plant crab

Hello,
I am wondering if someone can help me with this dilemma:

I inherited a one-year-old 10 gallon tank from my brother about 4 months ago and it has been in my care since then. It contains a Opaline Gourami and a Blue Tetra both of whom have been through a lot (several tank cyclings, lost a CAE and a Pleco in that time) because I was unsure about thier care at first. I found this website about a month ago and have educated myself on keeping an aquarium. Two weeks ago I purchased a 55-gallon. It has been my intention to switch the Gourami and Tetra into the larger tank from the start. I used Bio-Spira to set up the tank on everyone's recommendation and it has been great! Last week I added 7 zebra danios also on the suggestions of many here bacause they are hardy and good starters. I lost one within 24 hours, but he was never "quite right" from the point of purchase and I honestly wasn't surprised when he died. So now I have 6 zebra danios and they are doing well.

My long-winded question is: Will it be okay to transfer my gourami and tetra into the tank now?

Here are the readings on both tanks:

55-gallon (6 zebra danios)
Nitrates 10ppm
nitrite 0ppm
ammonia 0ppm
pH 6.5
Temp 80F

10-gallon (1 opaline gourami, 1 blue tetra)
Nitrates 50ppm (despite weekly WC's and gravel vacuumings, tank is just too small!)
Nitrite 0ppm
Ammonia 0ppm
pH 6.5
Temp 79F

BoSox Fan7

Cool what else are you putting in there I would recommend a school of cherry barbs, an angelfish or two, and a plecos + some cories. O and you could keep the tetra in the 10 galllon and give him a school of friends or do the same in the 55 gallon.

lilsoccakid

sounds sweet, and try to get one extra water change a week in that 10 gallon until they are in the 55!

plant crab

Well, I wanted to add a two dwarf gourami, a school for the existing tetra, 2-3 angels, and a 3 otos, but we'll see what happens.

My husband and I were at our LFS yesterday and we saw some glass cats and were immediately in love with them, but from everything I've read, they are a heck of a lot of work.

I thought about cherry barbs, but I was worried about them being too aggressive with everyone else.

In any case, do you think it will be safe to transfer?!

Barbrella

I see you've been bitten by the Tank Bug!

I would put them in the 55 now, since the nitrates in the 10 are sky-high, and add more Blue tetras since they are schooling fish.

I would also adjust the temp to 77 -78, since that's more an average for different species you may want to add.

Cherry barbs are very peaceful, unlike most other barbs. I wouldn't add any more gouramis, since they are territorial and will fight. Angels should be fine.

Your tank is big enough for a school of glass catfish, but I would wait until the tank is really established and there are plants for them to hang out around.

plant crab

I have totally been bitten by the tank bug...

I thought that the gouramis would fight within the same species only. I was thinking that the Opaline (pretty sure is a male) would be okay with two dwarf females, like dwarf neon blue.

I will think about the cherry barbs as an option, but I already have a school of danios and I want to get a school for my tetra, so there may be way to many schools in there when I done!!!

plant crab

Thanks everyone for your suggestions.

It's been about two hours and the gourami and tetra seem happy to have more space. I very slowly acclimated them. Though he is much larger, the tetra is trying to school with the danios, which is great because I think he missed having friends.

Thanks again!

plant crab

HELP!!
Its been 4 hours since the transfer and the gourami is sitting at the bottom of the tank not moving. He's not struggling and he's not leaning over, it almost looks like he's sleeping?! Then he kind of wakes up and swims and looks fine and then a few minutes later settles back down again.
Any thoughts?

COBettaCouple

How exactly did you acclimate the gourami? What's the readings now on the 55g? What's the breathing like and is there any gill discoloration?

angelfish220

Gouramis usually dont get along with angels. this is what others have said not personal experiance.

What is the temp. of the tank? I lost a gourami, he was acting just like that, when my heater crashed.

plant crab

COBettaCouple - I acclimated the gourami and the tetra for one hour in a bag floating on top of the water in the 55gal. I added about a cup of water from the new tank every ten minutes. The readings are the same as they were before. Breathing is good, no gill discoloration, but now I can see him better in the 55gal and there is redness in his fins and tail and I'm worried it could be hemorahagic septicemia (did some serious research today). His activity level has gotten better and he seems to be checking out his surroundings more. It also looks like he's eating algae off of the plants? Do they do that?

Angelfish - Thank you for the advice, I will look into the compatibility... Temp is the same and the heater is working.

plant crab

If anyone was wondering - my gourami is doing better - no more "sleepswimming" and the redness has subsided - he gets a full inspection from me once a day - but maybe this was just a side effect of him being moved ... He was really fighting in the net when I transfered him.

Ntruder1400

He probably just got stressed from the move. Going from 50 Nitrates to 10 could have stressed him. Change will stress them out, even if it is a change for the better.

susitna-flower

Sounds like your fish addiction (MTS) is coming right along!

I'm glad you recognized so quickly that your fish needed a larger tank, and that the switch went as smoothly as it did.

Just wanted to give you a little reassurance. My larger groumais like to sit down near or on the bottom of the tank off and on all the time. Their favorite place is in the plants. When I walk near they come out to see if I have food. The only time I would worry about this behavior is if they don't come out to eat.

COBettaCouple

Glad to hear the good update on him.