Drama in tank, as always. Having recently bested the worst algae explosion since the last red tide, and then removing the 500 strong mercenary snail army that defeated the algae, I have been loking forward to a peaceful time in my 40 gallon kingdom. I keep a 40 gallon planted tank, 110 watts of lighting with ph 7.5 water, about 5-6 degrees of hardness, 74 or so temps, and all other readings at 0ppm. My 4 panda corys, 10 harlequin rasbora, 4 ottos, 1 hillstream loach and 3 amano shrimp live peacefully and without complaint. All the problems now stem from my 2 opaline gourami.
Far larger than anything else in the tank, the male has long bullied the female. She hides all the time now, and since he can't chase her to his satisfaction anymore, he has taken to scattering schools of rasbora (amusing) as well as chasing off my botttom feeders/glass cleaners and finally trying to corner my shrimp. That is the last straw. I really like my shrimp, and was not pleased when my 6 ghost shrimp all died over a two week period. Now one Amano has gone down, and he has targeted my beautiful 2 inch egg carrying female for his next harassment unto demise. Since she is the largest amano shrimp I have ever seen, I will not let her die, and will toss him instead. The problem here is he has somehow lost one of his feeler fins, so my LFS store doesn't want him (although they will gladly take my 2.5 inch bright blue female), and my only friend with a freshwater tank has a mere 16 gallon. Can anyone offer a solution that does not include death or cruelty? The offending Gourami must go, but to where is the question? Suggestions, please.
Following the removal of my Gourami pair, I need to find a replacement pair or single larger fish to be the new tank focus. I have been considering Pearl Gouramis, hearing they have better tempers, or Rams if they won't bully or eat plants like I hear. Of course any other fish species that would be 3 inches or larger, colorful or interesting, and get along with my other residents would be welcome information.
Finally, it is fish family starting time as far as I can tell in my tank. My rasboras are laying eggs at least once a week, my shrimp are doing there best in spite of the impossibility of their success in fully fresh water, my corys seem to be interested, and of courser snails do what snails do. But none of it seems to do any good. For all the chasing, thrashing and carrying on, I never see any cory eggs. My rasboras are great at laying eggs, but the corys are far better at finding and eating them. And the shrimp, well as I understand, it simply isn't possible without a very special set up designed for such an undertaking. But my snails are fantastic family makers, prodigious like rabbits at the viagra testing facility. Is this simply the fate if community tank breeding, all sound and fury, signifying naught? No way to get baby fish without a breeding tank? I tried a side net-basket for my first 2 batches of rasbora eggs, but none hatched. I know it isn't important, but I get excited at the prospect of fry, which represents to me an acknowledgement of a satisfactory enviroment for my fish to live in. How can snails be so much better at the whole baby making process? Stupid invertabrates and their tasteless eggs. My corys won't touch the egg cases even after I pick them off the glass. But not rasbora eggs, oh no. Those are delicious. My corys honestly spent a half hour combing my sword plant for every last egg after the rasboras finished today. Of course, the 2 snail egg cases on the leaves remained untouched. Anyone have a clown loach they like to loan out?
Far larger than anything else in the tank, the male has long bullied the female. She hides all the time now, and since he can't chase her to his satisfaction anymore, he has taken to scattering schools of rasbora (amusing) as well as chasing off my botttom feeders/glass cleaners and finally trying to corner my shrimp. That is the last straw. I really like my shrimp, and was not pleased when my 6 ghost shrimp all died over a two week period. Now one Amano has gone down, and he has targeted my beautiful 2 inch egg carrying female for his next harassment unto demise. Since she is the largest amano shrimp I have ever seen, I will not let her die, and will toss him instead. The problem here is he has somehow lost one of his feeler fins, so my LFS store doesn't want him (although they will gladly take my 2.5 inch bright blue female), and my only friend with a freshwater tank has a mere 16 gallon. Can anyone offer a solution that does not include death or cruelty? The offending Gourami must go, but to where is the question? Suggestions, please.
Following the removal of my Gourami pair, I need to find a replacement pair or single larger fish to be the new tank focus. I have been considering Pearl Gouramis, hearing they have better tempers, or Rams if they won't bully or eat plants like I hear. Of course any other fish species that would be 3 inches or larger, colorful or interesting, and get along with my other residents would be welcome information.
Finally, it is fish family starting time as far as I can tell in my tank. My rasboras are laying eggs at least once a week, my shrimp are doing there best in spite of the impossibility of their success in fully fresh water, my corys seem to be interested, and of courser snails do what snails do. But none of it seems to do any good. For all the chasing, thrashing and carrying on, I never see any cory eggs. My rasboras are great at laying eggs, but the corys are far better at finding and eating them. And the shrimp, well as I understand, it simply isn't possible without a very special set up designed for such an undertaking. But my snails are fantastic family makers, prodigious like rabbits at the viagra testing facility. Is this simply the fate if community tank breeding, all sound and fury, signifying naught? No way to get baby fish without a breeding tank? I tried a side net-basket for my first 2 batches of rasbora eggs, but none hatched. I know it isn't important, but I get excited at the prospect of fry, which represents to me an acknowledgement of a satisfactory enviroment for my fish to live in. How can snails be so much better at the whole baby making process? Stupid invertabrates and their tasteless eggs. My corys won't touch the egg cases even after I pick them off the glass. But not rasbora eggs, oh no. Those are delicious. My corys honestly spent a half hour combing my sword plant for every last egg after the rasboras finished today. Of course, the 2 snail egg cases on the leaves remained untouched. Anyone have a clown loach they like to loan out?
