jack11

I currently have 6-8 inches of fish left so maybe something that is good in a pair or a three and is not overly large (under 3 inches), any ideas?

Jack

jeme

How big is your aquarium? What else do you already have in there?

Julie

jack11

15 G 1 male dwarf gourami and 3 sparkling gourami

Jack.

jack11

Ok for my 15G i have decided a few types of fish that i want and if people want to help me with suitable set ups and some other fish to include it would be greatly ppreciated. the fish are:

Dwarf Gourami - 3 inches
Sparkling Gourami - 1.5 inches

Jack.

TiffanyLuv

Any bottom dwellers in mind?

jack11

I have been considering kuhli loaches or corys, but would probably prefer something that would hang out in mid to low regions.

Jack

TiffanyLuv

Hmmm, I'm sure others here might have a better idea (as far as what's better w/ur established fish) but I would go for a catfish of some type. I love kuihlis but someone had said they're better w/a group as opposed to just (1).

jack11

Ok i no that i could fit at least 2 loaches in and maybe 3 with extra water changes and monitering... i dont really want catfish so hopefully someone can think of something else.

Jack.

gremlin

What about oto's? would a group of 3 work in a 15 gal?

jack11

yer it would but i dont really want catfish, any other ideas?

TiffanyLuv

....thinking....not sure what's available in Australia,,probably a different variety than here...do you have horse face loaches at the LFS? I love those guys and they seem more apt to be okay w/just (1) of them...though I had (2) forever ago (10yrs+) and they were very attentive to ea. other. They were bigger though, but I've seen them quite small in the store.

jack11

i havent heard of them, i'm going to have a good look when i get back to australia and have a chat with the livestock manager at my lfs (he is very good). I emailed him earlier today (dubai time) about the availability of sparkling gourami and kuhli loaches and am expecting a response tomorow. Just wondering if any of the livebearers can manage individually? if not what besides sharks/bettas/gouramis can?

Jack.

Howeyg

even though you dont really want any catfish i would strongly recommend because it is so much easier having them, if your other fish drop any food to the bottom they just go and get it they also sift through the substrate and get the decaying bits of food and so on... i wasnt too keen on corys when i first thourght about getting a tank but know i have them they are the coolest little guys

jack11

OK, a few quick questions

1. are corys ok on a black gravel substrate?
2. how many corys do you need to get?
3 do kuhli loaches perform the same sorts of tasks?
4. are there any invertebrates (preferably shrimp) that could survive with dwrf gourami?

Jack.

MrWaxhead

Corys do excellent on a dark substrate, and love sand. They are funny little buggers in a sand substrate

The more the better they are quite social, I would tend to get more small species like pandas, then a couple bigger ones.

Sorry I don't know much about loaches, I have never owned any.

Amano/japonica shrimp do just fine with gouramis.

jack11

Thanks for the help . i emailed a major fish shop in sydney yesterday to see if they carry coolie's and if they do ill probably go with them otherwise a 3/4 cories.

Jack

jack11

I just got a reply from the fish store saying that they always have coolies in stock and that they occasionally have sparkling gourami in stock, does this mean that when they do they would probably be expensive?

Jack

jack11

This is now the only thread that i have running regarding wat to stock my tank with (i closed the rest), so yer any help would be greatly appreciated...

Oh and please help he soon cause otherwise ill go to my lfs and end up bying some sort of freshwater shark even though they do not fit in my tank.

Thanks jack.

jack11

Ok sorry i forgot to say i have around 3" of fish left in my 15G tank and was looking for an individual fish that is bright and active that would not harm or be harmed by sparkling ourami or kuhli loches.

Jack

Butterfly

the kuhlis will do the same as corys as far as cleaning up dropped food but they will still have to be fed food of their own (shrimp pellets, veggies wafers, flakes, blood worms ).
they don't have a huge bioload and while needing caves and plants on the bottom to hide/sleep in they will come up into the water column if comfortable.
Carol

jack11

Ok thanks, any thoughts on the last kind of fish from looking on DFS i have come up with a bit of a shortlist but i dont no much about most of them so help would be appreciated:

1 German Gold Ram (i know this is a longshot so please odnt critize me)
2 Dwarf Gourami
3 One of the many fancy guppies (please indicate which would be best/look the best)
4 A killifish (same as for the fancy guppies)
5 a sailfin molly
6 a lyretail swordtail

Thanks Jack

Butterfly

If you put kuhlis in there your stocked . The top level is full so something for the bottom would be good if you don't get kuhlis.
Carol

jack11

Not quite the sparkling gourami are 1.5" each + 3" each for the coolies and also considering that the coolies have a much smaller bioload than other 3-4" fish i think/hope/pleed that i could have one more fish.

Jack

Butterfly

Sorry I respectfully disagree If you get three kuhlis (they need to be in a group if at all possible) then you will be stocked. BUT... this is your tank, remember I'm only making suggestions I'm not going to reach through the computer and smack you if you don't follow them Just remember your fishes needs.
carol

jack11

Ok fair enough i respect your opinion, can you tell me where i have got it rong with 4.5 for sparkling gourami and 9 for 3 kuhlis thats 13.5 and considering the reduced bioload of the kuhlis? (btw i do see where your coming from and its probably my want for more fish in my tank lol)

Jack

jack11

Any thoughts on the last kind of fish from looking on dfs i have come up with a bit of a shortlist but i dont no much about most of them so help would be appreciated:

1 German Gold Ram (i know this is a longshot so please odnt critize me)
2 Dwarf Gourami
3 One of the many fancy guppies (please indicate which would be best/look the best)
4 A killifish (same as for the fancy guppies)
5 a sailfin molly
6 a lyretail swordtail

Thanks Jack

Butterfly

The inch per gallon rule works fairly well for fish such as neons (not a lot of mass) or kuhlis for that matter (again not a lot of mass) but that Male dwarf Gourami has more body mass so he will excrete more waste than say a neon or a kuhli so you have to allow him more water allowance.
So when you stock fish- the adult size AND body mass need to be taken into consideration.
So
1 male dwarf gourami-3 inches
3 Sparling gouramis - 4.5 inches
4 kuhli Loaches 9 inches
______
14.5 inches if using 1 inch per gallon
Considering mass and waste level. Then you are stocked. Thats where I'm coming from
And yes I understand there are soooo many interesting fish out there and so little tank space, but if you give them room to move around they will display the most fascinating behaviours you have ever seen.
carol

jack11

Sorry we have become confused, i was put off having the dwarf in there aswell because someone said they could harm the sparkling gourami, so i was looking for something to go with the sparkling gourami and the loaches instead of the dwarf gourami. now i definantly see why you thought i was overstocking.

Jack

Butterfly

Oh DUH!!! I must have missed something ! Sorry How about an extra Sparkling and an extra Kuhli My kuhlis are real clowns. they go up and swim in circles
Carol

Butterfly

Here is a not real good vid of my kuhlis playing in bubbles

carol