WookiellMonster
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Just wanderin if i get a dwarf gourami should i get just one or would it be lonely?
1 or More?
- Thread starter WookiellMonster
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Mmm...how a big of a tank are we talking? And what other fish?
If it's a small tank, it might be better to get one, considering you will probably have to get a male, since females could be harder to find.
However, to really answer your question, we need to know more about your tank.
If it's a small tank, it might be better to get one, considering you will probably have to get a male, since females could be harder to find.
However, to really answer your question, we need to know more about your tank.
Well, to answer your question, just one (male I assume) would be fine.
HOWEVER, whether you should get one or not in the first place depends on various things.
Firstly, is your tank cycled? Dwarf gouramies are not a beginner's fish. They aren't as hardy as they ocne were and can contract diseases very easily and often die from them. Stress from bad water quality has a very negative affect on them.
Next, what size tank? Dwarf gouramies only get to 2" so, actualy, they do ok in quite a small tank. However, because of their fragile nature, a crowded tank or one that is much too small can have serious negative effects on them. Also, the stress from the instability of smaller tanks can have serious reprocutions if not carefuly controlled.
And that brings me to what other fish will be with it and how many of each? Like I mentioned before, dwarf gouramies can be easily stressed. They are also prone to having their ventral 'feelers' nipped so fish likely to nip like tiger barbs are not good tank-mates. They also don't usualy appreciate being with other, especialy mroe aggressive, gouramies and preffer a planted tank with lots of floating plants for cover and to establish an undisputed territory. However, do keep in mind that they are 'labyrinth fish' so they breath directly from the air, somewhat ike we do. As such, you have to make sure they have access to atmospheric air at all times - or they will literally suphocate.
I obviously don't know how much of this you new already but, hopefuly, I have helped you a little. I did, at least, answer your original question.
Anyway, welcome to the forum!
HOWEVER, whether you should get one or not in the first place depends on various things.
Firstly, is your tank cycled? Dwarf gouramies are not a beginner's fish. They aren't as hardy as they ocne were and can contract diseases very easily and often die from them. Stress from bad water quality has a very negative affect on them.
Next, what size tank? Dwarf gouramies only get to 2" so, actualy, they do ok in quite a small tank. However, because of their fragile nature, a crowded tank or one that is much too small can have serious negative effects on them. Also, the stress from the instability of smaller tanks can have serious reprocutions if not carefuly controlled.
And that brings me to what other fish will be with it and how many of each? Like I mentioned before, dwarf gouramies can be easily stressed. They are also prone to having their ventral 'feelers' nipped so fish likely to nip like tiger barbs are not good tank-mates. They also don't usualy appreciate being with other, especialy mroe aggressive, gouramies and preffer a planted tank with lots of floating plants for cover and to establish an undisputed territory. However, do keep in mind that they are 'labyrinth fish' so they breath directly from the air, somewhat ike we do. As such, you have to make sure they have access to atmospheric air at all times - or they will literally suphocate.
I obviously don't know how much of this you new already but, hopefuly, I have helped you a little. I did, at least, answer your original question.
Anyway, welcome to the forum!
WookiellMonster
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i have a 20 gallon i think its been cycled i've had it for like 2 months already so yeah probably, but i have a cory, a dragon fish, and a rainbow shark. i'll probably just get 1 ive been savin my lunch money for it lol.
Umm, right, don't get one just yet.
Cories should be in groups of at least 4. Get 3 more.
The rainbow shark will get to 6" and will be quite aggressive as it matures. Don't get any fish that look like it - no other sharks and don't get any more bottom-dwelling fish like catfish or loaches either.
As for the dragon fish, do you know the scientific name? Can you describe it a bit or post a picture? Depending on what it turns out to be, it i probably not suitable for your tank and should be returned to your LFS.
Once you have added the 3 more cories, established what this 'dragon fish' is and acted accordingly, a dwarf gourami will be ok to add.
Are you doing weekly water changes BTW? You should be and you should be using de-chlorinated water for them.
Cories should be in groups of at least 4. Get 3 more.
The rainbow shark will get to 6" and will be quite aggressive as it matures. Don't get any fish that look like it - no other sharks and don't get any more bottom-dwelling fish like catfish or loaches either.
As for the dragon fish, do you know the scientific name? Can you describe it a bit or post a picture? Depending on what it turns out to be, it i probably not suitable for your tank and should be returned to your LFS.
Once you have added the 3 more cories, established what this 'dragon fish' is and acted accordingly, a dwarf gourami will be ok to add.
Are you doing weekly water changes BTW? You should be and you should be using de-chlorinated water for them.
WookiellMonster
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yea i was already plannin to get a few more cories, no more sharks for sure, yea i changed my water yesterday, and for the 'dragon fish' iunno why i call it that but maybe u knoe it by violet goby? what other fishes do u reccomend for my tank? its lookin pretty empty on account my violet goby is always in its cave until dark.
I was concerned that the 'dragon fish' would either be a violet goby or an arowana. As it happens, violet gobies get huge and, once it get bigger, it will munch on its tankmates. Just be aware of this and know that you're going to have to re-home it sooner or later.
With 4 cories, the shark, the dwarf gourami and the goby, your 20 gallon is already nearly fully stocked (obviously, I'm ignoring the goby's potential adult size or you'd be WAY over-stocked). You may want to add a small, mid-dwelling chooling species. A tetra, rasbora or non-nippy barb. Avoid anything that gets over 2", get a group of 6 (all the same species) and don't get any top-dwelling fish such as danios or hatchetfish as the gourami will want that part of the tank to itself. Maybe consider 6 harlequin rasboras OR 6 black phantom tetras OR 6 checker barbs. Any one of those species would be nice. Thre are plenty of other but I reccomend those. Just make sure to take the goby out once it gets to about 4" and still at a size where it can be re-homed easily (your LFS should take it). If it's larger than 6" at the moment, don't add anything besides the cories and gourami until you do take it out.
With 4 cories, the shark, the dwarf gourami and the goby, your 20 gallon is already nearly fully stocked (obviously, I'm ignoring the goby's potential adult size or you'd be WAY over-stocked
). You may want to add a small, mid-dwelling chooling species. A tetra, rasbora or non-nippy barb. Avoid anything that gets over 2", get a group of 6 (all the same species) and don't get any top-dwelling fish such as danios or hatchetfish as the gourami will want that part of the tank to itself. Maybe consider 6 harlequin rasboras OR 6 black phantom tetras OR 6 checker barbs. Any one of those species would be nice. Thre are plenty of other but I reccomend those. Just make sure to take the goby out once it gets to about 4" and still at a size where it can be re-homed easily (your LFS should take it). If it's larger than 6" at the moment, don't add anything besides the cories and gourami until you do take it out.No, don't worry, that applies to some gouramies but not to dwarfs. Male dwarf gouramies are territorial fish and do absolutely fine if completely alone and free to set up an undisputed territory and not worry about other gouramies.
jflowers
Ignore my post count, it means I waffle too much,
Just to add, Violet/Dragon gobies are brackish fish, not freshwater. They can reach a size of 18", though 12" is more common in the aquarium. They are also tricky to feed when kept with other fish as they have very limited eyesight and filter feed, so will not compete with other fish for food. They also require a sand substrate. They are one of my favourite fish, if I were you I would get another tank for it (any excuse )
Jon
) Jon
WookiellMonster
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yea they are cool fish, mine its pretty well i always see it like suck the nutrients out of the bloodworms and then spit the other stuff out. but definately im gonna bigger tank for it. its too wierd and cool to give back, you thing a 55 gallon would be big enough?
I don't know about the 55 but it sounds reasonable. Just wanted to point out that jflowers did say they are brackish. I had a suspicion they might be and it means you need to move the fish to a different tank pretty soon, and make the tank brackish as soon as you do so, if the fish is to remain healthy and live a full life.
A good post on Violet Gobies by SirMinion is in this topic:
http
/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=94506&hl
It has lots of info them in there. And if you want even more information, search the forums.
http
/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=94506&hlIt has lots of info them in there. And if you want even more information, search the forums.
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