Newbie In Dire Need Of Help

[Kiddy]

Hi I'm a newcomer to fish and could do with advice. I have successfully *crosses fingers* set up a small (6.5-7 uk glallons 8-9 US) tank and it is finally stocked with a small mixed bunch of baby Tetra (biggest is 1 inch Glowlight smallest is 1 cm Cardinal) who are housed here until their permanent home is ready (a 25 US Gallon Tank) which has started Cycling today. (5 Glowlights, 5 Cardinals)
Can anything else go in the middle sized tank with them or is that number of fish enough? would like a couple of Danios if poss...

Would I be able to keep a Betta in this smaller tank? would he be able to have a companion or two in such a small tank? (ie 2-3 Tetra?)

But this Summer I'm gonna be getting a much larger tropical tank, about 150cm x 40cm x 60cm. what can I keep in this? I kinda like the look of Gouramis and Oscars but no idea on any others (Except the Corys/Plecos) but how many? any I should avoid?

[[Important]] It is gonna be looked after by me and two other students who have a collective knowledge about Fish

1) they require a tank of water
2) they will eventually die (hopefully after long and fulfilled fishy lives)

I have a basic grasp of Cycling, Ammonium/Nitrite/Nitrate/pH monitoring and how to spot anything wrong and have never had a pet die from neglect.

any help/advice greatfully received

 

[tttnjfttt]

Question 1: can you put more fish in the 25 gal? The rule is 1 inch of fish per gallon (US Gal). And you need to consider the adult size. You have 5 cardinals, so that is 10 inches, and 5 glowlites which is 7.5 inches. So that is a total of 17.5 inches. I would say you definatley have room for a school of zebra danios. Also your fish are very small and think so you can push the inch of fish rule a little.

Question 2: Can you keep a betta in the smaller tank? yes. Can he have a few neon tank mates? no, neons can be nippy which is bad for neons. Look in the betta section's pinned articles and there is one discussion on acceptable tanmates.

Question 3: what can you keep in your large tank (with a preference of gouramis or oscars)? This tank is 360 Ltrs, or 95 US gallons. This tank is large enough for one oscar (possibly 2, not sure but the minimum tank size for one is 75 gal). Read the fish profile for oscars, there is alot of good info in there. OR you can do a community tank with gouramis or even a species gourami tank. There are many types of gouramis, out there, again look throught the proviles to get some ideas. If you go for a community tank, there are many possiblities, largely up to you. The best advice I can give is to pick out the type of gourami you want first. Some are peaceful and should be with other peaceful fish, and others are more agressive. I have an opaline gourami, nd he bosses around the tiger barbs, clown loaches, and red tailed black shark (some more agressive fish). Look through the pix and see what you like and go from there.

 

[Kiddy]

I've pretty much given up on the Oscar (unless I get a 4th tank :? and here's what I'm knda planning

Small Tank : Betta
Apple Snail

Medium Tank: 5 Cardinal Tetra
5 Glowlight Tetra
4 Cory Cats
(could a Khulie Loache or 2 fit as well? I'd rather under- than over-stock)

Large Tank: Kissing Gourami
Moonlight Gourami
3 spot/golden Gourami
Zebra Danios
Leopard Danios
a Rainbow Fish or 2
Bristle-nosed Catfish

Does that sound ok? the Large tank is a wish list to pick and choose from really. Are there any other suggestions for it? this tank is replacing the role of TV as we don't watch tv and want something interesting to look at in the lounge.

 

[tttnjfttt]

small tank: sounds great!

Medium tank: you could probably get away with the kulli loaches. Tetras and danios are small waste producers, so you can push the inch of fish rule, but your call. I'd say add them last and watch your nitrate levels to see exactly how much waste is being produced.

Large tank: i'd recomend posting in the gourami section about possible agression between species. I'm honestly not sure about this one, but i know the 3 spot gourami can be fairly agressive. other than that, sounds good! I haven't checked how fully stocked that tank is, but i imagine there would be some more space to add even more fish.

 

[Kiddy]

Heya

Thanks for the help!

after looking into the larger tank situation I was thinking doing this

2 Kissing Gourami *
1 Pearl Gourami
6 Zebra Danios *
6 Leopard Danios *
6 Pearl Danios (the Danios are so playful! I like em) *
2 Lake Kutubu Rainbow
4 Pencil Fish
3 Corydoras (hopefully Panda)*
1 Bristle Nosed Plec*
2 Kuhlie Loaches

I'm also thinking of going for sand/fine gravel substrate and lots of mixed planting round the back and edges with some low-lying central ones, to give plenty of hiding places for the Gouramis to have space and avoid territory disputes.
Will different Danios school with each other? if so I would probably drop to four of each
the ones with asterisks are the ones I would really like but do you think this would work?