Mid And Top Level Stocking - Help Please!

[CraniumRex]

I have two tanks I'm trying to fill out.

55 G
Sand substrate, heavily planted, 75F
Currently have:
12 kuhli loaches
11 harlequin rasboras
5 bolivian rams

Is there room in there for any top level swimmers? I was thinking honey gourami, though they are very hard to find around here. Are they okay temp-wise?

29 gallon
Sand substrate, moderately planted, 75F
Currently have:
9 panda corys
1 Bolivian ram (not exactly exiled from the 55 but let's just say there is peace at last).

Looking for an interesting school, scared of neons but like them
Also need something top level. Considering silver hatchets - but maybe something more centrepiece and colourful? Is it too small and too cool for a pearl gourami pair?

TexasDomer and anyone else welcome to suggest some ideas, with my thanks.

 

[TexasDomer]

For the 55 gal, honeys should be fine! I think you have room for another schooler as well.

For the 29 gal, 1-2 schools of mid/top dwellers would be nice! A little cool and small for a pearl gourami pair. What about a pair of thick lipped gourami and a school of harlequin rasbora?

 

[CraniumRex]

Awesome to hear bout the honeys. Now, just to find them! Or thick lipped gourami ... I can only seem to find three spots (opalines and golds but nothing else).

Ooh, I still have room for another schooler in the 55! I do like neons - just worried about neon tetra disease. Are the mid-bottom if I recall correctly? Maybe they are for the 29.

I do have a lovely school of harlequins in the 55 and do like them, but thinking I'd like something different for the 29.

Cherry barbs perhaps?
If only I could find silvertips or bloodfins....

Decisions, decisions. What, and how many...

 

[TexasDomer]

If neons worry you, don't get them. There are dozens of other options.

 

[Angolangrl]

In my experience.... Cardinal neons are very hardy and are hardier than neon tetras and slightly bigger. Harlequin rasboras are semi hardy and are spastic swimmers with alot of movement. These all school loosely. A very nice tighter schooling fish is the rummy nose tetras; they are active swimmers. All of these 4 types, in my experience are mid to bottom swimmers, harlequins being more mid level. Honey gourami are great but many like to hid in the back of the tank behind filters etc.

 

[TexasDomer]

Honey gourami can be brave and in the front of the tank if the set up is right (proper tank mates, lots of tall decor everywhere, multiples).

 

[CraniumRex]

Went to the lfs today and came home with 9 Von Rios tetras. Nice size, splash of colour, and I understand typically peaceful. They are settling into QT nicely and are headed to the 29 eventually.

Still trying to find honey or thick lipped gouramis for the 55. I think they might do okay in there - lots of plants, many of them quite tall now, not too much flow, and a good section with floating plants for cover. Would that be a good environment for them? It’s weeks away as I am down to one QT tank but patiently waiting for any local store to stock anything besides dwarf gourami or 3 spots ...

 

[TexasDomer]

Sounds like a good tank for them!