Nerite snails can not reproduce in a freshwater aquarium, so you’ll never have to worry about an infestation. That being said, tested examples of the best freshwater aquarium fish combinations for color are: If you have a planted aquarium then you should go for brightly colored fish that are on the opposite of green in a color wheel. Angel Fish are a classic favorite in the aquarium hobby and have recently been used in aquascaping setups. Aquarium driftwood needs to be cured & submersible, else it may leak tannins and discolor the water. eval(ez_write_tag([[300,250],'aquariumgenius_com-medrectangle-3','ezslot_10',127,'0','0'])); Good aquarium fish that to add to a planted aquarium are small and timid. I also shared some articles in my blog which related to freshwater aquarium topics. If you keep them in a tank with plants like vallisneria, amazon swords and java fern they’ll be over the moon. These beautiful fish will grab your attention because they look amazing. They need to compliment the beauty of the plants and should not dig or destroy anything. At number 6 they are a beautiful fish, they are plant safe and a majestic addition to any aquascape. Guppys do not like high flow and prefer slower moving environments. A suitable aquarium fish for a planted tank is small and will do no harm to any of your plants. These fish are phenomenal jumpers and you do not want them to fall all the way to the floor. Dwarf Gourami are a classic aquarium addition that have an excellent personality and bright reflective colorations. These smaller fish will make the rest of your aquarium, or rather the aquarium as a whole, look larger. Guppies will also not school in the aquarium. This will complement the other taller varieties of plants well. Guppys have intense coloration that exists in almost every possible shade. A group of five or more is recommended. This Flourite Black Clay Aquarium Gravel by Seachem is a stable porous clay gravel suitable for the natural planted aquarium. Are all fish compatible with CO2 setups?. This can have a beautiful trailing effect as they move from one side to the other of the aquascape. This is due to their small size and bright reflective coloration. If you provide enough hiding places by adding moss or floating plants, the chance that your baby fish survive increases. Neon Tetras have a small break in the red lining that runs down their side. Blue Gourami and Dwarf Gourami like a smaller type of Gourami is a … It really is not that difficult. Discus also prefer a lower pH almost identical to that found in CO2 aquascapes. While corydoras do enjoy scavenging the substrate for food, they’ll never cause enough “damage” to uproot plants. These days finding the right filter is not easy as there [Continue reading …] Moving to the first real centerpiece or display fish on this list: gouramis. This is not something you’d want if you’ve just paid over 2 bucks per shrimp, so only add shrimp to your aquarium if the situation allows it. An aquarium needs to be kept clean. Chances are that you’ve got a carpet of plants going on, so any digging is out of the question. They are also susceptible to other species nipping their fins and should be kept with their own species. 20/40 Grit is the best balance of good plant anchorage while being loose enough for fish to stir with ease. But not all ok with the planted tanks. I have been keeping multiple aquariums since I was 18 years old. The first group of fish that you should not add to any planted tank are cichlids. After some research I would definitely settle on a tetra, but which one. Good choices are schooling fish like small tetras, rasboras or gouramis. Finding the best fish to compliment a planted aquascape can be challenging. There’s not much more to say about livebeares because they’re that easy. Cardinal Tetras have an extremely long lifespan when compared to other Tetra species. If the water becomes polluted, your fish will get sick. The difference lies in the coloration. If you remember from earlier, I explained that in official Dutch Style Aquascape competition rules there should be fish in all layers of your planted tank. Common gouramies that are popular in the hobby include the Pearl gourami, Honey gourami, Dwarf gourami, Opaline gourami, Blue gourami and even the Kissing gourami. There are many different varieties of corydoras. The males carry a bright, large tail that signals status and attracts females. Another good fish to add in a planted aquarium is Gourami fish. Carib Sea Eco Complete Planted Aquarium Substrate If you are looking for a substrate that not only decorates your aquarium but also provides nourishment to the plants, the Carib Sea Eco Complete Planted Black Aquarium Substrate is the right choice for you. There are more type of fish for plantation, other than mentioned above. Gouramis – There are many different species of gourami that range in size from the small Dwarf Gourami to the Giant Gourami. link to What To Feed Clownfish in Your Home Aquarium. Cardinals can grow up to 1.5″. A planted tank will be destroyed within days. Hillstream loaches are better as algae eaters that can clean off your aquarium walls, plant leaves, and other flat surfaces. The live bacteria provided on the sand adds worlds of beneficial, healthy colonies that will improve the health and life of your aquarium as … Request you to mentioned those fish too:-). Large aquariums with at least 15 Chili Rasbora will find them staying tightly together around the aquarium. The Neon Tetra is very similar to the Cardinal Tetra. Well now, that depends on what exactly you are looking for. T-5 High Output : Also known as T-5 HO lighting, T-5 high output lighting is … The final fish on this list represent a group or larger tetras, also containing the bleeding heart tetra. The scales of rainbowfish are mirrored and add radiance and movement to an otherwise static aquascape. In fact, these fish were the first fish I added to my Dutch Style Aquascape that I showed before.eval(ez_write_tag([[300,250],'aquariumgenius_com-large-leaderboard-2','ezslot_4',132,'0','0'])); These fish show awesome behavior and in my opinion have great personality. They’re cute and always busy. But any grade is well suited for the job, depending on your personal aesthetic tastes. eval(ez_write_tag([[250,250],'aquariumgenius_com-leader-2','ezslot_13',136,'0','0'])); These fish are great and are known to be beautiful centerpiece fish in large planted tank. Make sure to get several of them to make them feel at ease. This would mean introducing orange, red, or purple fish to the fish tank. As mentioned earlier, the larger size of Discus can be a trade off between the illusion of depth in the aquarium and coloration. Fish Species compatible with planted fish tanks. I would briefly like to explain a little bit more about the fish that you should avoid when you’re looking for fish that are suitable for a planted tank. Superb post. How do you tell the difference between a Neon Tetra and a Cardinal Tetra? Discus are possibly the most unique and colorful species available in the hobby. Purchasing 50-100 in a very large aquarium will make for a stunning display. They can be combined with Tetras  and are an all round good community fish. The most widely recognized schooling fish is the neon tetra, and they are extremely suitable for planted tanks. If you’re in doubt, send me a message of ask someone else with experience to advice you. This site is owned and operated by Bart Sprenkels. Smaller rainbows are more popular in aquascapes due to their ability to add depth and school in the aquarium. The 8 Best Aquarium Soil & Inert Substrates for a Planted Tank. You can feed them sinking algae wafers, but they’ll also gladly eat cucumber, zucchini or blanched lettuce. The type of plants, as well as the varieties of fish you intend to keep, will influence the size of the aquarium you get. In general, the best options for nano tanks are fish that: Are small in size and don’t produce a lot of biowaste (approximately 1 to 3-inches and no more than 5-inches in length at maturity) Prefer planted or densely planted tanks with lots of hiding spots This is mainly due to lack of predators in nature, where they thrive in warm ponds and pools. Rather than picking out the ones which are compatible it is best to know about the fishes which are not good for the plants as the number is comparatively low. The plants in one of my newer tanks have been growing for about 2 months and is ready for fish. This type of lighting is ideal for freshwater planted tanks, though you may need an aquarium chiller or auxiliary fan to prevent the tank from overheating because these lights produce a lot of heat. Neon Tetras will not grow as large, often maximum size is less than 1″. They also help keeping your planted tank clean, which comes in handy if you’re trying to battle algae. These are Altum Angelfish, an extremely challenging species that require careful monitoring and regular feeding. Your email address will not be published. I’ll make sure that you’ve got some ideas of fish that do well in a planted tank. They are suited to a lower pH often found in planted aquascapes and overall are an excellent choice for the planted aquarium. I’ll attach a picture of my Dutch style aquascape for which I’m trying to find suitable fish below. Generally smaller fish such as the Ember Tetra listed below tend to give the illusion of a deeper and larger aquarium and are an excellent choice for the modern day hobbyist. For this reason a CO2 heavy setup should utilise a solenoid valve that cuts CO2 during night hours. You can utilize nearly all aquarium sizes to setup a planted system. Unfortunately Discus can grow to be quite large, they should be reserved for very large aquascapes of at least 100 gallons. Frozen fish food and live food are a welcome variety in their diet. They are extremely popular in aquascaping due to their bright stunning coloration. Later in the article I’ll talk a bit more about the reasons to stay away from these fish, but in general the reason is because they will rip apart your aquarium. Here is a list of recommended wood types that can be used as aquarium driftwood. Also, the best part is that they are easily available at any pet store. Best Substrate for Planted Aquarium 1. Furthermore, their behavior is much more energetic and truly fascinating to look at in a group. Just like many of you, I started with two goldfish but quickly learned they were not suitable for aquariums. In my opinion their colors add a balanced and natural look to the tank that does not immediately grab your attention. Guppys have been the spotlights of aquariums from the beginning. When it comes to a Dutch Style Aquascape, like the one pictured above, there are rules about what fish should be in the tank. There’s bleeding heart tetras, which you can see on the picture above. I love plated tanks its one of my personal aquarium interest. I’m starting to sound like a salesperson here, so I’ll turn it down a notch. For this reason they are the best budget solution when a school of fish is required. Cardinal Tetras have always been a favorite within the aquarium hobby. Also avoid adding fish species like Goldfish to your planted tank as this will result in murky water. While people will argue as to the difficulty and delicateness of maintaining an ecosystem of plant life and marine life, most agree that the extra oxygen and CO2 consumption is great for your fish health. After my fish started to get discolored and lost interest in swimming, I knew something wasn't quite right. I’ve written a super popular article on my site where I cover a list of plants that you can use in combination with discus fish. AquariumInfo is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. The secret is out on just how simple it is to grow … 20 Best Freshwater Fish for a Planted Tank Read More » Running at three inches long, they make a great centerpiece fish for a medium-sized community aquarium because of their unique cichlid behavior, yellow and black coloration, and ease of breeding. They can also serve as an indicator for overfeeding. Third on this list are discus fish. Angel fish are more sensitive than other species to changes in water quality. They are popular, proven and are guaranteed aquascaping fish that will add color and movement to the aquascape. Snails will be able to reach places that you and your gravel vacuum just can not reach.eval(ez_write_tag([[250,250],'aquariumgenius_com-large-mobile-banner-2','ezslot_12',139,'0','0'])); I do understand that many people do not want to deal with an ever growing snail population, so there are some tips I want to give you to prevent this. Water with a hardness value of 8 to 16° dH has proven best for the care of most plants and fish. Cichlids are large fish that will decide by themselves how they want to arrange their tank. Before we dive into the list of suitable fish, it’s important to know what makes a fish suitable for a planted aquarium. Green hair algae is a type which they don’t eat (at least mine did not). Standard angelfish can grow quite large and this leaves them reserved for larger aquascapes. The best Aquascaping Fish are often small brightly colored fish including Ember Tetras, Chili Rasbora, Cardinal Tetras, Neon Tetras and Discus.. Available in sizes from 24 to 54 inches this light is easily installed on many size tanks using the unit’s integrated extension brackets.