Lonely Gourami?

C

Chenell

AC Members
Jan 27, 2003
50
0
0
Denver, Colorado, USA
I've had my dwarf gourami for almost two weeks now, and the past couple of days he hasn't been eating. He ate when I first got him up until recently. Now, he just seems to swim around when I feed them and watch his reflection in the glass. Does he want a companion? I've been advised against it since I only have a 10 gallon tank. My other fish are eating just fine.

Please help!

Chenell
 
i have a ten w/ three dwarf gouramis and they are doing fine (just a few arguments now and then) but the reason wy hes not eating might mean hes sick. Also wat is the temp/ph/nitrites of your water?
 
Temp is 76, ph is 6.6

I found what may be the cause, my nitrates are spiking, they are between 20 and 40 ppg. After seeing this, I did a partial water change and vacuumed the gravel.

I did not expect the tank to start cycling so fast! I had 2 fish left after my guppies were killed by my betta and then the betta died of some cancer like disease. I gave up on guppies and bettas altogether, I have had two bettas, and countless guppies, they just seem too tempramental.

I also switched to a power filter instead of my undergravel filter. I've been gradually adding fish... well not as gradually as I should... but hey, I was excited.

Started out with one cory which survived from the original setup, when the betta died I got another cory, then I added a sword tail a week or so later. After that is when I picked up the dwarf gourami. Two weeks after getting the gourami, my fiance picked up a clown plecto because the algae started growing like crazy (usually a sign of the nitrates.. I should have tested!). Then he wasn't cleaning too much so he picked up two small otocinclus(es?) a week or so after that. And the other day I picked up 3 diamond tetras. I guess I have had the gourami a little longer that a few weeks... it's hard to remeber.

The swordtail is the pig out of the bunch. Also, the otocinclus are pigging out on the algae. The tetras and the dwarf gourami are eating, but not much, and usually the second time I feed them in the day.

Will they start eating better after the nitrate spike is done? What should I do to make sure the nitrates don't kill the fish?

Thanks,

Chenell
 
All those fish in a 10 gallon?!!
 
Yeah, I know it is a lot of fish. The guy I talked to at one of the local fish stores said I could put nearly 15 fish in it since I have the power filter now. I doubt I will be getting any more, maybe one more dwarf gourami, but that will be it.

Chenell
 
Fish List?

Let me just get this straight. In a 10 gallon, you have:

1 dwarf gourami
1 clown pl*co
3 diamond tetras
2 ottos
2 cories
1 swordtail

???

Okay, let's discuss some issues here.

First, gouramis like to be in small schools, so that may be why it is lonely. But adding more fish into that tank will SURELY cause the bioload to explode. This tank is destined for disaster! Secondly, swordtails should NOT be kept in a 10 gallon! That is MUCH TOO SMALL! I am even hesistant to put them in a 23 gallon, so I've decided only my 30 would do! Now, I do not believe in the "one inch per gallon rule" and lord knows you don't :) but, honestly, I think you need some more tank space!
 
yashifan seems to be overeacting a little bit here. your bioload is not going to EXPLODE contrary to what he thinks. just keep up on your water changes, regulate your feeding, and watch your ph. once your tank is cycled you should not have ammonia or nitrite spikes but your ph will slowly become more and more acidic, so just keep an eye on it. ive sold fish for years and we have tanks your size with alot more fish than you have, however you must keep up on maintenence. nitrated levels can be controled simply by routine water changes.
 
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