr 24, 2009)

If you're looking for bigger fish and getting rid of the ones you have now, it's a ruthless solution, but you may consider just throwing an oscar in that tank.


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## Obsidian (May 20, 2007)

Personally I wouldn't put an Oscar in the 38 gallon. It will most definitely outgrow it. 

I would go with small to medium cichlids that can enjoy your current set up. You will want caves regardless, preferably rock. 

If you want "less fish than now" then go for mild to medium tempered species. I had a really hard time finding any that really fit that, so good luck. Cichlid tanks tend to be overcrowded to even out aggression. Lots of hiding places will help with aggression. 

I honestly think the smaller fish that emc recommended are going to be your best tank, but they are smallish and you wanted bigger fish. 

If you go non Cichlid, since there are certainly other choices than that, you could go with:
A few Synodontis catfish. I believe that is the one that stays smallish (5-6 inches). 

Rainbowfish, always a good choice and would look great in a 38, you could keep them with the catfish as well. They like lots of plants. 

Giant Danios: Love them! They are fun and you could keep 4 or 5 in a 38 ga. It's kind of a tight fit since they are very active guys, but it could work. 

Also I completely adore the Rosy Barbs. I have the long finned variety, except a regular finned one that snuck past me. No one bother's their fins since they are really good at holding their own, but I have not seen them bully my other fish. They are great fish. 

Some cory cats, like the emerald brochi, get sizable and are still fun. This would be a more "community" level tank and not difficult to care for, so if you are looking for a "challenge" this might not be the route you want to go. 

Regardless you have numerous options. 

My latest challenge is puffers and you could certainly get one or two (of the right species, they tend to be aggressive, and it works since they have beaks and can inflict much damage) in there. But that would be all you could keep, and you are looking at a 10-15 year commitment.


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## Buggy (Oct 17, 2006)

Not much input here but I had a pair of Rainbow cichlids (_Herotilapia multispinosa_ ). I gave the parents away but still have 1 of the fry (out of over 200!) and she is very hardy. They are fun to watch because of their typical cichlid parenting and they change color! They will go from a nice bright yellow with a black line to almost solid black as the mood strikes them.
Here is a link http://www.ask.com/bar?q=rainbow+cichlid&page=1&qsrc=0&ab=0&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.cichlid-forum.com%2Farticles%2Fh_multispinosa.php

And I have to second the motion on kribs. I LOVE those little guys!


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## emc7 (Jul 23, 2005)

> Herotilapia multispinosa


what size tank did they spawn in? I got some little fry but need to plan ahead


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## Knight~Ryder (Dec 2, 2007)

I don't really want a challenge. I want the easiest to maintain fish that is super hardy. I don't want to change my substrate, but I'm willing to take ornaments out and get hiding places if need be.

I plan on keeping the bristlenose pleco. Is this fine with any of the species mentioned?


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## Knight~Ryder (Dec 2, 2007)

Rainbowfish might be an idea. I remember having a Dwarf Blue Rainbowfish at the beginning. Or maybe a barb tank...I have 6 odessas, I could throw in tiger barbs too.


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## Buggy (Oct 17, 2006)

emc7 said:


> what size tank did they spawn in? I got some little fry but need to plan ahead


 
Well, they "spawned" before I got them and I don't know what size tank they were in before that. In fact, she dropped the eggs the day after I got her in the mail. If the delivery had been a day later she would have dropped in the bag! LOL They barely had time to clean a rock and dig a pit before she layed them. (The lady I got them from thought she was sending me two males.....uh, nope! lol)
But I had them in a 29 gal. I don't recommend a tank that small for breeding because of the territorial issues unless you keep a pair by themselves or the other tank mates are semi aggressive too. 
If you don't plan to breed them or have only one sex, then a 29 gal is fine for them. If they don't have eggs or fry then they are very peaceful and good in a community tank.


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## lohachata (Jan 27, 2006)

Mako shark...............


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## sig556 (Jun 4, 2009)

For fresh water. Try a cat fish if you want to get rid of your current catch.

Personally I would go with a gar, then step it up to salt with a shark.


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## Tallonebball (Apr 6, 2009)

Sig556?? what kind of advice is that?? why would you tell a person who has a 38 gallon tank to put a gar that will grow over twice the size of that tank in it?? CATFISH? GARS? SHARKS??? don't listen to sig, he obviously doesn't understand the question of fish for that matter


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## emc7 (Jul 23, 2005)

Rainbows are nice. But the littlest ones need live food (or at least frozen). Not exactly low maintenance. How about http://www.gcca.net/fom/Pseudocrenilabrus_nicholsi.htm or Hemichromis cristatus? If you'd like the latter, I have some I can figure out how to ship.


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## lohachata (Jan 27, 2006)

first thing to consider is the tank... 38 gallons... i would take that as approximately 20x12x36 dimensions... so it is deep.. i would think it a waste of a great deal of tank space to limit oneself just a couple of small fish that would occupy just one area of the tank..while i have never been overly concerned of keeping surface fish..i do look at fish for the mid and lower areas...
i would think that a few nice angels and a couple of the nicer plecos or a couple of the callicthys type catfish might make an interesting tank..
although for me...i would completely redo the tank to a more realistic appearance....
natural gravel..real stones and driftwood and live plants.. but i never was one much for bling...lol


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