Want To Buy Some Fish At The Weekend

[ZoddyZod]

Afternoon (morning to those in the US!),

I pretty pleased with my tank and it's current inhabitants but I would like to add one more variety of fish. My current stocking is

125L (33g US) tank
7.8pH
1 BN
1 Dwarf gourami
10 Zebra danios
3 Male guppies

In my mind I'd like Bolivian Rams (unsexed pair) or a shoal of something......possibly neons or harlequins.

Since I've seen my dwarf gourmi bully one guppy to death (and possibly two others, but I dont think they travelled very well) I'm concerned that neons would be a target for him. I'm also worried that he now thinks the tank is his territory and would scuffle with the Rams.

OK, so questions are:

1: would neons be ok (they are in >8pH in the lfs, so should be fine in my 7.8pH)
2: What's the likelihood of the Ram and Gourami getting along (in another thread the answer was generally 'yes' but with a risk of a 'punch up').
3: If you think neither are good ideas, recommend a colourful schooling fish or another gourami sized tankmate.

 

[Wills]

Personally I think the gourami and the bolivans would be okay in a 3 foot still quite a lot of room in there for each party to make up their own space. As for schooling fish, the possibilities are endless, but just thinking you have quite a nice asian biotope going so how about a school of barbs? Like a medium side barb that would be nearly as big as your dwarf gourami but without any attitude, something like a black ruby barb or oddesa barbs? You would need a group of 5 or 6 but I think they would look nice against your others. Also an idea for the bottom how about some small loaches like zebras or pygmy chains?

 

[Assaye]

I think rams like more acidic water, so I'd be wary of getting them if you pH is nearly 8.

Ditto with neons, tbh, although you could try them.

How about some corys? A lot of fun and super cute. 6 sterbai would look great.

 

[ZoddyZod]

Personally I think the gourami and the bolivans would be okay in a 3 foot still quite a lot of room in there for each party to make up their own space. As for schooling fish, the possibilities are endless, but just thinking you have quite a nice asian biotope going so how about a school of barbs? Like a medium side barb that would be nearly as big as your dwarf gourami but without any attitude, something like a black ruby barb or oddesa barbs? You would need a group of 5 or 6 but I think they would look nice against your others. Also an idea for the bottom how about some small loaches like zebras or pygmy chains?

I like the idea of sticking to an Asian biotope, but if the barbs are as big as the gourami then I think the tank will become overstocked as they grow?

I have considered kuhli loaches, but dont have a sand substrate. I wanted a school that sits in the top/middle of the tank. The danios aren't playing to form and are constantly zooming around the bottom in the mornings, so it might get a bit crowded if I add a school of bottom dwellers.

 

[ZoddyZod]

I think rams like more acidic water, so I'd be wary of getting them if you pH is nearly 8.

Ditto with neons, tbh, although you could try them.

How about some corys? A lot of fun and super cute. 6 sterbai would look great.

I have read in several places that Bolivians can do well in up to 7.8pH. Maybe keyholes instead?

Cory's are probably out as I dont have a sand substrate. And as stated the danios zoom around on the bottom and cory sized fish are unlikely to strike fear into them, so could get a bit crowded.

 

[GuppyGoddess]

How about some corys? A lot of fun and super cute. 6 sterbai would look great.
[/quote]
Corys are adorable! Must they have sand substrate? I have gravel and mine seem totally content. And, in fact, they seem very hardy. I have four right now and plan to add another soon.

 

[keenonfish]

I have a tank full of Cardinals and Tetras with two male Dwarf Gouramis. On the whole no probs although I lost one neon to what looked like an injury. I also have Kuhlis and Peppered cories these are all lovely, and the only time the gouramis interfere is when I directly feed them - they let the bottom feeders do the hard work of finding the food while they try to eat it!
I think they all benefit from low ph (<7) though. It is less important at the LFS because they are only in the tank for a short while.

 

[snowflake311]

I also like to idea of Asia theme tank too. A school of rasboras 3 yoyo loach with your gourami would be fun.

 

[matchstickman47]

i like the idea of the neons...

 

[ZoddyZod]

I think they all benefit from low ph (<7) though. It is less important at the LFS because they are only in the tank for a short while.

I thought that if they were bred/live in a high pH then they should live a full life if they continue to be in it?

I also like to idea of Asia theme tank too. A school of rasboras 3 yoyo loach with your gourami would be fun.

which rasbora did you have in mind?

Seems the yoyo loaches also need a lower pH though.....

 

[snowflake311]

I was thinking Harlequin Rasbora . I think the loach could Adjust to a higher ph many fish can adjust.

 

[ZoddyZod]

I was thinking Harlequin Rasbora . I think the loach could Adjust to a higher ph many fish can adjust.

I do like the harlequins, although they apparently need just as soft/acidic water as the neons. Frankly nothing 'seems' to be suitable for 7.8pH unless its great lake cichlids, and I dont have the tank size for them/

I'll see what the harlequins are kept in at the lfs today.

 

[ZoddyZod]

i like the idea of the neons...

Went with the neons in the end. Got ten and they appear to have settled in nicely. They like the mirrored sides of the tank......makes them think there is 20 of them

 

[Wills]

Ah cool good luck with them Nice big schools in your tank bet it looks awesome