[MetalCowgirl34]

I got two sparkling gouramis today (I know they do better with more than two, but that's all the store had, will keep looking for more). While I was at the store, I noticed one of their live plant tanks just had little snails and shrimp, and some tiny fish and I really liked it, so I got the idea to do that with my tank at home, starting with the sparkling gouramis. When I got home, I moved the platies that were already in there to my daughter's tank so now the sparkling gouramis have the 15 gal. long tank to themselves for now (except for a nerite snail). I'd like to get some other small non-aggressive fish to keep with this theme. My tank is sand with some live plants , rocks, and a branch.

I was thinking of some shrimp, maybe a kuli(sp?) loach, and some endlers livebearers? Any other suggestions for small fish/creatures to go in there?

 

[BWG]

What is your pH and GH? I have two aquariums with nano fish (no sparkling gourami though) and absolutely love them.

Baby shrimp are likely to be eaten by the gourami. There is even some debate about whether adult shrimp will be killed by them. Some keepers are able to keep them together, while others aren't.

 

[MetalCowgirl34]

Sparkling gouramis? I realize any other kind of gourami could not be in a tank with shrimp, but these guys are tiny...?

The pH now is 8, hardness I really have no idea. I can't get the test kit to measure it (I have the liquid test kit). I know the tap water here is VERY VERY hard, that's why I do 2/3 RO water.

 

[BWG]

Just because they are small and can't eat a shrimp whole doesn't mean they can't pick at them until they die. Some people say it happens and others say it doesn't. Baby shrimp will be eaten for sure though. That's the case with pretty much any fish that isn't an oto.

Why can't you get the test to measure hardness in the tank? Might take a lot of drops, but you should get a result. Your water sounds like the total opposite of mine so the fish I keep probably won't work for you. I'll have to do some research to come up with anything besides the Endler's.

 

[MetalCowgirl34]

Its the kind of test where the number of drops it takes to turn the test tube water from yellow to green is the hardness. I have gotten up to over 30 drops and it doesn't change. The scale in the book goes up to 12 :/ I thought the water was just that hard...like over 30. I have had African cichlids that LOVED it in the past. But then the other day I decided to do the test on straight RO water, and the water in the test tube still did not change with up to 20 drops, so I guess I am confused as to how the test works. Maybe the chemical is just old or something? I don't know.

Anyways, I don't NEED shrimp, I could just leave those out. Just looking for suggestions of little things to put in there.

 

[BWG]

What sort of GH test do you have? I have the API one and you put a drop in, shake, look for a color change, and repeat until it turns green. There is a chart in the directions for converting to ppm, but it's not really needed. One drop equal one dGH. Something is definitely up though as it should only take a drop to get the color change for RO water.

 

[MetalCowgirl34]

I have the same kind. The kit is many years old though...all the other chemicals still work, but apparently not that one. I put like 15 drops in the RO and it stayed yellow. Guess I need a new test kit :/

 

[BWG]

That's most likely the problem then.

API ammonia, nitrate, high range pH, and GH all expire after 3 years.
API nitrite and KH last 4 years.
API low range pH lasts 5 years.

Just to check the last four digits on the bottle will be the month and year it was manufactured.

 

[arnoldrew]

Make sure you actually recap and shake it between drops. It really doesn't work if you don't.

 

[Jeffrey]

I highly recommend malaysian trumpet snails. I have these guys in my 5.5g and they keep the substrate so clean. In the same tank I also currently have sparkling gouramis living with red cherry shrimp. Mine leave the adult shrimp alone. Making sure there are lots of hiding places is a big help to the shrimp.