# Fish options for upper layer



## Aquarium-Addict (Dec 24, 2010)

Hi,

I want to buy some fish for the upper layer of my planted tank. I can´t find too many options actually, I only know of the zebra danio that stays near the surface most of the time.

*Can you help me with some other options?* I recently have cardinal tetras and will be adding corydoras. It´s intended to be a community planted tank.

Thanks,
George


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## Franco (Jun 25, 2010)

Guppies, wrestling halfbeaks, hatchet fish, butterfly fish, etc
Danios will swim wherever there is water.


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## spypet (Jul 27, 2007)

I went with Chela dadybujori as my top swimmer of choice.
very few nano freshwater fish have such a bold yellow.
they are fast swimmers, so large fish can't catch them.
these are very sociable fish, so you need a bunch to keep
them on top. if you only have a few, they will simply find
other fish to hang out with much closer to your tank bottom.
because of their small mouth and mid water feeding habits,
these tend to leave fish and shrimp fry alone - if well fed.
the only problem with many top swimmers is they are also
more likely to jump out of your tank when startled


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## ddavila06 (Jan 31, 2009)

I have some red coral pencilfish, cute! little, active and mainly in the middle-upper areas of the tank. however! when my nannacara had really small fry, i saw these fishes chasing after the fryicon_hang:icon_hangi


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## TAB (Feb 7, 2009)

there are several killies that tend to stay at the surface.

Hatchets are known to be jumpers so a tight fitting lid is needed.


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## matt12 (Nov 21, 2010)

clown killi AKA rocket killi


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## jkan0228 (Dec 29, 2010)

Harlequin Rasboras will tend to swim in the upper and middle levels


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## 21windowsamba (Nov 8, 2006)

ddavila06 said:


> I have some red coral pencilfish, cute! little, active and mainly in the middle-upper areas of the tank. however! when my nannacara had really small fry, i saw these fishes chasing after the fryicon_hang:icon_hangi


Pencil fish are awesome but sometimes hard to find.


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## Hedgie (Dec 18, 2007)

If you want very top, hatchet fish. These guys are rarely 5cm away from the top. Need lids though, I miss these babies with an open top tank.

If you're looking at upper levels, I vote Harlequin Raspboras. Beautiful fish.


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## GitMoe (Oct 10, 2010)

Platys. My golden and red wag Platys stay at the top of my water column almost all the time.


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## Aquarium-Addict (Dec 24, 2010)

Thanks for all the replies. You have really open my options. 

I like the pencilfish (coral red) but I don´t see them very often in my city aquarium stores.

So I will consider the Harlequin rasboras or if I find killies I´ll go with those.

I forgot to mention but my aquarium water is in the acidic side ph=6.5. So that´s why I won´t get mollies, platies, guppies or other livebearers that are more suitable for alkaline water.

Thanks,
George


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## ddavila06 (Jan 31, 2009)

how about killi fish, in general they are very active, not very big and defenitly a top fish =D only thing, they jump!! o they are super colorfull


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