My New Fish!!! (Question)

[GoLdFiSh_GrL]

:D I got some new fish for my 29gal. (no, not goldfish or cichlids)

GOURAMIS!!!!!!!

1 Kissing Gourami
1 Opaline Gourami

(more later)

I wanted to know how much do I have to wait until adding the next pair of fish into my new community tank that is goldfish-free?
(i'm planning to get a 20gal. for goldfish ONLY)

[Matt W]

Assuming that the tank was cycled before you put the first pair in, I would wait one to two weeks...

[GoLdFiSh_GrL]

k.... i'll wait 1 week... :)

[Dapple2]

Er...you do know how big your kisser will get right *raises eyebrow*

Some links for the heck of it *sigh*
http://www.thebomb.clara.co.uk/graphics/striatum1a.jpg
http://www.aquariacentral.com/fishinfo/fresh/kisser.htm
http://species.fishindex.com/species_2429helostoma_temminckii_kissing_gourami.h tml

Unfortunately I couldn't find any pics showing just how big they get.......

[WolfPup522]

Unfortunately I couldn't find any pics showing just how big they get.......
There are pictures at the bottom of this page:AC Species Profile - Kissing Gourami (http://www.aquariacentral.com/species/db.cgi?db=fresh&uid=default&ID=0030&view_records=1)

I wouldn't add any more at all, unless you trade in the kissing gourami. In fact, I would take that one back anyway. It will get way too big for that tank. Sorry, but there are alot of other pretty gouramis out there.

[demon_surfer]

both the gourami will get a little to big for that tank. only the dwarfs stay small.

[carpguy]

The opalines (a color morph of blue gouramis) will top out around 5-6 inches, which will make them substantial occupants of a 29, but its workable and reasonable if you take it into account for the rest of your stocking.

Kissing Gouramis are much more substantial and have absolutely no chance of having a happy or healthy existence in a 29. They should grow to a very solid 12 inches or so.

I'd take it back. Keeping it = killing it.

[anonapersona]

Sometimes, for some people, it is the getting, not the keeping.

[valerie]

Did you do any research before you bought them? it seems to get fish and then ask how you should keep them. IN fish keeping a lot of it is research and actually buying the fish should be the last thing you do.

Stop buying fish and buy a good book instead

[carpguy]

Originally posted by anonapersona
Sometimes, for some people, it is the getting, not the keeping.

If you do it just right you can keep getting new ones over and over again…

:(

[GoLdFiSh_GrL]

no, you don'y understand. I got mine full grown. My mom's friend gave 1 to me since she was moving... it's only about ::goes to measure it:: somewhere about 6-8in.

[valerie]

If your kissing gouramis is only 6"-8" its only HALF grown not Full grown. Even at that size I wouldn't keep it in a 29.

[The Gipper]

When they outgrow the 29, why not put them in the 200 with the Oscars?

[cdawson]

Oscar + other fish = Oscar.

[t_h_e_s_a_c_k]

well GoLdFiSh_GrL, looks like your lack of research has lead you to lack of tank space... youd think youd learn from that thread that you did about putting all those cichlids together...:o

RESEARCH!!

[Dapple2]

...a trolling we shall go, a trolling we shall go, high-ho the merry-o, a trolling we shall go... :rolleyes:

[GoLdFiSh_GrL]

ugh... I can't put it in with my oscars! the gourami will probably get eaten alive! my oscars are full grown, and my Kissing Gourami is only half-grown. (according to you) ::thinks:: what can I do with it?:( would it be able to survive if it was the only 1 in the tank?

[WolfPup522]

would it be able to survive if it was the only 1 in the tank?
Please re-read your thread. This has already been answered:

Kissing Gouramis are much more substantial and have absolutely no chance of having a happy or healthy existence in a 29.

[demon_surfer]

nah gouramis can do ok with oscars as long as they are big enough to not fit in the oscars mouths.

infact mojo has a number of gourami in his pond with cichlids that are much more aggressive than oscars.

[cdawson]

Oscars are different, they'll eat whatever they can fit into their mouths. Pretty much whatever is smaller than them is generally considered food to them.
She should return the gouramis ASAP and get some fish a beginner can handle.

[GoLdFiSh_GrL]

BOTH THE GOURAMIS?! no way! not my Opaline! Here are some links for you peoples info:

http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_Display.cfm?siteid=21&pCatId=968 (Kissing Gourami)

http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_Display.cfm?siteid=21&pCatId=958 (Opaline Gourami)

[Dapple2]

kevtch, kevtch, kevtch...

For one fool's (mine) opinion of your references check here: http://aquariacentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=16272

Oscars, btw, vary greatly in their temperment. They may not be be as aggressive as you think, especially if they aren't substisting off of a steady diet of feeder goldfish... That soapbox aside, they might co-exist just fine with the gourami, he's certainly good sized already. Or they might not... You *could* try introducing him with careful supervision.

[WolfPup522]

Here are some links for you peoples info: For your info, a great many of the people who have been trying to help you have been fishkeeping in a responsible manner for longer than you have been alive. You seem to continually ask questions and then disregard advice given if it's not what you want to hear. These people are trying to help you and your fish. Would you rather give these fish up now to someone who could give them a larger, more appropriate home where they would be healthy and live long lives or deal with the heartbreak of them dying in your 29-gal later, knowing you could have prevented their death??

I understand that you love these fish, but for them and yourself, you need to wait until you have a larger setup so you can humanely keep them. If you are patient, you will end up much happier with your fish and with yourself.

[GoLdFiSh_GrL]

uh, i can't introduce it to my oscars, because I feed them off feeder goldfish, and from the resources i've read, that makes them much more aggressive than their natural aggressiveness... so i'm not even going to try it.

[Dapple2]

***thread hijack alert***

Well, since you mentioned that you like web research...here's a site to broaden those oscars eating habits! A steady diet of feeders can pose many health problems, especially if you aren't raising your own feeders...

http://www.flmnh.ufl.edu/fish/Gallery/Descript/oscar/oscar.html

Notice that they mention crustaceans, insects, etc in addition to fish! (Note: I'm not saying that there is anything wrong with feeding them nice *healthy* fish, just that they need more than just that)

I'd post more, but it's almost time for class... I bet if you posted another topic on the cichlid forum, you could get a whole buncha good ideas....

Good choice on trying to find the kisser a new home! The best choices often aren't the easy ones.

[demon_surfer]

oscars are really not that aggressive. even when they are breeding most other cichlids would beat the crap out of the defending pair.

your 6 inch kisser should be fine with the oscars depending on what size they are. i wouldnt worry unless the oscars were at about the 12inch mark. just introduce the kisser when the lights are off and i bet he will be fine.

tell me how big your other gourami is and your oscars and we can tell you if you can put them in there.



although im not sure why im bothering since im sure you are either a troll or an idiot

[GoLdFiSh_GrL]

my oscars are 12"... my gourami is 6". you do the math... :rolleyes:

[Dapple2]

Oscars may have big mouths, but not THAT big.....besides I thought you were finding a new home for the kisser anywho....

[GoLdFiSh_GrL]

i am...

[Dapple2]

hehe...I just read the other thread

Good choice

[SwedishFish]

try to introduce the gourmai to your 200g but watch carefully this second you see one start to get touchy feely with the gourami using their mouth take the kisser out!

[GoLdFiSh_GrL]

i tried it... while i was putting the gourami in, the oscars rushed over and were practically sticking their mouths up from the water... so i decided not to. :( Anyone interested in a kissing gourami that lives in southern california?

[DeVitaf]

Originally posted by cdawson
Oscar + other fish = Oscar.

LOL, I have learned that through experience ;)

[Dapple2]

What happened to your uncle that has the fish shop......

[GoLdFiSh_GrL]

i told you that I might give it to him... but i'm looking for anyone who wants one first. Most people want juveniles from fish shops, not 1/2 grown.

[GoLdFiSh_GrL]

http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?cls=16&cat=1957&articleid=2573 (Kissing Gourami info)

[demon_surfer]

best way to introduce fish to an established tank of cichlids is to turn off the lights and then put the fish in. or feed them then put it in.

[tricksterpup]

This is a very painful thread..

[OrionGirl]

Agreed, trick.

I'm going to let it go, though. This kind of thing should be a teaching thread...For someone, anyway.

[PumaWard]

Here's a much more in depth profile for this fish, not just stats. The guy who wrote it recommends keeping them in like 4 ft. tank, which, is like a 55 to 75 gallon.

http://aquaworld.netfirms.com/Labyrinthfish/Helostoma/Helostoma_temminckii.htm

Anyways, I wouldn't keep a fish that can get to these guys size in a 30, I'm sure it would not be happy once full grown.

[GoLdFiSh_GrL]

yea... as i said... i want/have to get rid of it... :(