My tropical tank is coming along nicely. I have moved one of the bitterlings in with my boisterous boys gf and will move the other one soon. Bitterlings are cold water fish, even recommended for ponds and they are so active that they really need a big tank (40g) even though they are small. Maximum size is about 4 inches. I'm moving both of the bitterlings into the pond next summer but it's winter now so the temp shock would be too great to move them now.

My male platy was a real bully. He liked one of the females, ignored another one and terrorised 2 more. They were hiding under the log and not even coming out for food so I moved the male platy into one of the gf tanks. Technically it should work because platies are classified as cold water fish too, comfortable in temps around 18C/64F and they like salt too. I couldn't take him back to the lfs because he is Garion's favourite, so I said I would give this arrangment a trial. His name is Cryptonite because he glows green. So far, so good, the gf are only small pearlies and everyone is getting along.

New additions are :-

1 baby albino cory, 1 baby bronze cory, 1 baby peppered cory and 1 baby stegbi cory. I am going to get a baby julli too.

1 baby albino bristlenose (boy was he expensive!!!) but I had to have him/her because the colour is such a beautiful pale gold.

4 male guppies. The male guppies are getting on fine together and with the female platies. It's strange but the female platies seem more confident and hide less since the guppies arrived.

I also had a golden (albino) chinese algae eater, such a pretty fellow but I had to take it back to the lfs because it was so aggressive trying to suck on all my fish, especially the bitterlings. The last straw was when it attacked my baby bronze cory and ripped one of it's pectorals. The cory is fine and it's fin healed within a few days.

A community tank is so much fun and I just love the cories. The bronze, albino and stegbi are always active but the peppered seems to hid more than the others.

ooo!! congrats on the newbies Annette any chance of photos?

Sounds good Fishmerised, do the different types of corys shoal ? pic's are needed

Now you know that you're going to try and have to take pics.The tank sounds great though.Cories love to be grouped with in their own particular groups,but will hang out with other cories if they don't have any of their own.The Peppered Cory may just not feel comfy yet.
As for the Albino Bristle,why don't you live closer.....I could have given you a ton of them!

Sharon, it was your babies that made me fall in love with albino cories and when I saw them at the lfs I had to have one. The cories are so smart, as soon as the tank lights come on in the afternoon they are sitting at the the front of the tank looking for me. Feed me ... feed me !!

Yep, Padda's pal, all the cories shoal except the peppered, he is more of an individualist. Funny thing, whenever I introduce an albino to the tank (CAE, cory or bristlenose) the other fish try to peck at them for the first few hours. They must think they are food or dead fish but they soon get used to them.

Bitterlings are so great too. They can be very nippy with each other like Daninos and just as fast. Mine are only about 2" but the 20 gallon is too small because they are so fast, dashing here and there and occasionally running into the glass. Ouch!

You all must know by now how much I hate my camera but I will try what I used to do before I had a camera - use John's mobile phone. Cross your fingers it will work because when it doesn't I get so cranky. (ha ha)