20 and 55g planted community tanks

FishForums.net Pet of the Month
🐶 POTM Poll is Open! 🦎 Click here to Vote! 🐰

Lefky

New Member
Joined
Apr 3, 2019
Messages
47
Reaction score
0
The current stock, not sure how it works haha, is: 4 green corys, 7 neon tetras, 1 Geman Blue Ram, 1 Hatchetfish, 1 Female Betta, 1 Dwarf gourami and a bristlenose pleco. I am overstocked but added extra filtration and do 35% water changes a week. (Have to link it because its too large). https://imgur.com/a/soJ305t

My 55g tank currently has: 1 Pearl Gourami, 3 Sunset Thicklipped Gouramis, 3 Pictus Catfish, 1 Angelfish and 1 Hatchetfish. I plan on adding 2-3 Electric rams and 4-5 Discus with many more plants and some decorations I ordered not too long ago. (Picture below)
 

Attachments

  • E1167687-98EA-49B5-95CC-D0CE32F701E8.jpeg
    E1167687-98EA-49B5-95CC-D0CE32F701E8.jpeg
    110 KB · Views: 168
You shouldn't keep different species of labyrinth fishes (Bettas & Gouramis) together because they are territorial and fight.

Dwarf gouramis are riddled with diseases and should not be kept. The 2 biggest concerns are Tuberculosis and the Iridovirus, neither of which can be treated.

Do not keep Discus and Angelfish together because they fight.

Hatchet fish should be kept in groups with lots of floating plants to hide under. You should put your 2 together and get a couple more. Make sure you have a good cover on the tank to stop them jumping out.

Pictus might be an issue when they mature. They also like to be in big groups.

You need a picture/ backing on the big tank.
 
You shouldn't keep different species of labyrinth fishes (Bettas & Gouramis) together because they are territorial and fight.

Dwarf gouramis are riddled with diseases and should not be kept. The 2 biggest concerns are Tuberculosis and the Iridovirus, neither of which can be treated.

Do not keep Discus and Angelfish together because they fight.

Hatchet fish should be kept in groups with lots of floating plants to hide under. You should put your 2 together and get a couple more. Make sure you have a good cover on the tank to stop them jumping out.

Pictus might be an issue when they mature. They also like to be in big groups.

You need a picture/ backing on the big tank.
I appreciate the comment and the concerns about my tanks. I knew dwarf gouramis havent been bred very well and are prone to disease, I know it sounds bad but he just looked to pretty to pass up. My betta is one of the most peaceful bettas I have seen. She even swims away from the tetras and likes to be next to the hatchetfish. I also did a lot of research about discus and angelfish, read many posts and watched many videos. The most concern I read about having the 2 is the aggression during feeding time. I can drop food on both sides of the tank, basically everywhere so there wont be any aggression during feeding. I did keep my hatchetfish together in my 20g and they were just too aggressive to each other so I moved the larger one to the larger tank and they have both been ok since. I dont really want more than 3 of the pictus since I know they will get big. I also have a sealed lid on both of the tanks. With the background of the larger tank, I ordered one a couple days ago and it should be coming soon.
 
I completely concur with Colin in post #2. I will here respond to your subsequent comments.

I also did a lot of research about discus and angelfish, read many posts and watched many videos. The most concern I read about having the 2 is the aggression during feeding time. I can drop food on both sides of the tank, basically everywhere so there wont be any aggression during feeding.

This is not going to work, most probably. Jack Wattley who recently passed away (a year ago) probably knew more about discus than anyone else, and he continually advised not to keep discus with angelfish. If you had a tank that was 10 feet in length, it might work, but not in a 55g. Please, do what is best for the fish, not what you might want. The fish have needs and to be healthy and "happy" those needs must be understood and provided for.

I did keep my hatchetfish together in my 20g and they were just too aggressive to each other so I moved the larger one to the larger tank and they have both been ok since.

What exactly do you mean by "aggressive?" Hatchetfish are shoaling fish that must be in a group. The species in Thoracocharax and Gasteropelecus interact a great deal, much more than the smaller species in Carnegiella, but these need a larger group nonetheless. If such fish do become aggressive, it is inevitably because there are too few of them. This was proven in a scientific study. With any of these species, you should start out with at least seven or eight so they can interact normally as nature intends.

I dont really want more than 3 of the pictus since I know they will get big.

When acquiring fish, research what they need and be prepared to provide it. A group of at least five would have been better here, and if the tank space is insufficient (I agree it is, even for three) then move on to another species. It is not fair to deny thee fish what they "expect" just to have them. They are under stress, guaranteed.
 
I completely concur with Colin in post #2. I will here respond to your subsequent comments.



This is not going to work, most probably. Jack Wattley who recently passed away (a year ago) probably knew more about discus than anyone else, and he continually advised not to keep discus with angelfish. If you had a tank that was 10 feet in length, it might work, but not in a 55g. Please, do what is best for the fish, not what you might want. The fish have needs and to be healthy and "happy" those needs must be understood and provided for.



What exactly do you mean by "aggressive?" Hatchetfish are shoaling fish that must be in a group. The species in Thoracocharax and Gasteropelecus interact a great deal, much more than the smaller species in Carnegiella, but these need a larger group nonetheless. If such fish do become aggressive, it is inevitably because there are too few of them. This was proven in a scientific study. With any of these species, you should start out with at least seven or eight so they can interact normally as nature intends.



When acquiring fish, research what they need and be prepared to provide it. A group of at least five would have been better here, and if the tank space is insufficient (I agree it is, even for three) then move on to another species. It is not fair to deny thee fish what they "expect" just to have them. They are under stress, guaranteed.
Ok I think you guys convinced be away from discus. I also believe my 2 hatchetfish are from different species because one has a green line and one has no line. I will look for some more matching hatchetfish for each of the tanks. Could I make this tank an angelfish tank? I was thinking of 5-6 more hatchets and 2 more Pictus, like you suggested, but how many more angels?
 
Ok I think you guys convinced be away from discus. I also believe my 2 hatchetfish are from different species because one has a green line and one has no line. I will look for some more matching hatchetfish for each of the tanks. Could I make this tank an angelfish tank? I was thinking of 5-6 more hatchets and 2 more Pictus, like you suggested, but how many more angels?

Now we have other issues neither Colin nor I mentioned so far...

Pictus cannot be combined with angelfish (or discus) because the pictus are active, especially at night, and this can severely stress sedate fish literally to death. And before you say it ;) the angelfish is almost certainly under stress now, regardless of what you can see. We cannot counter science, successfully.

This will also harass the hatchetfish, which "sleep" during darkness and will with pictus present be jumping into the cover and killing themselves.

Pictus are difficult fish to match, but look at the barbs and danios.

Another issue is the blue ram...these need warmth, with 80F (27 C) minimum. Some fish can tolerate or even enjoy this, some cannot. And the poor pictus loses here too; with the mid 70's its maximum (the activity gives this away). The neons and cories also need cooler (mid 70's max) temperatures to be healthy.
 

Most reactions

trending

Staff online

Members online

Back
Top