30 gal tank recommendations

[moemoe]

Currently I have a 30 gallon set up with 2 angels (3 years old - huge!), 2 blue guramis (1 year old), 1 rainbow fish, 2 cory cats, 1 chinese algae eater.

The guramis and the rainbow were recent additions, friends moving. I have had great luck with just the angels in the tank, and wonder if I need to set up new tanks for the other fish or if the stock is okay.

I also have a 10 gal that maybe open to additional fish - currently I have 3 platys a little pleco (3-4 yrs old?)that was also from friend moving, who has never gotten large, and a cory in that tank.

My other tank is a 10 gal with a xenopus frog (full size) - she doesn't play well with most fish (snacks), although the angels were raised with her when they actually fit in a 10 gallon.

Any recommendations on my fish predicament, ideas for rearrangement, etc?

[jm1212]

iw oudl get the blue gouramis out of there becuase they can be very aggressive with other fish in the tank and amongst themselves.

the CAE should go also because they dont eat algea, they eat your fish, and i think thats the last thing you want to happen to your angels

[Rbishop]

Lose the CAE.

Get a 55 for all of them...3 yr old "huge" angels need a 55...unless they are stunted.

[moemoe]

thanks for the advice. I really wasn't sure what fish to put together. I had no idea that the chinese algae eater ate fish, he is constantly attached to plants, glass, etc, but he is still quite small. As I cannot afford a 55 gal at this point, I guess the angels are going to have to be fine by themselves in there. It is a tall tank and they have plenty of room to roam, perhaps later I can get them a bigger tank.

[Kyohti]

The problem with keeping gouramis and angels together is that both angels, which are cichlids, and keeping gouramis in the same space is that both are verry territorial and can be aggressive towards protecting their 'turf'. Also, both have those thin fins that they don't mind ripping off each other when they do spar. Depending on what type of 'blue gourami' those are, they may grow to be up to 4 inches long as well, so obviously both them and angels in a tank will eventually be too much all by themselves!!

I'd ditch the CAE as well... I've had some terrible losses from those things getting aggressive and slurping a hole in my slower-moving fishes. They are ALSO very territorial and once he's big enough to do it, he'll probably end up harassing and/or killing your cories and other fish. Mine went through 2 dwarf gouramis, one flagfish, and some tetras before I wised up!! O__O;;

Me personally, I'd either place the angelfish or the gouramis in the 30-g with the rainbow fish and the platies. Add 2-3 more cories in there (they prefer to be in small schools instead of alone or in pairs) for bottom feeders.

As for the spare pair, be it angel or otherwise, and the pleco... it would probably be best to give them to your LFS if you aren't able to purchase a larger aquarium to house them in within the next couple of months. Or you could split the two gouramis into the two 10-gallons... but then you have to contend with the frog. :P

Regardless, if the pleco is a 'common' one... It's going to eventually need 55 gallons or more to thrive. That's a LOT of expense for one fish, so unless you have some big plans for your aquarium-keeping... I'd let the fella go while he's still small and invest in a species of pleco that stays around 4-6 inches. You and the fish will both be a LOT happier!! ^__^

Hope this helps.

[fishiefishie]

I agree 100% with Kyohti. You could put 1 of the gouramis in a 10 alone, then rehome the other gourami, the CAE and the plec at your lfs.
Good luck!

[moemoe]

great advice. So, if the pleco is already a few years old, do you think he will stay small? He is about 2 inches long now. Is there a way to tell if he is a common or otherwise pleco?

Also Kyohti - you have a Bichir? Are those fairly common in LFS, because I have never seen one. Sounds like a nice aquarium.

[Mgamer20o0]

best idea is use google.

http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&q=common%20pleco&btnG=Google+Search&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&um=1&sa=N&tab=wi