What to add to my tetra/gourami setup

welchrock · 08-30-2008, 10:44 AM

Well it's the age old question I always see posted here, so I guess it's my turn.

Taking a look at the fish in my signature, what suggestions do people have for what to add to my tank (if anything)?

I was thinking 5-6 cories would be great to even out the top-to-bottom distribution of my tank, or maybe a small (6-8) school of one of the following:

zebra danios
harlequin rasboras
(overbred and unhealthy i know) neon or cardinal tetras

I would love to add something really tiny but there's not much out there from what I find at my LFS. If anyone has any suggestions on super-small fish that I might be able to special order, please come forward!

Thanks to all those who are reading and responding! Happy Labor Day.

nathanbarry · 08-30-2008, 11:14 AM

Your tank is pretty much fully stocked but I suppose you could get away with a few small fish. How about a couple of cherry barbs which get to about 2inch max...or a small shoal of minnows, something like that??

I suppose you could get away with 5 or 6 harlequin rasboras but then you wouldnt be able to add much more to your tank, if you did take that route then i suppose you could also add 2 or 3 small shrimp like crystal red shrimp or cherry shrimp, to get your tank full stocked!

justintrask · 08-30-2008, 01:44 PM

have you looked into pygmy cories? They are tiny and will school very well, and won't take up too much bio-load. i loved mine before i sold the tank

welchrock · 08-30-2008, 02:22 PM

I'll have to take a look at some images of Pigmy Cories - that sounds promising.

As for the shrimp suggested by nathanbarry - would my gourami's eat them? The snakeskin is quite large.

justintrask · 08-30-2008, 02:24 PM

it would probably go after the shrimp if not eat them,and would absolutely eat any baby shrimp.

nathanbarry · 08-30-2008, 06:02 PM

Yeah, the gourami's probably would find the shrimp tasty but I agree with justintrack, pygmy cories would be good even though I think cherry barbs would be an excellent option!

welchrock · 08-31-2008, 12:21 PM

Are Cherry Barbs fin-nippers? Usually whenever I hear the word 'barb' I steer clear.

Like many fish enthusiasts, when I was a novice I learned some lessons with Tiger Barbs (sent safely back to the LFS).

To justintrask - pygmy cory's look pretty sweet, any idea what their full-grown size is? I've read a few different estimates.

mesapod · 08-31-2008, 12:45 PM

The Pygmy cories grow to about 3/4". Cherry barbs are not nippy like tiger barbs at all.It would probably be good to get like 5 or 6 pygmy cories so ythey can school. IMO I don't think you should get the cherry barbs because after you get the cories youll be pretty stocked.

nathanbarry · 08-31-2008, 01:33 PM

The cherry barbs arent fin nippers at all, nothing like tiger barbs. They are really interesting to watch and if you have the right water conditions their colour would show up lovely!

Its your choice, if you were to have cherry barbs then I would say get about 3...maybe 4 but if you went with the pygmy cories (which i cant find anywhere), as mesapod said get about 5 or 6. They are neat too!

welchrock · 08-31-2008, 03:12 PM

I have a local fish store down the street that has done special orders for me before, so I would hope i would be able to get some pygmy cory's if that's what I decided on. 3/4ths of an inch full-grown is pretty perfect, because corys seem to get weirder and weirder looking as they grow big!

08-30-2008, 10:44 AM	#1
welchrock Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Age: 27 Posts: 125	What to add to my tetra/gourami setup Well it's the age old question I always see posted here, so I guess it's my turn. Taking a look at the fish in my signature, what suggestions do people have for what to add to my tank (if anything)? I was thinking 5-6 cories would be great to even out the top-to-bottom distribution of my tank, or maybe a small (6-8) school of one of the following: zebra danios harlequin rasboras (overbred and unhealthy i know) neon or cardinal tetras I would love to add something really tiny but there's not much out there from what I find at my LFS. If anyone has any suggestions on super-small fish that I might be able to special order, please come forward! Thanks to all those who are reading and responding! Happy Labor Day. __________________ 46G Bowfront: 1 large snakeskin gourami, 1 blue gourami, 2 pearl gouramis, 11 black neon tetras, 4 panda corys, 1 albino pleco. All gourami's are female as far as I know. Lighting: 78 Watts (1.7 wpg) T5HO Plants: Java Moss, Flame Moss, Marsilea Minutia, Staurogyne sp., floating Myrio Simulan, and quite a lot of other stuff I don't know the name of. Substrate: 80 lbs Eco-Complete.

08-30-2008, 11:14 AM	#2
nathanbarry -~Fish Watcher~- Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: West Midlands, England Posts: 359	Your tank is pretty much fully stocked but I suppose you could get away with a few small fish. How about a couple of cherry barbs which get to about 2inch max...or a small shoal of minnows, something like that?? I suppose you could get away with 5 or 6 harlequin rasboras but then you wouldnt be able to add much more to your tank, if you did take that route then i suppose you could also add 2 or 3 small shrimp like crystal red shrimp or cherry shrimp, to get your tank full stocked! __________________ 10 GALLON 6 Zebra Danios (1.5") 1 Chinese Algae Eater (2.5") 1 Khuli Loach (2") 6 Black Neon Tetras 2 Black-Widow Tetras (1.5") 55 GALLON 3 Parrot Cichlids (4"-7") 3 Clown Loaches (3") 1 Common Pleco (4.5") 1 Pictus Catfish (5.5") 55 GALLON 10 Malawi Mbuna Cichlids (1"-5") 1 Convict Cichlid (2") 1 Common Pleco (3.5") Last edited by nathanbarry; 08-30-2008 at 11:25 AM.

08-30-2008, 01:44 PM	#3
justintrask Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Allston, MA Age: 21 Posts: 343	have you looked into pygmy cories? They are tiny and will school very well, and won't take up too much bio-load. i loved mine before i sold the tank __________________ ------------------------------------------ Everything you have just read is out of my own opinion and/or experiences. Take with a grain of salt. ------------------------------------------ 8" Jardini Arowana 7" Ornate Bichir 2 - 7" Synodontic Nigrita 2 Pairs - Honduran Red Points (plus ~30 fry) 1 Pair - Wild Plakat Bettas (plus ~50 fry) 4" Firemouth Among others...

08-30-2008, 02:22 PM	#4
welchrock Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Age: 27 Posts: 125	I'll have to take a look at some images of Pigmy Cories - that sounds promising. As for the shrimp suggested by nathanbarry - would my gourami's eat them? The snakeskin is quite large. __________________ 46G Bowfront: 1 large snakeskin gourami, 1 blue gourami, 2 pearl gouramis, 11 black neon tetras, 4 panda corys, 1 albino pleco. All gourami's are female as far as I know. Lighting: 78 Watts (1.7 wpg) T5HO Plants: Java Moss, Flame Moss, Marsilea Minutia, Staurogyne sp., floating Myrio Simulan, and quite a lot of other stuff I don't know the name of. Substrate: 80 lbs Eco-Complete.

08-30-2008, 02:24 PM	#5
justintrask Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Allston, MA Age: 21 Posts: 343	it would probably go after the shrimp if not eat them,and would absolutely eat any baby shrimp. __________________ ------------------------------------------ Everything you have just read is out of my own opinion and/or experiences. Take with a grain of salt. ------------------------------------------ 8" Jardini Arowana 7" Ornate Bichir 2 - 7" Synodontic Nigrita 2 Pairs - Honduran Red Points (plus ~30 fry) 1 Pair - Wild Plakat Bettas (plus ~50 fry) 4" Firemouth Among others...

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08-30-2008, 06:02 PM	#6
nathanbarry -~Fish Watcher~- Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: West Midlands, England Posts: 359	Yeah, the gourami's probably would find the shrimp tasty but I agree with justintrack, pygmy cories would be good even though I think cherry barbs would be an excellent option! __________________ 10 GALLON 6 Zebra Danios (1.5") 1 Chinese Algae Eater (2.5") 1 Khuli Loach (2") 6 Black Neon Tetras 2 Black-Widow Tetras (1.5") 55 GALLON 3 Parrot Cichlids (4"-7") 3 Clown Loaches (3") 1 Common Pleco (4.5") 1 Pictus Catfish (5.5") 55 GALLON 10 Malawi Mbuna Cichlids (1"-5") 1 Convict Cichlid (2") 1 Common Pleco (3.5")

08-31-2008, 12:21 PM	#7
welchrock Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Age: 27 Posts: 125	Are Cherry Barbs fin-nippers? Usually whenever I hear the word 'barb' I steer clear. Like many fish enthusiasts, when I was a novice I learned some lessons with Tiger Barbs (sent safely back to the LFS). To justintrask - pygmy cory's look pretty sweet, any idea what their full-grown size is? I've read a few different estimates. __________________ 46G Bowfront: 1 large snakeskin gourami, 1 blue gourami, 2 pearl gouramis, 11 black neon tetras, 4 panda corys, 1 albino pleco. All gourami's are female as far as I know. Lighting: 78 Watts (1.7 wpg) T5HO Plants: Java Moss, Flame Moss, Marsilea Minutia, Staurogyne sp., floating Myrio Simulan, and quite a lot of other stuff I don't know the name of. Substrate: 80 lbs Eco-Complete.

08-31-2008, 12:45 PM	#8
mesapod Banned Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Northern BC Posts: 345	The Pygmy cories grow to about 3/4". Cherry barbs are not nippy like tiger barbs at all.It would probably be good to get like 5 or 6 pygmy cories so ythey can school. IMO I don't think you should get the cherry barbs because after you get the cories youll be pretty stocked.

08-31-2008, 01:33 PM	#9
nathanbarry -~Fish Watcher~- Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: West Midlands, England Posts: 359	The cherry barbs arent fin nippers at all, nothing like tiger barbs. They are really interesting to watch and if you have the right water conditions their colour would show up lovely! Its your choice, if you were to have cherry barbs then I would say get about 3...maybe 4 but if you went with the pygmy cories (which i cant find anywhere), as mesapod said get about 5 or 6. They are neat too! __________________ 10 GALLON 6 Zebra Danios (1.5") 1 Chinese Algae Eater (2.5") 1 Khuli Loach (2") 6 Black Neon Tetras 2 Black-Widow Tetras (1.5") 55 GALLON 3 Parrot Cichlids (4"-7") 3 Clown Loaches (3") 1 Common Pleco (4.5") 1 Pictus Catfish (5.5") 55 GALLON 10 Malawi Mbuna Cichlids (1"-5") 1 Convict Cichlid (2") 1 Common Pleco (3.5")

08-31-2008, 03:12 PM	#10
welchrock Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Age: 27 Posts: 125	I have a local fish store down the street that has done special orders for me before, so I would hope i would be able to get some pygmy cory's if that's what I decided on. 3/4ths of an inch full-grown is pretty perfect, because corys seem to get weirder and weirder looking as they grow big! __________________ 46G Bowfront: 1 large snakeskin gourami, 1 blue gourami, 2 pearl gouramis, 11 black neon tetras, 4 panda corys, 1 albino pleco. All gourami's are female as far as I know. Lighting: 78 Watts (1.7 wpg) T5HO Plants: Java Moss, Flame Moss, Marsilea Minutia, Staurogyne sp., floating Myrio Simulan, and quite a lot of other stuff I don't know the name of. Substrate: 80 lbs Eco-Complete.

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