Bloodfin tetras or Neon Dwarf Rainbowfish? (and other questions)

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Vlowman
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Hello all,

With help from the nice folks on these boards, I am slowly but surely approaching decision time on what to put in my 125 litre planted, hard-water tank, i.e:

3 or 4 all-male platties
3 or 4 all-male guppies
6 bloodfin tetras OR 6 dwarf neon rainbowfish

Questions:
1) Would I be better off getting tetras AND rainbows instead of the guppies, for hardiness reasons?
2) Which is the better shout between the bloodfin tetras and the rainbowfish if picking one? I think both look nice, but would probably prioritize hardiness and compatible behaviour?
3) Will there be too much going on in the middle of the tank? Between the constraints of my water and what is in the petshop, I can't really find good lower tank options. I don't really care about that but don't want the fish in the middle being stressed (and thus getting ill).

Thanks!
Last edited by Vlowman on Sun Oct 10, 2021 19:36 pm, edited 3 times in total.
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Martinspuddle
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Can't speak for the Rainbows as I've never kept them. Bloodfin Tetras are always good choice and pretty hardy too.

Twenty five, thirty years ago Guppies where always good beginners fish but now as you've seen there no where near as hardy as they once where. If you can find some cross Endlers Guppies, then hopefully because of the wild Endler stain these will be tougher.
WARNING - DO NOT BREED, FEED OR PET THE PUDDLE! :dodgy2:
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plankton
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Bloodfins tend to nip fins, so don't get the guppies as well. ;)
A lot of dwarf rainbows seem to be coming in with problems - it's beginning to look (to me anyway) as though they are getting their own strain of iridovirus because of the way they're farmed.
Vlowman
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plankton wrote: Mon Oct 11, 2021 8:03 am Bloodfins tend to nip fins, so don't get the guppies as well. ;)
A lot of dwarf rainbows seem to be coming in with problems - it's beginning to look (to me anyway) as though they are getting their own strain of iridovirus because of the way they're farmed.
Thanks for your reply.

It seems that everywhere I turn my attention there’s a problem - my water’s too hard for most fish, guppies aren’t as hardy as they were, dwarf neon rainbowfish having their own issues now.

Would you have any other recommendations for a beginner, hard water tank that would get along with the all male platties and possibly blood fin tetras I plan on getting and the small group of danios I have already?

I appreciate that platties, blood fins and danios is enough - but want to consider all viable options before committing.

Thanks!
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plankton
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Scarlet badis (a pair would be a flash of bright colour), don't get two males. ;)
Any of the smaller hardwater rainbows (gertrudae and furcatus are nice). Don't get threadfins, they tend to do better in softer water even though they are found in a range of water in the wild.
Anchor catfish would be good for the bottom, they are quite interesting.
Nerite snails for algae eating, there are a few different shell shapes and colourings.
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