New To Paradise Fish

So I got this little "girl" ( I think) yesterday. I have her in my 10 gallon planted tank. It is going to be the only fish in that tank. It's body is about 2.5 inches long. There's ramshorn snails in there and 1 geriatric mystery snail. I don't plan on having any other fish with it. I just wanted something pretty in my planted tank.

Will a 10 gallon be ok since "she" will be the only one ever in there?

Do they really eat ramshorn snail?

Is it really a she?

 

I think they get pretty large , up to 4". They really belong in a tank of at least 30 gallons.

 

Ok now I'm really lost if she's the only fish in a 10 gallon and it is approx 1" per gallon why would a single fish need that much room?

 

So the 1" per gallon rule is extremely flawed and incorrect. According to that rule, j could put a ten inch fish in a ten gallon tank, which would not even give it room to turn around. This fish becomes quite large , therefore a ten gallon tank does not give it the swimming space that it needs in the long run.

 

Ah ok. I guess I will have to upgrade her at some point. Might just have wait til I move then she can have the 38 gallon when my angelfish tank gets upgraded to a 50

 

That sound like a good plan. A 38 Gallon will have plenty of space for her, plus some other fish.

 

Tanks need to allow a fish to a)have enough room to swim freely and behave as they would in nature b) have enough volume to take care of fish by products. Paradise gourami are of the medium sized fish, my male reached about 4in and was kept in a 20gal long for a good part of his life. He would constantly swim from end to end until I moved him to a 36gal bowfront. He loved eating rams horn snails, I also believe he ate the neon tetra I had with him too... Stick to medium sized tank mates in the future.

 

That's the thing is I don't plan on having tank mates with her. I wanted her to be a beautiful "show" piece fish in a planted tank. I have 2 other non planted community tanks. That I couldn't/ wouldn't put her in ever. Would a longer tank be better than a higher tank

 

Also, keep the temp cooler.

This will make the fish more comfortable and it will slow down its metabolism. The fish will grow a bit more slowly so you will have more time to get the other tank ready.

 

Longer would be better than higher, because most fish do not utilize vertical swimming space, they mostly use horizontal. Especially since she gets longer, you would want a long tank. For an Angelfish, for example you would want a high tank, because they are tall eater than long.

 

She's at 77 currently. She looks so tiny in the 10 gallon. About the size of a full grown Molly

 

She's at 77 currently. She looks so tiny in the 10 gallon. About the size of a full grown Molly

I’d slowly drop the temp down to 68-70.