fish had to go!!!!

[Rayne]

i just brought back one of my dwarf gourmais. It was a red one that was a big bully. he had the tail of my blue one ripped to shreds. i also tried a albaino rainbow shark but he was only free in the tank 5 mins before he attacked both my angels with no signs of stopping so he went back too and now i have $13 credit at the fish store.

On a better note i got two oto cats for my 55 gal wednesday. so now i have:

1 powder blue dwarf gouramis
2 angel fish (both black and white stripped
2 guppies (1 male 1 female - i know potential angel food but when the angels
get bigger i'll move the guppies)
2 oto cats


I may go out tomorrow and get another oto cat (not sure)

i really want a shark but i don't know if i can have one in my 55 gallon.

What is the min size tank for a red tailed black shark? (i may have to ask santa for a new tank for christmas)

 

[Cheese Specialist]

A RTBS would be fine in there. Can't believe your rainbow one was so aggressive, my Zipyy is fine with mine.

I'd suggest 2 more female guppies as there would be at least 2 females per male to stop constant harassment of the female.

 

[black angel]

just as a side note it is very rare for two male gouramis not to fght.

 

[Rayne]

so cheese specialist a red tailed black shark should be fine with the fish i have. Some people have said that the shark can't go with the angels.

when i first got the 55 gal a RTBS was the only fish i really wanted. but other people bought me fish then i saw the beautiful black and white baby angels (about quater sized) and i had to have them. But if i could get a RTBS i will be out to the LFS tomorrow and use my store credit to get the one i was looking at today!!!!!!!

p.s. will my gourmias be ok without any other gourmais in the tank (a friend)???

oh yeah by the way my female guppie is usually the one harassing the male but hey it just might be the pregancy hormones!!1

 

[Cheese Specialist]

just as a side note it is very rare for two male gouramis not to fght.

I had thought that but I am not very up on most species and I know it can vary. I would have expected it to be fairly normal.

 

[sylvia]

Dunno about the angels but I've kept a RTBS with the other fish you mentioned and they were fine (providing hiding places may help though). I've only ever kept angels in a species tank with some cories so I don't know about them.

I've always kept gouramies in groups with one male and a couple of females or in pairs but I don't think its necessary. I keep a surprisingly aggressive pearl alone and he's always been very happy with the other fish in the tank.

Male dwarf gouramies can get along provided there is enough space for them to establish territories and plenty of cover. Even if they fight at first, they usualy settle down to some extent once they've established territories. I would suggest getting a few females rather than another male though.

 

[Rayne]

OMG you would not believe the difference in my tank in just one night the small blue dwarf is actually moving around the tank (something he has never done since i got him) and all the fish are swiming more than they ever have before. I should have brought the red dwarf back ages ago.

i do have to buy some melifix or whatever for the blue one so his tail will get better.

any comments about the RTBS for my tank will be greatly appreciated

 

[Cheese Specialist]

I think a shark would be fine. The tank is fairly big and not overcrowded, and sharks occupy the bottom more than the top.

Clean water will be enough to sort the fish's tail, it will heal itself.