Tropical Fish Keeping banner

Just wondering about my tank

1K views 8 replies 4 participants last post by  dragonlovfish 
#1 ·
Hey i was just wondering if having 3 danios, 2 brushnoses, 3 black widow tetras, 5 Serpae Tetras, and 9 neon tetras. is too mush for a 35 gallon tank (i am not 100% sure on the tank size). Also i would like to know if, i could put in a gouramis?
 
#4 ·
That's a little over 33 gallons. Assuming your parameters are good now and that your plants are live, there would be no problem adding a gourami space-wise. The danios might be a little active for its taste as gourami are somewhat sedate. Personally, I would bring all the schools up to at least six. Making your water changes weekly instead of every two weeks would probably allow you to increase your schools and add the gourami; however, I think you would be at the limit.
 
#5 ·
The answer to gourami is absolutley no. And not because of the number of fish, but their behaviours, something I think fishmonger missed, cause I know he knows.;-)

You have problems with the fish mentioned in terms of numbers, there are not enough. These are shoaling fish, and the more the better. But aside from that, you have listed two species that are prone to fin nipping when not kept in larger groups, making things even more problematic. And fin nippers should never be combined with sedate fish like gourami.

Check our profiles for each species:
http://www.tropicalfishkeeping.com/characid-species/hyphessobrycon-eques-191001/
http://www.tropicalfishkeeping.com/characid-species/gymnocorymbus-ternetzi-190353/

Don't know which gourami you might consider, but all are sedate and not suited to the above tetra. Nor should they be combined with active swimmers such as danio.

In the 30-something tank you have, I would myself remove the Serpae Tetra, increase the Black Widow if you like them, up to 7-8. Increase the danio up to 7-8. Neons are fine with 9.

Bristlenoses are OK, just be aware that if they are both male they are territorial, but lots of chunks of wood usually solves this. They can find their own individual spots, and with lots of wood the line of sight is broken up.

Byron.
 
#6 · (Edited)
i use to have a dwarf gourami in my tank before the Serpae Tetras, (well i got them after my dwarf pasted away). and he was fine there was no problems with fin nipping at all, he even can up for pats. i even got him a girlfriend, but she then died of that dwarf gourami diseases and then the boy followed. (i love dwarf gouramis, but the disease only lets you keep them for a couple of mouths :( )
my black widows are very peaceful, for being only three of them.

so if i didn't have the black widows and the Serpae Tetras, i could have a gourami, maybe two?
 
#7 ·
i use to have a dwarf gourami in my tank before the Serpae Tetras, (well i got them after my dwarf pasted away). and he was fine there was no problems with fin nipping at all, he even can up for pats. i even got him a girlfriend, but she then died of that dwarf gourami diseases and then the boy followed. (i love dwarf gouramis, but the disease only lets you keep them for a couple of mouths :( )
my black widows are very peaceful, for being only three of them.

so if i didn't have the black widows and the Serpae Tetras, i could have a gourami, maybe two?
What are the danio, Zebra Danio? They need a larger group. It is not something I would ever do, mixing gourami in with danio, but...

Rasbora would be a better fit with gourami.

On the dwarf gourami virus, this is serious. It is now known to be spreadable to other fish. Unless you can guaranteed the source (meaning, a private hatchery or hobbyist who breeds them) I wold not risk them. The fish one buys from chain pet stores is a great risk. Honey Gourami would be better, for gourami. But same issues of course with the nipping and activity.

Peaceful may be the order of the day now, but believe me, things can change. As they mature, fish will often develop even stronger natural instincts, and not having what nature programmed them to need...We cannot change what fish are like, and the wise aquarist assumes fish will be "normal" and that is much less risk.
 
#8 ·
Just to reaffirm the Serpae issue, they can be nasty to any sedate fish particularly if the group is small. I had 5 in a tank and they were removed for this. I like to consider 8 as a good starting point for shoaling fish (the tetras) partly to keep the numbers up initially and partly in case of loses along the way... that way you may end up with six rather than having six and having to add a few if there are loses.

Danios and gouramis I know little about so I will leave comments as they already are.

Jeff.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top