Amazon -Nhamunda - Biotope

[HarriL]

Hi all,

I will have following setup on my tank:

- 10x Nhamunda Royal Blue (L - XL Size)
- 20+ x Corydoras Julii
- 10 x Carnegiella strigata strigata (at the moment on quarantee tank)

I would like to see also school of tetras on the middle part of the tank.
What kind of tetras will match to my tank? I'd love Cardinals, but aren't they more Rio Grande kind of black water tetras?

Best Regards,

Harri

[Willie]

I've kept cardinal tetras and they make for a spectacular display. In my experience though, the discus will hunt them down and eat them all in 2 - 3 months. They don't seem to eat rummynose at all, which are a better schooling species. The downside to rummynose is that they fade in a bare tank. If yours is planted, they would be something to consider. Really like to see how the hatchetfish do with discus.

[danotaylor]

Pics Harri, pics!!

[Kirbs]

Thanks for that info on the Rummy Nose Tetras. I have a sand bottom with some driftwood on the bottom.......basically bare and I was wondering why they are not as colorful as the ones I had in the past (which were in a planted tank.)

[Vinni Smith]

Like Willie, we also love the Rummynose.
I try to keep at least 25 in my tanks.
Amazing little fish.

Willie...
Is that what is happening to my neons???
Never would have guessed that one.

[Willie]

...Is that what is happening to my neons??? Never would have guessed that one.

Never had neons with my discus, although I'm sorely tempted to try all the new neons coming into the trade. Those green ones look sweet. I never had any fading with cardinals though, except right when the discus inhaled them. :p

[Vinni Smith]

Never had neons with my discus, although I'm sorely tempted to try all the new neons coming into the trade. Those green ones look sweet. I never had any fading with cardinals though, except right when the discus inhaled them. :p

I just counted my rummynose and they are down about 10 from last week.
All the neons are gone now.

I think I have some hungry discus.

[Willie]

There are ~10 videos on discus in their native environment up on YouTube. When you watch these, I'm struck by what is considered a true discus biotope.

1. No plants, no leaf litter on the bottom
2. No other fish: no tetras, no corys, no plecos, no dwarf cichlids
3. Heavy currents

Very different from the wild altum/scalare angelfish videos. Seems like discus just want to be left alone. :(

[number1sixerfan]

Any larger fish that can fit smaller fish in their mouth, that are well within reach are potentially going to eat them. It's likely even. Sometimes they won't, especially if the discus grow from juvenile to adult (but that's rare, as most young are best raised in bare bottom tanks). I've kept rummies and cardinals in other tanks and they are absolutely gorgeous, but I can't trust it with discus. At least with shrimp, I've built 'shrimp coves' with rock, cholla wood and plants to allow them to thrive--which they have (they just don't come out much). With rummies or cardinals they're literally just swimming next to their predators lol

I'm in a similar predicament. Have a school of cories with discus and may be adding another school of mid level swimming fish. The problem with the other, larger options is that they are far quicker and efficient at eating and can out eat the discus for food. It's a tough thing to figure out... I'm leaning towards not adding anything, but it certainly would make my planted tank 'pop'.