Community Cichlids

[ANIM4L]

Ok so this is my tank then :

60g - Fully Planted with Real Mopani Driftwood
1 Honey Gourami
1 Dwarf Gourami (Flow)
1 Pearl Gourami (Loch)
1 Powder Blue Gourami (Dori)
1 Red Fire Dwarf Gourami (Nemo)
1 Opaline Gourami (Surf)
1 Marbled Angel (Spaz)
1 Clown Pleco (Stripes)
1 Rubbernose Pleco (Pucker)
3 Ghost Shrimp (3 Stooges)

I took out the:
1 Synodontis Eupterus (Spike)
1 Silver-Tip Catfish F (Bruce)
1 Gold Gourami (Bananas)
3 Baby Clown Loaches

The ghost shrimp take up no space cuz thye dont take territories, they swim around kicking with thier legs they only get about 1 inch. If i take out the opaline, even tho they are extremely peaceful, would i be able to hold a couple rams in thier? All i am asking for is help with my tank @ombomb, i am trying to find what is best for my fish, and a way i could get lots of color. I am not oging to be making 3 more posts, i have no reason too, im getting help in here.

So there is the ifsh ihave in the tank currently, what do you suggest i do with this? What can and should i add to get lots of color? Ideas please? And as you can see, i took out my silver tip shark , so if anyone has any ideas on any "sharks" or catfish that look like sharks that woudl work in my rank, plase tell me!

Also, is pangasius catfish, i read in lots of places it gets to 8 inches, but in the wild 2-4 feet, im just wondering, does the tank seriously keep it that small??? Pangasius catfish = irredescent shark. thanks for the help everyone!

P.S. Bceause of the whole rams>small gouramis thing, i may move them to another tank, i have a 29 and a 10, would they work in the ten if i have lots of plants and lots of hiding spots?

 

[ANIM4L]

Ok i guess i have good news for myself, i just set up from my 10 gallon to an 18 gallon tank. So i will be moving my dwarf gouramis into that tank. This is what i have now:

60g - Fully Planted with Real Mopani Driftwood
1 Pearl Gourami (Loch)
1 Opaline Gourami (Surf)
1 Marbled Angel (Spaz)
1 Clown Pleco (Stripes)
1 Rubbernose Pleco (Pucker)
3 Ghost Shrimp (3 Stooges)


I will be making a new post in chit chat about this, because this topic was going way off from this forum, so if u feel like helping me out, i will be making a topic about helping me choose fish. I will still be on this topic tho if you reply to my last long post

 

[Barracuda518]

eventually your gouramis will quarrel....especially the male dwarfs...just for your information...

[snapback]862035[/snapback]​

I know this is true because I have Gouramis now that are fighting that Im taking out of my tank tommorrow...

 

[ANIM4L]

my powder blue, red fire, and dwarf swim together all the time, they have been tank mates for about 1.5 months, NEVER had any problems, will this change rapidly in an 18 gallon tank?

 

[Barracuda518]

my powder blue, red fire, and dwarf swim together all the time, they have been tank mates for about 1.5 months, NEVER had any problems, will this change rapidly in an 18 gallon tank?

[snapback]862254[/snapback]​

If they are all males, most likely they will try to stake out territories, especially as they get bigger...

 

[pnyklr3]

When I first started keeping fish, I randomly bought fish that I thought would "look nice" in my tank. Heck, at that point I was thinking "Cycling? LIke on a bike?" About a year ago, I decided what I would like, and I am slowly moving to that. I try to find new homes for the fish that won't work out in my new setup, get other tanks for these same fish, or wait for them to pass on from old age.

I am now dreaming of an oddball tank, and I would love to have a stingray, but I know that I am not enough of an expert to try out a fragile ray.

How long have you kept fish? I think everyone does/should go through the stage where they are happy just keeping the fish alive and healthy. A real appreciation starts to grow from that. Later on, the "little" fish won't be enough, and you'll want another tank with fish that have "personality." I'd say look around here in the members pics, see what you like (realize that in most cases members have WAY more than one tank). Do a lot of research on schooling sizes (do they need to be kept in groups? Some fish are agressive if their groups aren't large enough...even some tetras), agressiveness on average, what type of water you have/the fish perfer. I live in an area where the water is hard and has a high pH. My dwarf cichlids perfer soft water with a nuetral/low pH. I use RO water to help achieve this. I don't have to do this because my fish were acclimated to the local pH, but I did this for breeding purposes.

EDIT: You may want to seriously consider finding new homes for these fish (even taking them back for credit) and "start over." Do a little searching for what it is you want, you can afford, and you can easily mange. It may be the easiest way to come out from under what could be a big headache.

 

[ANIM4L]

ok thanks for your help, i am going to go out ans look around at local stores to see what thye carry, and NOT BUY ANYTHING, but see what i like, write down the name, and research it, see if it will work out in my tank. Thanks a lot

 

[pnyklr3]

That is perfect. And don't worry. I think many of the members here have purchased a fish out of pure impulse at least one time...I know I have

 

[lucky62]

I think many of the members here have purchased a fish out of pure impulse at least one time...I know I have

[snapback]862315[/snapback]​

guilty , and some gouramis mix well with some cichlids

 

[lucky62]

Gouramis and Cichlids, even the community ones don't get on IME.

Is it too much to ask that you do some research before making these posts? You claim to work in a fish shop yet seem to have no real knowledge of fish or their requirements.

You should not put any more fish in your tank, especially not aggressive ones.

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with so many cichlids and so many Gouramis to chose from IME some do get on

It's happening in 3 of my tank ATM

and I don't think the tank is over stocked , personally I lose the catfish , and the three spots ,aka the Gold and the opaline [ same species ] , they get nasty , dwarfs will get nasty to wards each other .

 

[Dangerousdan]

Im very worried Anim4l.....

From:
60g - Fully Planted with Real Mopani Driftwood
1 Clown Pleco (Stripes)
1 Rubbernose Pleco (Pucker)
4 Clown Loaches (Bobo, Gizmo, Bozo, and Gonzo)
3 Ghost Shrimp (3 Stooges)
4 Palateus Cory (Shark Bait Family)
1 Blue Gourami F (Spot)
1 Gold Gourami F (Bananas)
1 Powder Blue Gourami M (Dori)
1 Red Fire Dwarf Gourami M (Nemo)
1 Dwarf Gourami M (Flow)
1 Albino Paradise Gourami M (Casper)
1 Paradise Blue Gourami F (Sparkle)
1 Pearl Gourami F (Loch)
1 Opaline Gourami F (Surf)
1 Angel M (Spaz)
1 Silver-Tip Catfish F (Bruce)
1 Synodontis Eupterus (Spike)
2 African Dwarf Frogs (Duck & Hopper)



To:
60g - Fully Planted with Real Mopani Driftwood
1 Pearl Gourami (Loch)
1 Opaline Gourami (Surf)
1 Marbled Angel (Spaz)
1 Clown Pleco (Stripes)
1 Rubbernose Pleco (Pucker)
3 Ghost Shrimp (3 Stooges)

Meanning:
4 Clown Loaches (Bobo, Gizmo, Bozo, and Gonzo)
4 Palateus Cory (Shark Bait Family)
1 Blue Gourami F (Spot)
1 Gold Gourami F (Bananas)
1 Powder Blue Gourami M (Dori)
1 Red Fire Dwarf Gourami M (Nemo)
1 Dwarf Gourami M (Flow)
1 Albino Paradise Gourami M (Casper)
1 Paradise Blue Gourami F (Sparkle)
1 Silver-Tip Catfish F (Bruce)
1 Synodontis Eupterus (Spike)
2 African Dwarf Frogs (Duck & Hopper)

Have been rehomed in a 10Gallon WTF!!!!



: ::

 

[lucky62]

I'm confused , the number of fish in this aquarium seems to be changing often [ as I go back and read more of the posts ]


Anim4l , what are your tanks dimensions ? Maybe look into getting another one of equal size.

 

[Elisabeth83]

I've been wondering about this too Seems every post ANIM4L you've taken fish out but I don't know where to? Not possibly all into your 10 gallon?

 

[ANIM4L]

Ok the fish you named that were rehomed go like this:

4 Clown Loaches (Bobo, Gizmo, Bozo, and Gonzo)
these were given to a friend at work, and one to man looking to add a baby to grow with his 3 other 2 inch clowns

4 Palateus Cory (Shark Bait Family)
3 moved to the ten gallon atm (may stay, not sure), one given to dad in 29 gallon

1 Blue Gourami F (Spot)
taken back to store, aggressive

1 Gold Gourami F (Bananas)
taken back to store, aggresive

1 Powder Blue Gourami M (Dori)
back in 60

1 Red Fire Dwarf Gourami M (Nemo)
back in 60

1 Dwarf Gourami M (Flow)
back in 60

1 Albino Paradise Gourami M (Casper)
taken back to store, aggresive

1 Paradise Blue Gourami F (Sparkle)
taken back to store, aggresive

1 Silver-Tip Catfish F (Bruce)
atm still in 60, talking to someone at another store to see if they will add to thier brackish tank, they have a 90 gallon brackish

1 Synodontis Eupterus (Spike)
moved back into 60, i may keep him if he is ok with set up when done, if not, back to store

2 African Dwarf Frogs (Duck & Hopper)
in the 10 gallon

so as you can see, my fish i had are all ok and not down the drain or thrown away, i promise. I am seriously looking to redo my whole tank, still looking for ideas Opaline may be moved out also

 

[abstract]

i would keep the syno....mine is at about 5" now and is great in a community tank....

this is my current 46 gallon stock list...pretty much my ideal tropical setup..and it took me a year and some rehoming of fish to do this..

46 Gallon Bowfront Community
(3) Angelfish (Gold, Koi, and a Mutt)
(4) Boesmani Rainbows
(2) Australian Rainbows
(8) Sparkling Gouramis
(2) Blue Paradise Fish
(2) Blue Rams
(1) Gold Ram
(2) South American Bumblebee Cats
(1) Dojo Loach
(1) YoYo Loach
(1) Synodontis Eupterus
(1) Bristlenose Pleco

yep i will be overstocked by the time they all reach absolute adulthood....yep i plan on upgrading to at least a 75 gallon tank...yep i'm running 2 very good filters...but you get the idea

rainbowfish would be a great addition to your tank...they are active, yet have a mild temperment with most other fish (besides other rainbows who they will chase around similar to tiger barbs)...they have small mouths so they really can't mistakenly suck up a small fish

sparkling gouramis are small, very colorful gouramis on the less agressive side of the spectrum - if you could find some i think they would work out much better than the larger gourami species and will still leave you room for more fish

rams can go in pretty much any community setting assuming they have a large enough aread to claim as their own....they are extremly colorful, yet not the hardiest of fish, so add them last to any tank IMO

the loaches will probably eventually be rehomed - they are slightly too active for my current setup, often nipping fins/chasing other fish around especially around feeding time - not out of agression, just due to their nature

the angelfish are def. the centerpiece (or will be once they outgrow the rainbows)...i plan on rehoming them if a pair does come out of it - 2 will go into a 29 gallon planted (that gives me an excuse to finally get a 29 gallon!) and the other will stay in the 46 gallon

the SA bumblebee cats and the syno are the vacuum cleaners of my tank...they don't let ANYTHING build up on the bottom - the bumblebee cats are particularly good because they have huge appetites but stay around 2.5" and spend a lot of time hiding in cracks and crevices in the driftwood...the syno spends most of the day up by the filter intake just hanging out vertically...and when night starts to roll around he begins patrolling the open areas - so majestic to watch with his flowing fins - i would call him one of my favorite fish ever

the bristlenose is there, because, well, he's cool...i don't have algae problems but i have always had a thing for plecos...if you happen to have an algae outbreak for whatever reason they will quickly take care of it...if not, they offer great character to the tank

i know this is long winded but hopefully it helps you see how it's done...yes, it takes time, and you will have to rehome fish unless you are lucky...but if you:
1) think about what you want your tank to look like from the beginning
2) fill all 3 layers of the tank (top, middle, bottom)
3) consider the temperment of the tank as a whole
and 4) leave room for a couple more additions down the road - since you WILL run into fish you just have to get!

you will end up with a tank you can enjoy for years