Spiketails

[leefergran]

Hello

I used to belong to these forums a long while ago but I forgot my old user name, I just re-joined today and hope to be around a lot more. Anyway I came to ask about Spiketail gouramis. My LFS recently got a whole group of these in and I was thinking of getting one or two. Unfortunately I haven't been able to find much info about them, such as compatable tank mates, how many to get, and agressiveness. Some websites say they're semi-agressive, and others say peaceful. I have a large 55 gl tank with a pearl gourami, 2 blues gouramis, 2 thick lipped gouramis, 1 freshwater flounder, 2 siamese algea eaters, and 2 dwarf gouramis, 4 pencilfish, and 6 sparkling gouramis. Would 1 or two spiketails be ok in this setup or is it a bad idea? I also have a 20 gl. tank with zebra danios and guppies, could they go in there if not in the big tank? All answers will be appreciated! I hope they will be compatable, they spiketails are so interesting to watch in the store.

 

[Elisabeth83]

Hi there, Are you talking about spiketail gouramis or spiketail paradise fish? I googled spiketail gourami and I couldn't find much. If your talking about spiketail paradise fish http/www.theaquarians.net/FishPhotos/dayssmall.jpg I just bought 4 about 2 weeks ago. I've got them in a 14 gallon with 6 harlequin rasboras. Everyone gets along just fine.

I'm not so sure the spiketails would be happy in such a big tank with so many other fish. I think the 20 gallon would be a better choice. Since spiketails are pretty peaceful fish you can keep quite a few together. Make sure you have it heavily planted and have a lot of hiding places.

 

[sylvia]

First let me begin by asking whether all the fish in your 55 gallon are mature or not...? You have a lot of gouramies in there that all occupy the upper layers - colisa lalia, c. labiosa, trichogaster leeri and t. trichopterus. I would be worried about some territoriality - especialy if they are all male (and particularly the three-spots).

The 'spiketailed gourami' IS the spiketailed paradise fish. However, there are two species, pseudosphronemus dayi and p. cupanus. The one linked to is the brown spiketailed paradisefish - dayi. The more common one is the spiketailed paradise fish - cupanus. Both are very peaceful, IMO dayi more so than cupanus. You could keep either in either of your tanks - prefferably as a trio.

The only thing I'd be concerned about is, if in the big tank the fish get aggressive as they get older, they may get bullied. However, if the sparklers are doing fine, the spiketails should be fine as well. It would be best to put them in a heavily planted tank.

Watch you aren't over-stocking your tanks BTW. The 55 at least, I don't know about the 20, is just about fully stocked at the moment (though, if you keep up with maintainance or if it's quite well planted, the extra spiketails should be manageable).

 

[leefergran]

Thank you for the good advice. After I read this yesterday I went and got the 2 remaining spiketails today. They are both boys which I was worried about but they seem very attached, they "buddy up" and seem very shy in the 55 gallon but are slowly adjusting. Also yes it is very well planted which is why I think everyone gets along so well, the new spiketails have adopted the smaller slate cave and are the only ones who have ever used it so far. Also The pearl is a boy and the blues are a boy and girl pair and all seem to avoid one another but the pearl enjoys chasing the thick-lipped gouramis. If it ever gets too agressive I'll move the thick-lipped's to the 20 gl. but for now they don't seem stressed. I think the tank is pretty full now, I won't be adding more any time soon.

PS. The spiketails I got are pseudosphronemus dayi, I'll try to post pictures.

 

[leefergran]

This forum section wouldn't let me attach pics so they're posted here > http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=99335&st=0&