Stocking a 20L, Bolivian Ram or Pearl Gourami?

Kevin, my solitary Bolivian ram was a moose! Definitely larger-bodied than a dwarf gourami.

Is that unusual? I'd say his body was at least 2.5" long and almost as high.
 
hahaha. Awesome captions. I'm really falling for this killi! What do you mean the shrimp might go bye-bye fast? Have I chosen someone who is going to eat them? I love my shrimps. I really enjoy watching them work, haha.

Your fighter squadron does look pretty awesome. When my hubby sees that, he will probably vote to switch over. Man I am so excited! I think i am definitely going with the Bolivian Ram and the Killi. Look, you've made my day :D
 
SidtheMonkey said:
Kevin, my solitary Bolivian ram was a moose! Definitely larger-bodied than a dwarf gourami.

Is that unusual? I'd say his body was at least 2.5" long and almost as high.
Click to expand...

My book ( i know, take it with a grain of salt ) says they get to 2 3/4 "?
 
Well, that's about the size of a standard dwarf gourami full-grown(some like the honeys are much smaller then a 'regular' striped dwarf). I've seen a few relatively large Bolivians at the LFS, nearly double the size of a GBR, some of them have quite elaborate finnage as well. My gourami is pretty decent size, roughly 3" plus the tail. Bolivians are definitely much bigger then the other rams for sure. And that's about right, tbirdie, I would say that is average for them, plus large fins.
 
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tbirdie said:
hahaha. Awesome captions. I'm really falling for this killi! What do you mean the shrimp might go bye-bye fast? Have I chosen someone who is going to eat them? I love my shrimps. I really enjoy watching them work, haha.

Your fighter squadron does look pretty awesome. When my hubby sees that, he will probably vote to switch over. Man I am so excited! I think i am definitely going with the Bolivian Ram and the Killi. Look, you've made my day :D
Click to expand...

Well, I have a few RCS in the betta tank, and they don't get fussed with by the betta(although my betta is pretty chill). Betta goes over to check her out and she just puts her feelers all over him and he goes away. Killis will try to eat anything that fits in its mouth, so if the amano are grown he won't bother. He tried to get one of my juvi ottos in his mouth the first day I got those(didn't fit so he spit it back out, and he stalked in on it FAST-killis are insanely fast fish). Ever since then they've of course grown but no problems since. Not sure what a BR will do to small shrimp though, particularly that the Bolivian is more then a bit larger then GBR's. Just taking a 'test bite' is enough.

Other then a couple that I've lost to the evil filter (or stupid shrimp depending on how you look at it), my RCS have been fine. I tried a couple amano, but both escaped in short order. None fell to the betta. And the rummies do NOT nip at each other, they just school like the blue angels at all times, other then when they go bonkers at feeding time(all 7-10 seconds of it). Not a single fin has ever had the slightest mark. Like I said you should keep the other beta tank setup with a betta and a couple shrimp....

Actually in this photo the betta is just out of view above her, she's like 'whatever mister fancy-fins'

rcs.jpg
 
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tbirdie said:
My book ( i know, take it with a grain of salt ) says they get to 2 3/4 "?
Click to expand...

Yeah, that sounds about right. A bit bigger bodied (thicker) than a gourami, IMO.

Cool fish.
 
Errm... I'm a little concerned about the killi and/or bolivian snacking on my ottos and shrimps. I am very attached to my ottos!

We just had a great LOL at the amano's trying to swim off with a big-o algae wafer. I am way too amused by my current tank.

Anyways, maybe I will eventually start the small tank up again. I'm not ready to get another betta, I'm still missing mine :(

I've had the ottos for.... I don't know... 8 months to a year. The amanos are a recent acquisition (the last bunch just disappeared, like you said, I figured my betta ate them). But I love them. I love shrimp, it's true!
 
Good Lord, neither will snack on ottos, and I never had anybody snacking on adult amanos either (never had any escape the tank either...but there were pretty well-planted tanks).

An adult Bolivian or killi wont bother an otto or an adult amano. I dont even remember which killis I had now, but nah.
 
Amanos can also hit the hyper-drive if they need to, if they are over 1", I wouldn't worry about it. Same with the ottos, mine were juvi's at the time, ~1", he just tried once, and never bothered them again. I was like 'oh crap'(in a not-my-new-fish way), then I was like 'oh crap'(in a this is gonna be awesome way), then he just let it go and that was that.


I have this little flat bottom piece of driftwood I have propped up on some of the small stones with a 1/4" max gap for the shrimp to hide under when they feel like it, and hide a small piece of algae wafer from everyone else from time to time if I think they aren't getting a shot at any. This way they also don't need to rest in the open.
 
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