OP
OP
mark7616
potatoes
so any ideas on what i could have that look just as nice as my 2 gouramis
Help Me Be A Good Fish Owner Please!
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NinjaSmurf
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I got 22g give or take. Which, given the mollies... and this unnamed pleco... I'm not to keen on putting anything else in there at the moment. And don't widows and white tips need larger groups?
OP
OP
mark7616
potatoes
its a black pleco with white spots about 3" at the mo i will probably remove the smaller fish they are just what i had in another tank im really mainly interested in the gourami size fish
OP
OP
mark7616
potatoes
Opaline Gourami or Three-spot Gourami
thats the gouramis its neither of them think its a common pleco.
thats the gouramis its neither of them think its a common pleco.
dwarfgourami
Fish Connoisseur
If it is a common plec, he can grow to 24 inches. But not in that tank! He needs a new home, and soon, before his health is affected. They may seem very cute and small at first but they can grow quickly and produce a lot of waste, which will put a strain on your filter and risk the health of your other fish.
According to the website calculator I use, 96 ltrs is 25 gallons (but it will be a little less with displacement).
Assuming that the pleco is out of the equation, this is how I work out the rest of your stock:
2 3-spot gouramis= 2x 5" = 10"
3 mollies= 3x3" or 3x5" (depending on type of molly)= 9" or 15"
2 black widows= 2x2.4"= 4.8"
2 white-tips= 2x2"= 4"
-------------------------------
so either 27.8 or 33.8
Either way you will be overstocked, even not counting the plec, once these fish are fully grown.
The other problem is that you are keeping two types of schooling fish in pairs (the two tetras), which is not ideal for their wellbeing. It means they are under permanent stress, and can also mean that the stronger of the pair ends up bullying the weaker member (we get a lot of posts about this type of situation!). Black widows can also show a tendency to fin-nipping when kept in small numbers- so keep an eye on your gouramis!
At this point you need to ask yourself not what will look most attractive in your tank, but what will be the best solution for your present fish.
Rehoming the plec should be a priority. Then some sort of way of upping the numbers of the tetras- but unfortunately you can't just go out and buy more fish, because it might crash the tank. Could you rehome one gourami? Or maybe it could be done by adding extra filtration.
I would watch the situation with the mollies and the gouramis quite closely too. You have a situation where big greedy fish are at the same surface level as big potentially territorial fish (the gouramis). I can see this part of the tank getting more crowded than might be good for the fish. Which reminds me, are your gouramis a pair (as in 1 male, 1 female)? Check that out, as keeping two males in a relatively small tank might cause trouble.
According to the website calculator I use, 96 ltrs is 25 gallons (but it will be a little less with displacement).
Assuming that the pleco is out of the equation, this is how I work out the rest of your stock:
2 3-spot gouramis= 2x 5" = 10"
3 mollies= 3x3" or 3x5" (depending on type of molly)= 9" or 15"
2 black widows= 2x2.4"= 4.8"
2 white-tips= 2x2"= 4"
-------------------------------
so either 27.8 or 33.8
Either way you will be overstocked, even not counting the plec, once these fish are fully grown.
The other problem is that you are keeping two types of schooling fish in pairs (the two tetras), which is not ideal for their wellbeing. It means they are under permanent stress, and can also mean that the stronger of the pair ends up bullying the weaker member (we get a lot of posts about this type of situation!). Black widows can also show a tendency to fin-nipping when kept in small numbers- so keep an eye on your gouramis!
At this point you need to ask yourself not what will look most attractive in your tank, but what will be the best solution for your present fish.
Rehoming the plec should be a priority. Then some sort of way of upping the numbers of the tetras- but unfortunately you can't just go out and buy more fish, because it might crash the tank. Could you rehome one gourami? Or maybe it could be done by adding extra filtration.
I would watch the situation with the mollies and the gouramis quite closely too. You have a situation where big greedy fish are at the same surface level as big potentially territorial fish (the gouramis). I can see this part of the tank getting more crowded than might be good for the fish. Which reminds me, are your gouramis a pair (as in 1 male, 1 female)? Check that out, as keeping two males in a relatively small tank might cause trouble.
silver tipped
Fish Fanatic
Hi,
Just a note on the white tipped tetras. I too keep these and they do better in a larger group of 6 or more. They can also be a bit nippy with some of the other fish, especially those with longer fins. Mine are ok with my platies though.
Just a note on the white tipped tetras. I too keep these and they do better in a larger group of 6 or more. They can also be a bit nippy with some of the other fish, especially those with longer fins. Mine are ok with my platies though.
OP
OP
mark7616
potatoes
im going to rehome one of my gouramis as i was watching this evening and noticed that one of them is always on the floor with the blue one over it and when something comes near they chase them around the tank it seems to be the yellow that is aggressive and the blue looks after her. the blue one has a long fin while the yellows is half the size does anyone have any ideas as to whats happening.
Neal
Live life, don't let it live you!
Really, you should be thinking about your fish and what they would prefer, rather than what you would prefer. I know you want to make it pretty, but you have to consider the fish aswell as the look.
OP
OP
mark7616
potatoes
it can also be about what works in your tank if you buy fish small and plan to upgrade in the future then it doesnt really matter. you all add up the inches that fish "could" get to and tell people they have to remove them now as there as going to kill a fish but that isnt the case if people have fish that are going to grow big in a small tank but have plans to upgrade in the future thats ok. Ive been keeping fish for years and alays gone with whats happy in my tanks never what people tell me alot is your own ways of doing things it seems people on here are to quick to ram there views in peoples faces telling them to get a certain fish out of a tank as soon as possible as it is to big. Thats why i started this post to see what you would all say.
OP
OP
mark7616
potatoes
you should be fine i have in a 25g tank
1xDwarf Gourami 1 1/2"
1xHoney Gourami 1 1/2"
1xCommon plec 3"
1xBaby Angel 3/4"
4xMollie about 4" in total
2xalbino cory about 2" in total
2xskunk cory about 3" in total
1xjellybean parrot 2" which jellybean only grow to about 4" ive had a blue one for about 2yrs and he is about 3"
And people on here will say i should not have all this in a tank but in 6 months they will go in to a 450l tank.
1xDwarf Gourami 1 1/2"
1xHoney Gourami 1 1/2"
1xCommon plec 3"
1xBaby Angel 3/4"
4xMollie about 4" in total
2xalbino cory about 2" in total
2xskunk cory about 3" in total
1xjellybean parrot 2" which jellybean only grow to about 4" ive had a blue one for about 2yrs and he is about 3"
And people on here will say i should not have all this in a tank but in 6 months they will go in to a 450l tank.
I can see this thread going downhill soon, so try to keep it friendly, okay? 
I don't want to have to close it, before this gets resolved, but if it gets nasty I will.
Mollies aren't strictly brackish, however all of them do best in some salt. Wild Sailfins and Black Mollies are the ones that really need the salt, but a lot of Mollies are hybridised these days, so it's impossible to look at them and say which ones need the salt and which ones don't. The best bet is to keep them with a bit of salt. However, not many community fish like the salt, so that makes it tougher. Mollies also like hard, alkaline water, so if you're keeping them in soft, acidic water, you will definitely need salt to keep them at their healthiest.
I don't want to have to close it, before this gets resolved, but if it gets nasty I will. Mollies aren't strictly brackish, however all of them do best in some salt. Wild Sailfins and Black Mollies are the ones that really need the salt, but a lot of Mollies are hybridised these days, so it's impossible to look at them and say which ones need the salt and which ones don't. The best bet is to keep them with a bit of salt. However, not many community fish like the salt, so that makes it tougher. Mollies also like hard, alkaline water, so if you're keeping them in soft, acidic water, you will definitely need salt to keep them at their healthiest.
Mod's note:
Since this thread was getting confusing and taking a turn toward unfriendly attitudes, I've divided it and removed some less that pleasant posts.
Phoenixfish's question has been moved to this thread:
http
/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=130155
Since this thread was getting confusing and taking a turn toward unfriendly attitudes, I've divided it and removed some less that pleasant posts.
Phoenixfish's question has been moved to this thread:
http
/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=130155Phoenixfish
Fishaholic
kk
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