Please Help Identify This Fish

[VespertineStar]

Hi All

Just set up a 54l tank in my room and have got the fish from my Dad's tank because he is switching to a marine tank. Anyway, long story short, there are four fish and I have no idea what species one of them is. Here is a link to a picture of the fish (the best I could get he's quite the speedy little bugger) http/i146.photobucket.com/albums/r273/ta...an/DSC00085.jpg

The fish is about 1.5" long and is a translucent pearl colour, except under certain light/angles, where there are pale blue flashes along it's side towards the tail.

There are two Zebra Danios and a Red Fin Shark in the tank with it; any recommendations for tank mates and how many I should add?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[fiskkeeperpro]

looks to me like a pearl danio?
You tank is too small to house a red fin shark, what size is he at the moment?

Will

 

[VespertineStar]

Pearl Danio looks about right and considering he was in a tank with Zebra Danios when Dad got him it would make sense.

I would say at the moment he is about 2-2.5" but unfortunately we have nowhere else to house him.

Thanks for the reply my friend.

 

[Biulu]

Yes, try to rehome the shark, and up the numbers on your zebra danios since they are shoalers. If you have a 54 litre tank, I assume your tank is around 60 cm long, too short for a group of pearl danios; they need a length of at least 75 cm.

Other things you can add are: cories for the bottom and some centre piece fish, such as a gourami.

 

[VespertineStar]

I was talking to Dad last night about his marine tank project and it seems as though he has given up on the idea before even starting and he is probably going to repair his tank and go with freshwater again. Hopefully I can then transfer them back to his tank and start with an empty tank.

Are Gourami difficult to care for?

So, any suggestions for an empty tank?

 

[indigoj]

Gourami are lovely easy to manage fish. For your tank I would suggest Thicklipped Gourami they stay small enough but are a lot hardier than Dwarf Gourami (which are overbred and tend to be quite prone to disease)

I have Kissing Gourami, Opaline Gourami, Thicklipped Gourami and Sparkling Gourami and the Thicklips are the most active and have also spawned twice (no fry yet but maybe next tiem)

Sparkling Gourami are beautiful but very small and tend to need either a species tank or a tank with other small none aggressive fish also with soft acidic water. I keep 9 of them in a 3ft with some baby bristlenose plecs, some khuli loach and some clown killifish.

My Thicklips get along well with every fish they have been housed with.

 

[VespertineStar]

Thanks for the advice; the only fish shop I know of in the GY area is Atlantis Aquatics and from their site they do not appear to have and Thick Lipped Gourami. Are there any on the following page that might be suitable? [URL="http/www.atlantisaquatics.co.uk/acatalog...anabantids.html"]http/www.atlantisaquatics.co.uk/acatalog...anabantids.html[/URL]

I have just been browsing their site and seeing what catches my eye; what about the following:

Corydoras Trilineatus x3
Assorted Swordtails x3 or Lyretail Mollys
Golden Gourami x2

Please bear in mind that I'm new to this

 

[Biulu]

Trilineatus are my favourite cories; lovely choice!
If you want gouramis, stick to the swordtails since mollies and gouramis do not get along well. For some reason mollies dislike gouramis, plus mollies prefer some salt in their water, which the other species do not tolerate.

If you take the golden gourami (Trichogaster trichopterus) then just take 1 male for your size tank. Males are easy to distinguish as they are the colourful ones. Gouramis are territorial fish and you should either keep them by themselves or in trios (1 male: 2 females). They need around 30 litre/fish so, in your size tank just one.

Swordtails are nice fish, but livebearers. This means you will quickly have a lot of fry, but with the gourami around these won't survive. So, if you feel sorry for the young fry to die you better look for another type of fish.

Otherwise I think it is a good tank; not too difficult fish and compatible. Good luck with it!

 

[VespertineStar]

Thanks for the advice; is there an easy way to distinguish between male and female swordtails and would there be any problems keeping a group of single sex of this species? Of course, suggestions for other fish are always more than welcome.

Matt

 

[Biulu]

Thanks for the advice; is there an easy way to distinguish between male and female swordtails and would there be any problems keeping a group of single sex of this species? Of course, suggestions for other fish are always more than welcome.

Matt

Male swordtails are easily distinguished by the 'sword' sticking out of their tail. It is like a black extension of the tail. You can keep a single sex group however, this species can change sex. I do not know how it is called, but one or more males will convert into females if there are no females around and vice versa.

Other possibilities are a shoal of hardy tetras, such as serpaes or cardinals, or rasboras.

 

[VespertineStar]

Change sex eh? That's a trick and a half. Do you think they draw straws?

OK so it looks like its going to be the 3 corys, a gourami and a small shoal of tetras.

Thanks for all your help guys.

Matt

 

[Biulu]

you're welcome!

 

[PRW1988]

Most likely a peral danio...