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Fish 'levels'


Chasing Sanity

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As you know I'm in the process of upgrading my tank, I had planned a 70L but found a beautiful 100L for a good price that I'll get, and everything I'm reading in my hard to find books tells me to find different fish that swim at different levels. But how do you know? My guppies (all definitely preggers) seem to swim all over the place. Also, what would be a good beginners list for that size? I'm intending to keep only male Guppies in it, the females can live in their current tank.

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A good indication is their mouth, A guppies mouth is pointed upwards, hence a mainly top level fish.

A tetra has a pretty level positioned mouth, there fore middle range,

And lets say a catfish has a downwards pointing one, so a bottom dweller,

Thats one good guideline to guide you.

Otherwise, think if a list of fish you like, research their compatibility on the internet, most good fact sheets tell you what level they usually hang at.

HTH

Peter

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Guppies are generally top/mid level swimmers. Sometimes you can tell by the shape of the fish (flat on the top like a panchax generally means topswimmer, flat on the bottom like a pleco generally means bottom feeder)

What make/model is the tank or what dimensions? Volume is good, but stocking based on a footprint is more appropriate as a very tall tank will have less opportunity for gas exchange on the surface (oxygen level) and less room for substrate and decor (biofilter) as well as the ability for fish to make territories being affected.

What filter are you planning on using?

Do you have a particular type of substrate you want to use?

Any fish you just simply like the look of? :)

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It's a Blue Planted Kingdom 100, which for some reason I can't find when I google it. It's sort of a bit more square than a standard tank and it has a top filter. Substrate is still undecided, Possibly it will be a sand with a gravel top layer.

I love tiny fish. White Clouds, Tetras things like that. There's some native threadfin rainbow fish at my LFS that I love but I think they'll eat my guppies.

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Threadfins might eat guppy -fry-, but they are actually a pretty shy, tiny-mouthed fish :) If you like tiny delicate fish, then these are right up your alley. They might be a little delicate for a beginners fish, but definitely worth aiming for at least.

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I do very much like guppy only tanks :) A few nice plants and good gravel, they look simply beautiful ;)

You might want to consider a few bottom feeders to add to the crowd, so maybe 2 kuhli loaches (if you have rounded gravel substrate or sand - they don't handle sharp terrain) or perhaps something like otocinclus. Dwarf cories might work too, but they can be hard to find, exxy and they tend to swim everywhere in the tank ;) You don't *need* a bottom feeder either, the guppies will do most if the work anyway :)

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Got my beautiful tank today! Just need to black out the back and it'll be perfect.

Dimensions are:

640mm long X 370mm deep/wide X 380 tall.

I've decided on it being a male guppy tank, with maybe a couple of Gouramis. I found a stunning black snakeskin type boy today when I was buying some Kuli Loaches (which I adore!!) so I had to buy him!

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