Help me decide

[Elisabeth83]

Ok I just got my new 36.5 gallon long tank and I was thinking of stocking it 2 different ways.

stocking idea #1
move rams and celebes halfbeaks from 30 gallon into new tank so it would be stocked like this:

pair of rams
5-6 dwarf neon rainbows
peacock gudgeons
celebes halfbeaks
maybe some killifish

OR


stocking #2
move my labyrinth fish from 2 14.5 gallon tanks into the new tank as well as my celebes halfbeaks from the 30 gallon so it would be stocked like this:

dayi gouramis
licorice gouramis
betta smaragdinas
pearl rasboras
celebes halfbeaks
and maybe add some other small labyrinth fish like a few sparkling gouramis

I was thinking the rams could stay in the 30 gallon and I could do a similar set up or I could move the rams and halfbeaks out and use the 30 gallon for all my labyrinth fish. The only problem I see there is the 30 gallon is taller than the new tank and I was thinking the labyrinth fish wouldn't like the height and they would look better in the lower long tank??

So you help me decide which one you think is better

 

[Mo_loves_fish]

option number 1

 

[nmonks]

Elizabeth,

Both ideas sound cool, but I'd give option 2 the nod. I'm really keen on unusual gouramis. Dwarf sparkling gouramis in particular are lovely, ridiculously overlooked fish. I think in a tank with lots of floating plants, you'd be able to have (and breed) both dwarf anabantids and the halfbeaks.

I'd leave the middle of the tank relatively empty, and opt for bottom dwellers. How about some gobies or dwarf loaches? They're unlikely (or at least less likely) to eat the baby fish.

Have you tried Badis badis -- another wonderful fish all too often ignored by aquarists. If you can find then Ctenopoma ansorgii is just as lovely. An outstandingly colourful fish, and not difficult to keep. Breeding is tricky (no surprise, it's an anabantid!).

Cheers,

Neale

 

[Elisabeth83]

Wow I'm surprised this made it's way back to the first page I thought it was lost forever

I changed my plans over from the 36.5 gallon tank to an empty 30 gallon I had. I only have the pair of betta smaragdinas in there right now. I ended up getting rid of my healbeaks, licorice gouramis and pearl rasboras although I am feeling it was a mistake to get rid of the licorice gouramis

My lone female Dayi gourami (spiketail gourami) is in the hospital tank being treating for an ulcer I'd like to get somemore of them for the 30 gallon maybe 2 females and a male. I'd still like to get the sparkling gouramis but was told by a guy at a shop he didnt think it would work. He said I could try it though.

I'd like to get some badis badis...only saw a pair at a shop but they weren't for salt..he was going to order in more though. I like the peacock gudgeons..I had a pair before the male died for unknown reasosn and the female jumped out of the tank. They have some at the shop I got my pair from but I didnt want to get them until I was certain what my stocking plans were.

So Neale if it were your 30 gallon how would you stock it? I really want the dayi gouramis, sparkling gouramis and betta smaragdinas but not sure if it'll work?

 

[nmonks]

This sounds a nice combination, but I'm wondering if 3 different surface-dwelling fish would get on OK. The betta has the potential to be somewhat aggressive (though this is otherwise a docile species) and it is, I believe, rather bigger than either the dayi gouramis or sparkling gouramis.

On the other hand, one of these anabantids, plus a bottom dweller like a badis or a small Ctenopoma (or even something like a checkerboard cichlid?) should be much more reliable.

But your combination is certainly worth trying, especially in a thickly planted tank.

Cheers,

Neale

So Neale if it were your 30 gallon how would you stock it? I really want the dayi gouramis, sparkling gouramis and betta smaragdinas but not sure if it'll work?

[snapback]896550[/snapback]​

 

[IMCL85]

I like first one but the ram I like is german other then german ram, rest of the ram dont seems to have attrative color.