# Are there any small fish that like lots of current?



## MissMinerva

I have a 10 gal. with two Hillstream loaches. There are two filters on it to provide lots of aeration. Actually, I keep the water level about 4" from the top so, it's more like waterfalls. No heater for the summer but, temps range from 72-75 depending on the weather.

Are there any small fish or critters that like that much current/aeration? It would be nice to actually SEE some fish in there! 

Thanks all!


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## Piscesgirl

Well, not sure if you want more bottom fish, but corys would appreciate current, and probably 'play' in it.


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## bharada

Don't most of the sucke mouth-type catfishes like current...or at least live in areas with high currents?

In my 40g tank I have the spraybar mounted at the bottom of the tank blowing up. I think all of the fish in there will spend some time swimming down against the current..which can look pretty comical.


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## MissMinerva

Hmmm... I guess I was thinking it HAD to be high current loving fish that liked cooler temps. I do let the temp go down to 68-70 in the winter. Well, that certainly opens things up, doesn't it?

Whiteclouds, perhaps? They're bound to turn up in a LFS around here someday! Any other suggestions?

Thanks!


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## JanS

One type of fish I've kept that _loves_ to swim in the current are Glass cats. 
They are a little sensitive, but if your tank is well established and kept well maintained, they will do fine.

I don't have any now, but they were always swimming directly in the outflow of the filter.


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## Plattykins

Rasboras perhaps? I had 6 in my 10 gallon before I moved them to my 25 gallon community tank. They used to love swimming through the filter output. The bubbles from the air stone were a favorite also.


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## MissMinerva

Not real fond of "clear" fish. Sorry, Jan! Rasboras would be nice. They don't really like the lower temps, though, do they?


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## Plattykins

Well then, Black Phantom Tetras, Bloodfin Tetras or White Clouds (not with the BloodfinTetras though, as they are fin nippers). The Tetras would tolerate the higher temps in the summer better than the White Clouds would. It isn't that they would not survive, it is that the White Clouds colors are better in the cooler temps, than in warmer temperatures. Mine were pale looking in the mid 70's. Of the two types of Tetras, it appears the Bloodfins are the most active. I found most of this information on Elmer's Aquarium site:

http://www.elmersaquarium.com/nav/freshwater/index.html


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## AaronT

My endler's livebearers love to play in the strong current of a powerhead. Most fish would probably appreciate a break during the night though.


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## Error

Small rainbowfish (genera Melanotaenia, Pseudomugil) as well as livebearers of the genus Xiphophorus do very well in water with a decent current.


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## MissMinerva

Good suggestions! I hadn't thought of the small livebearers. Never had any! I will be on the lookout for some nice platies or maybe even guppies. Those would be fun. I can adjust the "waterfalls" more to one side of the tank so there is more area with less turbulence.

Thanks all!!!!

Jan


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## czado

I have a nano river tank (one way current) at 140-300gph through 8g. If you're willing to run piping from your HOB, you can replicate one way water flow. I did this for a bit, simply an adaptation of Martin Thoene's Hillstream article at loaches.com, and now use the same piping for my CO2 powered diffuser -- we should bounce ideas around if you're experimenting with this. You can see my tank and some details at the link in my signature, if you want.

I'm keeping a hillstream, kuhlii loaches, otocinclus, and psuedomugil gertrudae. Im not too sure the latter is digging the enviornment (thread here, but another forum, if interested). I suspect P. furcatus would be better, but I fear they're too big for our tanks. I've kept white cloud mountain minnows and cherry barbs in the tank, but neither is interesting in high current, and the barbs sought much cover. When keeping minnows, barbs, and probably livebearers, its important to create little billabongs to provide shelter from the current, I think.


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## TeutonJon78

I have neon dwarf rainbows and danios. Thye seem to enjoy playing in currents (especially the danios). They also like swimming all around the stems of plants in the tanks.


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## Andrew-amano-wannabe

well guppies like swimming in currents, and are quite robust, they are the bimbo of the aquarium world really, i have had a number of forgetful incidents concerning heaters in breeding tanks, and they all survived. i woud agree with white clouds, i have kept them in tropical temperatures and a cold water tank. A hard fish that would look quite attractive would be a paradise fish, tho they are very powerful fish, its an anabatid(excuse spelling) slightly larger than a siamese fighter. these are tough fish the skin heads of the aquarium, they have been found in hongkong harbour even with all the pollution, they are kept in some british ponds, so they are quite adaptable to temperatures.
I would say barbs like current but not sure about temperature tolerance, well good luck.


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## MissMinerva

"bimbo of the aquarium", "skin heads of the aquarium" :biggrin: :biggrin: :biggrin: Love your descriptions! 

Haven't gotten around to getting anything yet. Probably will go with some "bimbos"!

Thanks, Andrew!


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## Andrew-amano-wannabe

well when you cant think of a posh metaphor you just have to get creative. Guppies are a bit bimboish though, you know some pyschiatrists(forgive spelling dyslexic fingers) prescribe patients suffering with depression into keeping them because of their happy nature, not sure happy more just one thing on their little brains!
read one of your old threads about riccia wasnt sure whether to reply or not, was quite old did you succeed with it at all?


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## MissMinerva

Riccia? Success? HA! I did make a couple nice little riccia rocks that were doing ok in my lower light/non Co2 tank until my gold barbs ate it all! Then I gave up and sold the rest. Too difficult for me.

So all I needed for my depression was a couple lousy guppies?!?!?!? Wish you'd told me that 20 years ago!


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## Andrew-amano-wannabe

well if u believe it, dont think they help more than a bottle of pills somehow.
You know what i found easy for riccia, is gettin a hair net to wrap it around the rock that way if a fish rips it, the plant still has a root to grow from, looks daft at first but afterward it looks great.
How many tanks do you have? what kind of set ups?


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## josh

TeutonJon78 said:


> I have neon dwarf rainbows and danios. Thye seem to enjoy playing in currents (especially the danios). They also like swimming all around the stems of plants in the tanks.


I second these two fish. Mine love to sit a swim in the curent of the spraybar.

Josh


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## Chef_low

Danios also like currents too


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## Aldenf66

Hello,
I have some Otto Cats and after some research found they love current and will hang out at the filter outlet or on the glass in front of the powerhead current. Plus they're cute tiny fish and fun to watch. Do research on they're feeding.


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## jhays79

My Xiphophorus Mayae Swords love the current. They are what some may call a "clear fish" but their stripes down the middle have great color too them.


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## Slingo

I noticed my normans lampeyes tend to hang and enjoy strong current. Even the fry i rear in smaller aquariums compete for the 'sweet' spots in the current.


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## Prometheus

I agree, norman lampeye's love the current. I've found them to be pretty hardy, fearless with other fish, and interesting to watch when in groups... big fan


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## szenic

A 10 gal would be too small for any melanotaenia rainbows.


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## jhays79

My Cory Cats love the current too...


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## Aqua_Man

Most characins.


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## jpalimpsest

If you go with cories, maybe consider one of the pygmy/dwarf species so you can get a proper sized school
without overpopulating your tank.


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## jpalimpsest

Bamboo shrimp like current. They get fairly large (4-5") and are great filter feeders.


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## HybridHerp

I belive fan shrimp would appreciate this as well.

My 10 has hi flow (but higher temps than yours) and so far I only have some rili shrimp, oto, pygmy cories, and a badis badis pair.


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## fishfan

I once had black neon tetras that seemed happy with strong current. They would take turns swimming in the flow stream.


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