Peaceful Community Tank

[LadyGodiva]

Years ago I used to keep a freshwater aquarium set up but in recent years had gotten out of the hobby. A year ago I set up a 10 gallon tank for my 4 year so he would have the experience of growing up with an aquarium.

I started off with a goldfish to break the tank in for a couple of months then decided it was time to move on to better things. I gave the goldfish to a neighbor girl of mine and got several guppies, an albino cory, and a pleco. I knew that we would have fry running out our ears but hoped that one of the other fishes would keep them under control. NOT! Anyway, to make a long story short, I no longer have those guppies (no, they didn't die, I gave them to the neighbor girl) and I now have 6 neon tetras, 1 cory, and 3 of the guppy offspring that my neighbor brought back to me for some strange reason. (I'll have to do something about that too since she brought me two males and one female.)

So now I need help in figuring out what to do. My water is fairly acidic, I make bi-weekly water changes of 50%, NO nitrite, nitrate is usually in the 40's range, hardness usually stays somewhere between 75 and 100. My main problem is keeping the water from going too acidic. Alkalinity would go to 0 if I let it. I keep it from going too low with Bullseye, but I'm afraid the sudden changes when I do that could be a problem.

My neons seem quite happy and I'm sure it's because of the acidic ph. Guppies don't seem to care, but I'm sure they would do better in harder water. I can't tell what the cory is thinking, but he seems to be happy enough.

Here is what I want to do: I have an old 27 gallon tank I want to get set back up. I love fancy guppies but hate the way they reproduce. If I were to get the guppies I want, a dwarf gourami and his wife, at least two or three more cories for company to the older cory, a pleco for algea and waste management (of sorts)........I THINK the gouramis would take care of all the fry the guppies would put out, and love it to boot.

Any thoughts from all you pros?

 

[Captain Retardo]

You really don't need a pleco for algae, most plecos grow very large and are very unsuitable for a 27 gallon. But if you really would want an algae eating fish get the small Otocinculus Affinis. Also I would recommend you get more cories becuase you will have room in the tank for them. And I believe you'll find them one of your favorite fish in the tank, especially if they have a group of their own around! A number of 8 maybe 10 cories in your tank would be good, coupled along with guppies and dwarf gouramis (I'm not exactly sure how they would react to each other though, the guppies and gouramis i mean). And maybe a middle dweller like maybe 2 Cherry Barbs would be a great tank!

Also about your acidic pH: How low is it? Gouramies, Barbs and Cories all like acidic pH, but not very acidic, and guppies like alkaline, but guppies are very hardy and I woudn't worry about it, unless your pH was like 4 or something like that. Also the other fish are very hardy too. Just remember to do regular water changes!

And I would like to add one thing about the pH: If it is really low and you are worried about it you could easily add some limestone to buffer the hardness and raise the pH.

Good Luck!

 

[LadyGodiva]

And maybe a middle dweller like maybe 2 Cherry Barbs would be a great tank!

Wouldn't the barbs be a little agressive for the guppies? Maybe the Cherry Barbs are pretty calm?

 

[Captain Retardo]

Cherry Barbs are acutally very calm, just be careful though about food, the males can sometime be aggresive with it, mine is. But cherry barbs are generally peaceful and you shouldn't worry about them being aggressive.

Oh ya, I edited my above post about your pH, just telling you incase you haven't read it

 

[LadyGodiva]

Yeah, I was reading it. Thanks.

I just checked ph and it's sitting at 6.2. It was better than that a couple of days ago.

I've been reading up on the Gouramies and it seems they don't mind slightly acidic and are very peaceful and wouldn't mind a snack every now and then. The Cherry Barbs sound like a good addition too.

As for the cories, do I need to stay with albino or can I mix them?

 

[Captain Retardo]

Assuming that the albino is a bronze cory (which most are) it is fine if you get the normal variants, just try to stay away from mixing species.

A pH of 6.2 is perfectly fine.

 

[LadyGodiva]

Thanks for all your help and your quick answer.

 

[Captain Retardo]

No problem, good luck!

 

[Miss Wiggle]

if you like the fancy guppies but don't want fry then just get males it's easy to tell them apart so just ask at your lfs, if your neighbour has a tank maybe ask if she'll take back the 1 female fry you have, or trade her in for some male's at the lfs.

I also wouldn't advise a plec for algae control, amano shrimp are much better at it and don't grow so massive!

also yes get the number of cories up to at least 6, preferably more, you'll see a massive chaneg in they're behaviour

 

[Inchworm]

Hi LadyGodiva

I'm glad to see that you are aware that your single cory should be part of a school and will be getting him companions soon. While your pH is a bit on the low side for them, they will adjust to it, but if that is the normal pH in your area, please be sure that the new ones you buy have already been in the lfs long enough to be in good health. It's the change over from one kind of water to another that is harmful.

An even better idea might be to contact your local aquarium society and ask if one of their members has any for sale. If the fish have been raised in local water, they will be fine with it.

I would not recommend male gouramis for a community tank because they too often tend to be aggressive. One or two females will be peaceful and lovely to look at.

If you get a pleco, be certain it is one of the smaller species. The ones you usually find at the lfs can grow to be huge!

Why not just keep the guppies in the small tank and set up your bigger community tank to be one you enjoy without them?

 

[LadyGodiva]

I guess several males won't fight? I understand that just two will most certainly fight.

I will definately get more cories, and it looks like otto cats or amano shrimps would be choice for bottom.

Thanks for the advice.