They want a "pretty" fish in my tank!

[squall_japan]

Ok my friends, obviously not into taking care of aquariums, find my heavily planted 10g tank dull. My tank got 6 boraras briggitae and 6 green neon tetras. Their idea of a pretty fish is flowing beuatiful fins...

I decided to grant their wish. Can i add a single male guppy or a betta? I have red cherry shrimps in there and found out bettas feast on shrimp so i'm just stuck with a guppy? Will a lone guppy survive? Will my tiny occupants survive the bullying of a male guppy?

[stingray4540]

What about a dwarf gourami? the blue ones are stunning. No flowing fins, but very bright, theres a pic of mine in my sig.

[squall_japan]

Arent dwarf gouramis not really dwarves? I only have a 10 gallon. Thanks for the suggestion too I'll show them your pics.

[stingray4540]

Dwarf gourami's won't get any bigger than 3" max, more like 2". You can do a google search if you'd like, but I've never heard anybody or anysite say that they get any bigger than 3". Regular gouramis will get to be like 6" though. I have a flame and a blue dwarf gourami, there are also honey dwarfs and regular dwarfs, which look like the blue but with orange stripes, and I think there are a few more but I don't know what they are. My pics don't even do justice to the brilliance of the blue one. You might also concider a blue or gold ram the are a piecefull dwarf cichlid that get to be about 3", I have pics of those too incase you didn't see them, and there is also a long finned veriety of the blue rams which are very pretty. Just don't get asian breed rams, too fragile, get european, or american breed or wild caught. OOps, Your in asia, just seen that. :o You should be fine with asian breed rams then, they are breed in soft water in asia, and don't seem to like the hard water we have here in the states that's why I suggested against it. But, if you do get one and it dies, try getting a european one and see if he makes it, also females are more hardy.

[indiginess]

dwarf gourami would be a good choice. Badman's Dwarf Gourami (http://badmanstropicalfish.com/stats/anabantid-stats/stats_anababtids1h.html)

a single gold or blue ram might work too, though it might hide a lot around the bottom, so problably not a great choice for you. the males are more colorful on average.

gouramis spend alot of time at the top of the tank, therefore they are very visible in the tank. since you are in asia, i would take advantage of your proximity to natural dwarf gourami stock... good specimines are very striking and are the only ones i would recommend for a ten gallon.

[squall_japan]

Thanks! I am now excited. I will try to hunt for a dwarf gourami this weekend. I hope my LFS have some.

[stingray4540]

good luck and let us know what you get.

[squall_japan]

I researched about gourami a little bit. I learned that they don't like fast current? and active fishes as tankmates? Is this true because my tank got a little strong current and my green neon tetras are kinda active. A lone gourami won't be "lonely" right?

By the way i found this in a japanese site and they are calling it cobalt gourami. Is it the same?
http://static.flickr.com/34/71021119_81688e9f61_o.jpg

[RockabillyChick]

yes, that's a dwarf gourami. that's a color variation called "Powder blue" in the US. there's at least two others, one with an almost totally red body, and one with blue and red stripes

you might also look for a Honey gourami, which stays smaller, but is rather shy.

[stingray4540]

That is exactly what I have or very close anyway. what kind of water flow are you talking about and where is it and what's creating it? If they can get out of the direct current they should be fine. I have white clouds and corys which are pretty active and they seem to be fine with that. One would be fine. in fact, more than one male and they will fight, but if you have enough room they would be ok, but one would be perfect.

[reiverix]

I've got a powder blue. Nice fish and not shy at all. It's fine with my cardinals and pristellas but sometimes it can chase my black skirts around. Not sure why. Maybe because they are larger and it sees them as competition. It's nothing the black skirts can't handle though, since they run rings around it.

[squall_japan]

I have a 2213 Classic Eheim. A little big for my 10g.

Here's how the current goes.

http://static.flickr.com/20/71057757_8956a46253.jpg

Well it can stay at lower level or upper level on the right side.

[Slappy*McFish]

That tank is anything but dull.
Beautiful!

[squall_japan]

Well they don't like the idea of heavily planted tanks and my tiny fishes lol. They keep saying "your fish will get lost!" Just want to give them something to look at besides my brigittae and green neos.

[reziztor]

How about the tiny Rasbora Maculata?

Very peaceful and pretty

http://www.greenfish.co.kr/product_show.php?prd_id=601156

or a small school of Rummy Nose Tetra

or a headstander... They arent very pretty, but they are interesting to look at.

[Raskolnikov]

More importantly, do you want to add another fish to your tank? It looks great as it is, and if I were you I'd tell my friends to get their own tanks and pick out fish that they like.

[squall_japan]

Raskolnikov, didn't like the idea before, but now i want to add 1 fish bigger than my schooling fish to serve like their "mommy".

reziztor, the Rasbora Maculata looks like the boraras brigittae i have but redder :)

reiverix, checked your tanks. Really great!

indiginess, stingray, RockabillyChick, reiverix thanks for introducing the dwarf gourami. I'll probably stick to it: honey or blue.

I'm really grateful to all your suggestions!


Side note:
Wow i saw this fish looks cute: Sparkling pygmy gourami.
http://www.aquahobby.com/gallery/e_sparkling.php

[reziztor]

I have bred Sparklers. They live very short lives and are EXTREMELY shy and skittish. Should be in a species only tank if you want to see their pretty colors and keep them happy.

[stingray4540]

good choice with the gourami, I think he should be fine with your waater flow especially with all the plants, he should easily be able to get out of the current when he wants.

[kimberlynns]

That's a beautiful tank with all those live plants! :)

Kim
Happy Birthday to me

[squall_japan]

Thanks a lot kim! Happy Birthday to you too!

[z71silverado98]

what is the red plant in the middle? and the plant off to the left of the picture w/ spear shaped leaves?

[squall_japan]

The red plant is red tiger lotus.

I'm not sure, are you referring to the amazon sword? The one at the back left?

[kimberlynns]

Thanks a lot kim! Happy Birthday to you too!

Thanks! :)

Kim

[z71silverado98]

sorry, i meant right

[squall_japan]

Are you referring to this one?
http://static.flickr.com/34/71657302_fb26eb6fe1.jpg

I really dont know. That is one of the plants the name i don't know. I tried asking the LFS where i got them but they didn't know too. That's the only nameless plant in there and it being nameless is the reason why i got it. Looks like a tip of a tree because the stem is kinda woody. I have a feeling they just nipped a tree somewhere and put it in display too see if anyone stupid, like me, would buy it.

So if anyone have any idea what is it please help :)

http://static.flickr.com/34/71657374_cf07dbc479.jpg
The leaves have some shade of red but really faint. The texture is not smooth, more like an oregano leaf.

[z71silverado98]

thats the one.

im looking for some nice mid ground plants, seems like all my lfs sells is background plants and the rear of my tank is full while the rest needs to be filled in.

and what about the little clover looking thing directly under it and slightly to the left? theres also one in the background.

[squall_japan]

They are Marsh Pennyworth.

http://www.plantgeek.net/plant-127.htm

[indiginess]

They are Marsh Pennyworth.



or Hydrocotyle sp. ... the clove looking one.

[squall_japan]

Thanks indiginess for the info. It is marsh pennywort not pennyworth sorry.

Anyway i didn't get the cobalt blue, or the pretty orange gourami or any other gouramis in my LFS. The guy told me this gouramis have big mouth to accidentally snack on my really tiny schooling fish(green neons and briggitaes are really small).

But then maybe the guy saw me eyeing the gouramis like a kid who wants a new bike so he told me i can try a gold gourami! 2 Gold Honey Gouramis. Currently waiting for them to adjust to their new home.

Stole this pic somehere...
http://www.fishpondinfo.com/honey.htm

Did some research and found out this guys snack on plants!!!! Now i'm in big trouble.
http://www.aquahobby.com/gallery/e_honey.php

[stingray4540]

Did you say you got the gold gouramis? If you did congradulations. If you didn't go ahead and get the blue or orange one. I have one of each and they have very small mouths, very small. I usually have to crumble up flakes so they can eat them. NOne of your little fishes would be in danger. I have a school of white clouds in with mine and theres no problem. The guy who works at thelfs is full of crap. Take advise from lfs with a grain of salt.

[squall_japan]

Thanks i already did get 2 golds. They kinda look nice with the creamy/milky body and red fins!

[stingray4540]

Well, I'm glad you finally got something, I hope you enjoy them as well as your friends. Very nice tank you have there, hope you have pics with your new inhabitants soon.

[Schnecken]

Well, I'm glad you finally got something, I hope you enjoy them as well as your friends. Very nice tank you have there, hope you have pics with your new inhabitants soon.

I agree--I want to see pictures!! :)

[squall_japan]

Week 6,
http://static.flickr.com/20/72656660_9c82f1244b.jpg

My new fish: gold honey gourami
http://static.flickr.com/20/72656865_7c10c5484e.jpg

I managed to get some pictures of the old inhabitants.
Pregnant Red Cherry Shrimp.
http://static.flickr.com/20/72656933_d7165a59aa.jpg

Green Neons and Boraras Briggitae.
http://static.flickr.com/20/72656818_9562dadfef.jpg

[redbucket]

edit: posted a reply in the wrong thread.

Beautiful tank, though. =]

[stingray4540]

It's a jungle!!! Really nice tank you have there squall, I like all the plants, and thats a really good looking gourami. Congradulations on your choice.
P.S. Do you do anything special for all those plants? How many watts per gallon do you have, and do you do co2 injection?

[squall_japan]

-I'm adding 3 drops of ADA Brighty K and 3 drops of ADA Green Brighty Step1 everyday.
1 1/2 more months and I will replace Step1 with Step2.

-At first i was using Hagen CO2(the one with the ladder), but then looks like I'm not getting enough so i recently(just this weekend) switched to DIY CO2.

-I have 41W for 10G.

-I think that's all. The ADA Amazonia substrate might be helping too?

[tomdkat]

Rather than add fish, why not add more plants? :D

(Just kidding... it looks AWESOME just the way it is! :))

Peace...

[squall_japan]

LOL, tomdkat! I actually added a plant. I can't find any space so i got a floater. I don't know what it is though.

http://static.flickr.com/35/72656770_6c60e4e204_m.jpg

A friend actually asked me "How will you know if you're fish is overwhelmed with your plants." Got me thinking, do they get overwhelmed?

New pic of my new gourami :)

http://static.flickr.com/35/73042667_977dc5bda4.jpg