River stream 53g

Hi Everyone,
Im in the process of cycling my 200 litre tank and i must say this periods one of the most enjoyable times of the hobby for me. All the planning and reseaching of the fish you would like and the tank design etc. So much choice with everything it can be hard to pick sometimes.

Ive done my hard scape and started a fishless cycle, order most my plants and some driftwood tonight. Need a new background because ive managed to get the blue one off i didnt like. Its 2:30am here in the UK and im up planning fish tanks lol (awful at sleep)

Just got to lock down my stocking after ive planted and wait for the cycle to finish. I was thinking a barb tank when i started because i love Odessa's but i keep looking at Pearl Gourami's also. Ill have to decide which one then build the tank stocking around them.

Early days yet but i cant wait to get some plants and driftwood in.

AWSOME!! Pearl Gouramis can be cool, but can’t they also get super big?

Yes indeed ! The planning is the very best part. I am fairly certain I'm going to set up a 20 long next month and the ideas I have are occupying every waking moment and lulling me to sleep at night. Planning should take a little time too because once it's set up you are unlikely to make any changes. Like your background that you are changing out. Do it now or you never will. Picking fish, well now, that's the best fun of all. I have one idea that's pretty certain but it could change. Pearl Gouramis are very pretty when grown out well and are the most docile of the large Gouramis. But keep in mind that fast moving fish will upset them. Maybe some nice Kuhlii Loaches or Botias of smaller type.

PheonixKingZ said:

AWSOME!! Pearl Gouramis can be cool, but can’t they also get super big?

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Not super big no. They grow to about 4-5 inches so i should be able to have a trio in this tank as the main attraction not sure on the numbers yet tho. Think a barb tanks still a head in my mind at the moment.

Following this closely. I'm a few steps behind you for setting up a similar sized tank with very similar ideas.

Back in the fold said:

Yes indeed ! The planning is the very best part. I am fairly certain I'm going to set up a 20 long next month and the ideas I have are occupying every waking moment and lulling me to sleep at night. Planning should take a little time too because once it's set up you are unlikely to make any changes. Like your background that you are changing out. Do it now or you never will. Picking fish, well now, that's the best fun of all. I have one idea that's pretty certain but it could change. Pearl Gouramis are very pretty when grown out well and are the most docile of the large Gouramis. But keep in mind that fast moving fish will upset them. Maybe some nice Kuhlii Loaches or Botias of smaller type.

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Thats my biggest problem to be honest. Finding fish to suit the the pearls. Ive wanted them for a while but ive had active fast moving fish in other tanks.

I do like Kuhli's

Kuhlii Loaches are my very favorite ever bottom dweller and I've had three at one time together but I always have wondered what 12 or so together would be like. Might be really nice and I think it would be a very active bottom scene. Maybe pretty comical too.

Back in the fold said:

Kuhlii Loaches are my very favorite ever bottom dweller and I've had three at one time together but I always have wondered what 12 or so together would be like. Might be really nice and I think it would be a very active bottom scene. Maybe pretty comical too.

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I not sure on bottom dwellers for this tank yet but i was looking into them the other night. Only question marks i had with the Kuhli's was if id see them enough. Very cool unique little fish tho.

Russjw said:

Thats my biggest problem to be honest. Finding fish to suit the the pearls. Ive wanted them for a while but ive had active fast moving fish in other tanks.

I do like Kuhli's

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With gourami (the species that can have other fish species in with them, like the Pearl can) the rasboras are your prime group to look at. The two less-common species in Trigonostigma, namely T. hengeli and T. eques, are ideal. Photos below.

As for bottom fgish, this is less easy as loaches are a bit active, but the Kuhli might bee OK. I would probably aim for Botia kubotai, one of hte several similarly-patterned species but much more peaceful and less active (generally) that their cousins like the Yo Yo which can fin nip. I had a group of five B. kubotai in my 70g with a group of Chocolate Gourami and the afore-mentioned rasboras, and the gourami spawned regularly and a few fry survived; this gourami is a maternal mouthbrooder, yet another cichlid-like trait of gourami. Most are bubblenest spawners. Botia striata is also peaceful, a tad smaller, and should do well with Pearls. Micronemacheilus cruciatus is another good loach, a dwarf species but much calmer and more peaceful than the common dwarf chain loach which could be unsuited to gourami.

Thank you Byron,

I love the Botia Kubotai, Wow they look awesome!!
These and the Rasboras would be a perfect combo for me to go with the pearls but i think i would have problems with my water parameters

Ph 7.4
Gh 13 dgh

Just to throw it out there, I've never kept one... But those botias seem to be similar in aggression as let's say a rainbow shark. My brother had one in a South americn cichlid tank and it was the king of that tank.

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Metalhead88 said:

Just to throw it out there, I've never kept one... But those botias seem to be similar in aggression as let's say a rainbow shark. My brother had one in a South americn cichlid tank and it was the king of that tank.

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If you mean one Botia kubotai, it is going to be seriously stressed with just one, and that can bring out aggression. Loaches are very highly social fish and must have a group, with five minimum. They will then interact. I had two large females in my group of five and they spent hours doing the "loach dance" when they grey out and spin around in a circle head to tail, then reverse. A shoal is essential.

If you mean a rainbow shark, this is not unusual; this can be aggressive, generally less than the related Red Tail Shark, but individuals can still get feeisty and/or nasty.

My group of B. kubotai were in with Congo Tetras, Black Ruby Barbs, Beckfordi pencilfish, and various small rasboras. I had them for 8 years, before I gave them away this past May when I moveed and had to downsize; they really need a 4-foot tank, and they ended up going with the 90g tank to their new home.

Which reminds me...they maybe a tad large here if this is not a 4-foot tank.

Russjw said:

Thank you Byron,

I love the Botia Kubotai, Wow they look awesome!!
These and the Rasboras would be a perfect combo for me to go with the pearls but i think i would have problems with my water parameters

Ph 7.4
Gh 13 dgh

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The GH is a tad high, as most of these loaches will be wild caught.

Russjw said:

Thank you Byron,

I love the Botia Kubotai, Wow they look awesome!!

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Hmmm - I kind of wish he'd never posted those.
No Sean you can't justify another tank - especially not a big one!!!

Byron said:

The GH is a tad high, as most of these loaches will be wild caught.

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Thought it might be This is why im finding it hard to find tank mates for the Pearls. Think livebearers is about all ive found so far. I think a barb tank will be more favourable for options for me.

P.s very jealous of the Congo tank. Would love them. Bet they looked great with the rubys