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Keeping glowlight rasboras (trigonostigma hengeli): any experience?
Posted: Mon Dec 16, 2024 12:21 pm
by bereb
For the sake of simplicity, I'll just call them "the rasboras" from now on. Hi everyone, I'm hoping someone out there has experience with these fish and can offer some insight. I've had my rasboras for 34 days now, and I'm eager to hear about your experiences with them in both community and single-species tanks.
They still freak out at the slightest movement, but as soon as everything's calm, they're happy to come out and swim around. I'm starting to wonder if they'll ever get to the point where I can walk past the tank without sending them running for cover. I've nicknamed their favorite hiding spot "the emotional support corner" - it's pretty amusing, but I'd love to see them relax a bit more.
My water parameters are spot on, and I've got a big group of 14 with plenty of plants to hide behind, including a blanket of floating plants. I've read a bit about using dither fish to help calm them down, but I'm not sure if that's an option for me. I don't have a lot of choices for dither fish that would thrive in my tank, and I'm not even sure if it's worth trying.
My pH is around 7.8, and according to my dodgy test strips, my water hardness is at GH 4.2 and KH 2.3. To be honest, I'm not entirely confident in those readings, so I'll be picking up a proper liquid hardness test soon. I'll be away from the 23rd to the 27th of October, but I'd love to hear your thoughts before then.
So, has anyone else had experience with these fish? Are they normally this skittish, or is there something I can do to help them relax? I'm not sure if this is just their natural behavior, but I'd love to hear your thoughts.
Re: Keeping glowlight rasboras (trigonostigma hengeli): any experience?
Posted: Mon Dec 16, 2024 1:14 pm
by BadgersSong
I've never had the pleasure of keeping hengels, but I do have some experience with harlequins - they're lovely little fish. They thrive in large schools, are incredibly peaceful, and display some beautiful colors. Soft water is definitely their preference, so investing in a reliable liquid test kit is a good idea - the test strips can be a bit hit or miss. My harlequins were never skittish, but they did have some pearl gouramis keeping watch from above. They were also tank-raised, which might have contributed to their calm nature. If your hengels are wild-caught, it's possible they'll take some time to settle in and feel secure. By the way, what's the size of your tank?
Re: Keeping glowlight rasboras (trigonostigma hengeli): any experience?
Posted: Mon Dec 16, 2024 2:24 pm
by boomer
I've had the pleasure of keeping these rasboras for over a dozen years now, in a couple of different setups, and I must say, they're quite fascinating creatures. One thing that might be worth noting is the tank size - could you tell us a bit more about that?
Regarding the water parameters, I completely agree with BadgersSong - investing in a liquid test kit would be a great idea to get a more accurate reading. That being said, if you're concerned about the GH levels, you might be able to confirm them by checking your water authority's website. If it's indeed around 4 or 5, you should be okay.
Re: Keeping glowlight rasboras (trigonostigma hengeli): any experience?
Posted: Mon Dec 16, 2024 2:51 pm
by sSjey
bereb wrote: ↑Mon Dec 16, 2024 12:21 pm
For the sake of simplicity, I'll just call them "the rasboras" from now on. Hi everyone, I'm hoping someone out there has experience with these fish and can offer some insight. I've had my rasboras for 34 days now, and I'm eager to hear about your experiences with them in both community and single-species tanks.
They still freak out at the slightest movement, but as soon as everything's calm, they're happy to come out and swim around. I'm starting to wonder if they'll ever get to the point where I can walk past the tank without sending them running for cover. I've nicknamed their favorite hiding spot "the emotional support corner" - it's pretty amusing, but I'd love to see them relax a bit more.
My water parameters are spot on, and I've got a big group of 14 with plenty of plants to hide behind, including a blanket of floating plants. I've read a bit about using dither fish to help calm them down, but I'm not sure if that's an option for me. I don't have a lot of choices for dither fish that would thrive in my tank, and I'm not even sure if it's worth trying.
My pH is around 7.8, and according to my dodgy test strips, my water hardness is at GH 4.2 and KH 2.3. To be honest, I'm not entirely confident in those readings, so I'll be picking up a proper liquid hardness test soon. I'll be away from the 23rd to the 27th of October, but I'd love to hear your thoughts before then.
So, has anyone else had experience with these fish? Are they normally this skittish, or is there something I can do to help them relax? I'm not sure if this is just their natural behavior, but I'd love to hear your thoughts.
I did say the rasboras have been in the tank for 34 days now. I'm still trying to get them to calm down a bit. I was thinking of maybe introducing some dither fish, but like I said, my tank's not really suitable for most.
I do have a high PH and the water hardness is a bit of an issue, I'm not entirely sure about the reliability of my test strips. I'm going to get a liquid test kit soon, but I'm away from the 23rd to the 27th of October.
I was thinking maybe the skittishness is just natural behaviour for them, but I'd love to hear from anyone who's had experience with these fish. Are they normally this jumpy?
Re: Keeping glowlight rasboras (trigonostigma hengeli): any experience?
Posted: Mon Dec 16, 2024 4:35 pm
by bereb
BadgersSong wrote: ↑Mon Dec 16, 2024 1:14 pm
I've never had the pleasure of keeping hengels, but I do have some experience with harlequins - they're lovely little fish. They thrive in large schools, are incredibly peaceful, and display some beautiful colors. Soft water is definitely their preference, so investing in a reliable liquid test kit is a good idea - the test strips can be a bit hit or miss. My harlequins were never skittish, but they did have some pearl gouramis keeping watch from above. They were also tank-raised, which might have contributed to their calm nature. If your hengels are wild-caught, it's possible they'll take some time to settle in and feel secure. By the way, what's the size of your tank?
I should have mentioned it earlier - my tank is 105 litres, with dimensions of 75x35x40 cm. The substrate, hardscape, and plants do take up some space, but I've tried to provide a comfortable environment for my rasboras.
Re: Keeping glowlight rasboras (trigonostigma hengeli): any experience?
Posted: Mon Dec 16, 2024 5:34 pm
by bereb
BadgersSong wrote: ↑Mon Dec 16, 2024 1:14 pm
I've never had the pleasure of keeping hengels, but I do have some experience with harlequins - they're lovely little fish. They thrive in large schools, are incredibly peaceful, and display some beautiful colors. Soft water is definitely their preference, so investing in a reliable liquid test kit is a good idea - the test strips can be a bit hit or miss. My harlequins were never skittish, but they did have some pearl gouramis keeping watch from above. They were also tank-raised, which might have contributed to their calm nature. If your hengels are wild-caught, it's possible they'll take some time to settle in and feel secure. By the way, what's the size of your tank?
I had a look at the website where I got my rasboras and it doesn't say they're wild-caught, so I've assumed they're tank-raised.
Re: Keeping glowlight rasboras (trigonostigma hengeli): any experience?
Posted: Mon Dec 16, 2024 6:00 pm
by boomer
The dimensions seem to match what we'd call a 29g standard in NA. Given the 105 liters, it's equivalent to 27 gallons, so that checks out. In my experience with this species, they were quite skittish when they had the tank to themselves. However, things took a drastic turn for the better when I moved them to a larger tank with tetras and cories. The change was almost immediate. It seems they thrive in the company of other fish. With the space you have available, I'd definitely recommend introducing some tankmates. Keep in mind, once they're settled, they tend to occupy the mid-water zone.
Re: Keeping glowlight rasboras (trigonostigma hengeli): any experience?
Posted: Mon Dec 16, 2024 7:43 pm
by bereb
boomer wrote: ↑Mon Dec 16, 2024 2:24 pm
I've had the pleasure of keeping these rasboras for over a dozen years now, in a couple of different setups, and I must say, they're quite fascinating creatures. One thing that might be worth noting is the tank size - could you tell us a bit more about that?
Regarding the water parameters, I completely agree with BadgersSong - investing in a liquid test kit would be a great idea to get a more accurate reading. That being said, if you're concerned about the GH levels, you might be able to confirm them by checking your water authority's website. If it's indeed around 4 or 5, you should be okay.
That's really interesting to hear. I'm curious to know if you think the introduction of tank mates alone would have made a similar difference in their behaviour, or if the larger tank space played a significant role in reducing their skittishness.
In terms of the new fish, do you think their activity level and preferred dwelling level are important factors to consider? For instance, would it be beneficial to have fish that are active and tend to swim above the rasboras, or would fish that inhabit the bottom levels of the tank or are less active but still outgoing be just as effective in helping them feel more at ease?
Re: Keeping glowlight rasboras (trigonostigma hengeli): any experience?
Posted: Mon Dec 16, 2024 8:26 pm
by boomer
I had a group of hengeli rasboras in a community setup with some small gouramis and other rasboras, and their behavior was similar to what I observed in my larger tank with tetras and cories. However, when I kept them alone in a 20-gallon tank, they'd always dash for cover behind the woodwork whenever I entered the room. This changed after I moved them to the larger tank. I think the key is compatibility - as long as the other fish share the same environmental requirements and preferences, they can help the rasboras feel more at ease.
Re: Keeping glowlight rasboras (trigonostigma hengeli): any experience?
Posted: Mon Dec 16, 2024 9:32 pm
by bereb
boomer wrote: ↑Mon Dec 16, 2024 2:24 pm
I've had the pleasure of keeping these rasboras for over a dozen years now, in a couple of different setups, and I must say, they're quite fascinating creatures. One thing that might be worth noting is the tank size - could you tell us a bit more about that?
Regarding the water parameters, I completely agree with BadgersSong - investing in a liquid test kit would be a great idea to get a more accurate reading. That being said, if you're concerned about the GH levels, you might be able to confirm them by checking your water authority's website. If it's indeed around 4 or 5, you should be okay.
I really appreciate your input, boomer - it's given me a lot to think about. I'm glad to hear that you've had similar experiences with the rasboras being skittish in their own tank space, but then changing dramatically when introduced to other fish. I'm still trying to figure out the best approach for my tank, but your insights have definitely been helpful in narrowing down my options.