Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have a 20 gallon tank that currently has three Buenos Aires tetras, and I was thinking about adding some sort of cichlids. I was wondering which kind, if any, of cichlids, would make good tank mates for my boisterous tetras?

I would not add cichlids to your tank unless you would like the cichlids to eat your tetras. Tetras are community fish and cichlids are aggressive and territorial fishes.
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Phishie
Site Coordinator

"An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure."

Hmm. What would be a good fish to help keep the bottom clean and that wouldn't be attacked by the Buenos Aires'? They are a semi-aggressive fish, so I would have thought they'd be a good match for cichlids.

The Buenos Aires tetra is a peaceful fish, as with the other tetras. Personally, I like a corydora... of any variety. They are very good bottom feeders. Keep in mind that just because you have a bottom feeder, doesn't mean you don't have to do your routine maintenance on the tank (gravel cleanings, water changes, and filter cartrige replacements).
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Phishie
Site Coordinator

"An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure."

I had not considered cory cats, but I will give them a look. And I know having them does not relieve me of regular maintenance.
Question is, will cory cats get along with plecos? I have another tank that has a common pleco, and I was thinking that maybe a cory cat would complement them well.

Yep. Cory cats are community fish as well, so they will get along with all community fishes. I really think they are awesome bottom feeders (and fish of course).

As a side note: I usually state obvious facts (such as tank maintenance) because some people may think having a fish that does the job will take care of the tank.
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Phishie
Site Coordinator

"An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure."

Fair enough. I've been at the hobby for about two years now and loving every minute of it. I will hold off on adding any more fish to my tanks until after my move in two weeks. About a week after the move, I'll check my water to make sure all my levels are fine before I add new residences. I'm thinking adding three corys to each tank, as I've read they like to school.

On a side not, I have noticed that in my other 75L tank (not the one with the BA tetras), I have, among other fish, two penguin tetras and a glowlight tetra. I have noticed that in the past couple of weeks, my glowlight is starting to swim at an angle like the penguins do, and he's even swimming with them. He seems to be eating healthy and acting just fine other than this activity. Is it unheard-of for something like this to happen?

The glowlight may have swim bladder disorder (aka constipation), so you could try some frozen peas. If that doesn't help things (or you're noticing it pooping), then it could also be that he/she has decided that it would like to school with your penguins (since tetras are schooling fish and you only have one glowlight). Try the peas for 5 days (it won't hurt the others if they eat some too). How often are you feeding them, and how much? If you are feeding them more than they can consume in 2 minutes, you are overfeeding, which can lead to swim bladder disorder. If you're not overfeeding, then it could also be because tetras are slender fish so all their organs are jammed into a small space. I don't think it's as common for tetras to get constipated as it is for fish like discus, angels, or goldfish.

I will add: when you move, be sure to keep about 50% of your water (only empty your tank when you are about to move - it will be less stressful on your fish). You can keep all the water if you can, but you shouldn't move your tank with any water in it. Also, keep your filter and as much decor as possible submerged in your tank water. This will help keep the beneficial bacteria alive so you won't have to cycle. I would also add some stress coat once you have the tank set up again. That will just help your fishes' immune systems (it's kind of like vitamin c and water for us).
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Phishie
Site Coordinator

"An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure."