• You are viewing the forum as a Guest, please login (you can use your Facebook, Twitter, Google or Microsoft account to login) or register using this link: Log in or Sign Up

Nano fish advice please!

SueC

SueC

New Member
Joined
18 Nov 2009
Messages
10
Location
Yorkshire
Hello! I’m needing help with a decision about fish for a 30l cube nano tank. I was not going to add any fish, because I know I shouldn’t really, just have little orange shrimps, but it’s very tempting to just have a little something to swim around and watch isn’t it. 😆. It’s a low tech shrimp set up, filter is quite low flow, will have lots of plants when they grow in! Water conditions are all sort of average, neutral pH, moderate hardness, nothing extreme.

Trouble is, everything I consider seems to have some sort of issue! I would rather my shrimps or their babies didn’t get eaten, or my plants. Can’t have anything that must live in a large group to be happy, etc etc. Mid or top water swimmers would be nice.……I have considered ….sparkling gourami…..ember tetra…..dwarf corys….dwarf pencils……...dwarf rasbora…….even glow lights (too big?) to go with the orange shrimps! Endlers guppy’s? ……Just one single specimen of something interesting?…..(Please don’t mention a Betta…..🤐). Perhaps there is something out there that I’ve not heard of 😆.

Or maybe I’m just being too silly…….here’s a quick photo..….know you all like a photo!

C8FED668-E5F5-4998-942D-5653123CBA1C.jpeg
 
Hi there,
Nice tank, you've found a root which is in proportion.
Probably shrimp would be best. I think the small cube type tanks don't give enough swimming space. I've got a 25l nano but it has a rectangular shape so the fish can go up & down rather than just round & round my lump of mopani wood!
Though @dw1305's micro rasbora would look good too...
 
Thanks! I actually have three small bits of wood in there, but I like the effect, even though they will not last very long when the shrimp get nibbling. I need a few more plants in, I think, I’m just waiting to see how these ones do first! It’s only been set up a few weeks.
I’m still sitting on the fence regards any fish….I was considering the micro rasbora, might look very nice with some orange shrimp. The only worry I have is that they may eat baby shrimp, which is not the plan……….
 
I think unfortunately any fish that can fit baby shrimp into its mouth is likely going to.
Usually they can survive in larger tanks where they have more hiding options, but a small tank may make that harder.
You could if course keep shrimp and the fish species already mentioned, but if having babies is your goal, then maybe give fish a miss.
 
Oooooh those neon blue’s do look nice! Thanks!

I have quite a stable population of small red shrimps (Bloody Mary’s I think), in my larger 120L community tank. I was hoping for a similar situation in the nano……but maybe not! I’m sure plenty of the red ones get eaten, but enough survive. There’s always quite a few little ones knocking around! More thinking to do…..😄
 
Hi,
Currently have a slightly larger 40cm cube tank and find that Endlers ( small version of the Guppy, ) very colourful and active over all areas of the tank, feel sure they would be idea for your tank,
If you shop around you will find various bright colours, think you will find 5 or 6 would be a good number to stop any pecking order. We only purchased males as we did not want to start breeding them.

We also have dwarf corys again ideally at least 6 as they like to be in larger groups, though they can be quiet shy and keep hidden.

Last December we introduced 6 Cherry Shrimps, like you thought they would be a nice colourful and useful addition, BIG mistake.
With no fish to eat their fry they multiplied at an amazing rate and have probably removed a couple of hundred of young and medium sized ones already !

If anyone knows of a shrimp eater we could readily add to our small 40cm cube tanks it would be appreciated ..
 
Oh no! 🤣, we are never satisfied are we? I guess a shrimp eater might be needed!🤣
My larger tank just has the usual community fish…. Various Tetras, Rasboras, a few danios, cory’s, khuli loaches, nothing very big and not overstocked, but well planted with plenty of hiding places. I suspect the greedy danios are the main culprits for shrimp eating, but a 40 l might not be big enough for such an active fish, and you’d need a group of them, which might be too much! Might khuli loaches eat baby shrimps? Someone else will probably be able to answer that one!Or as per a previous answer….any fish with a big enough mouth …. But not too big…..will probably do! Although mine do get eaten, there are still plenty survive.

I’ve had endlers guppy’s before, and have wondered about them in a small tank, they are nice and active aren’t they? Thanks for the heads up! Dwarf Cory’s I’ve never had but always fancied some…..decisions decisions! 🤔
 
Maybe some rice fish? I'm keeping some in a 30cm cube with shrimps before they go and live outside in a tub, but I've become quite taken with them and will have to get some more for inside too or raise the babies in there. I haven't noticed them eating any shrimp at all, even tiny babies. I think you could keep about 5 in a 30cm cube, and if it seems too small long term you could set up a nice outside bowl pond for them. Ideally it would be good for the plants to grow in more first though I think, especially for the top half/surface of the tank
 
Yes, all the plants at the back apart from the crypt are still quite small, and I definitely need some more. They are growing ok at the moment so I’m waiting and seeing what happens before I decide what to put in next!

I’d not considered rice fish, so something else to research, thank you !
 
A single scarlet badis - they will potentially eat baby shrimp but they only grow to the length of an adult shrimp, so other than very tiny shrimp will be safe and I'd expect you would still find your shrimp population grew.

The neon blue rasboras are lovely too and not an issue with shrimp. They also are more of a hang out sort of fish rather than swim back and forth so I think are one of the better ones for a smaller tank.
 
aec34 said:
Slight thread highjack.… Rosie, where do you get them from? I never see them locally (planning a barrel pond outside).
Click to expand...
I got mine from from the Fish Barn and from Wildwoods World of Water, sometimes Maidenheads get them in too. Often you have to ask for them to be ordered in because they're bizarrely not that popular. They are quite expensive, minimum £5 and often a bit more depending on what colours you want.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top