Should I Lower My Numbers?

[SamB]

Hey everyone, my tank is up and running and everyone is pretty happy and getting along fairly well. My powder blue gourami gets a little grumpy at meal time, but that's about it.
 
My return window for some of my fish is running low, so I wanted to see if anyone thinks I should free up some space in the tank.
 
In my 20 gallon I currently have:
 
1 Powder blue dwarf gourami
2 German Blue Rams
2 False Julii Corycats (holding for the summer for my girlfriend until her tank is up in August)
4 Albino Corycats
2 Otos
7 Harleyquinn Rasboras
 
I'm thinking it looks a little busy in there. What do you think? If so, what needs to go? Water parameters are doing fine. Had a .25 ppm reading of ammonia which I adjusted for with a 33% water change.

 

[eaglesaquarium]

If this were my tank, I'd lose the otos, because they need to be in higher numbers anyway, and remove the gourami.  A 20 is the smallest recommended for GBRs.
 
The harlys will help the GBRs, because they like having "dither" fish out and about, because it makes them more confident that its safe.
 
Its best to up the albino cory numbers to 6, but I'd wait until the false jullis are out - these should also be upped to 6 as well long term.
 
That leaves you with (long term): 
 
7 harlys
6 albino corys
2 GBRs
 
That's still on the "overstocked" side, but with a very aggressive water change schedule (30-50% weekly, or 25% twice a week), you should be fine with it.

 

[SamB]

Do you think it would be ok to keep in the gourami? (girlfriend is highly attatched..) I could set up her ten gallon that I have in storage and move him and the otos in there.. would that be better?

 

[eaglesaquarium]

That would be better...  Somehow I missed that this tank was only a 20 when we chatted the other day.

 

[attibones]

I am of the opinion that rams need at least a thirty gallon. Though small, they need a large footprint for patrolling and territory establishment. If the ten gallon was temporary, the gourami could go in there, but they need a larger tank as well.

As eagles said, you should eventually increase the number of Cory cats, once you have removed the otos, the rams (in my opinion), and the gourami. Also, your girlfriend should plan to get more of her corydoras.

 

[SamB]

She is planning on adding up the population - the two are survivors from a fishpocalypse that happened in her 10 gallon. I am really fond of the rams and they are really small right now - I also eventually want to go bigger anyways, so they will probably see an upgrade in a year or so. The Gourami would be in a 10 for a longer period of time, what size is their minimum then for just a gourami and the two otos? I would have thought a 10 would be large enough for that. I suppose in a year when I upgrade I could figure something out for keeping the 20 gallon for the gourami.. 


observing I am curious if taking the gourami out would really make that big of a difference. I also had previously thought the otos were doing more good than they were harm seems like my judgement is off. 

 

[eaglesaquarium]

Each fish adds to the bioload.  Algae is not harmful to the fish at all, in fact, if anything I'd say its beneficial as it takes up excess ammonia (algae outbreaks generally happen during an ammonia spike but as a side effect not the cause).  The otos eating the algae will produce waste which is the problem.  
 
I do agree regarding the 30 gallon for the GBRs.  They can be kept in 20s, but only in 20 Longs, not 20 talls.  Honestly, you could probably find a larger tank just by checking the want ads, freecycle, craigslist, etc.  You'd be surprised how many folks are giving up tanks.  You can keep them in the 20 and the 10 until you can find one.  I don't think it would take that long, to be honest.
 
 
The 10 would be sufficient for the DG and otos short term, but ideally the 20 would be best for them (and the false jullis, plus the other friends), and upgrading to a 30 for the GBRs, harly and cories would be best.

 

[SamB]

Looks like my apartment may be enjoying a bit more water in it pretty soon hopefully I can find some listings on craigslist either here in auburn / montgomary or atlanta near my parents soon.. Then I get the fun of splitting it all up! haha. I can probably put one in the bathroom and one on my dresser. I dont use the counter space in my restroom anyways.

 

[eaglesaquarium]

They do sell some fish stands that have room for a tank on the bottom shelf and a tank above - or if you are handy at all, you could build one out of 2x4's and some 3/4 MDF.