Centre Piece Fish For 125l

[aquabadger]

Hi,

I have been running a 125L tank for a couple of months now. I started off with 5 cherry barbs and recently added 6 dwarf rainbow fish and 5 amano as the LFS said they would be good for eating the hair algae on the driftwood . It has an internal filter with quite a strong current at the moment. I am having a bit of difficulty picking something larger to finish the tank off. Would a M/F pair of bolivian rams or maybe a pair of gouramis be a good idea? I was thinking about angel fish, but I don't think the tank is high enough. I also thought about Lake Kutubu rainbow fish, but I think I'd need a bigger tank for them too.

I have a few plants, but I don't think you could call it heavily planted. I was also thinking of adding some black neon tetras too if theres any room left!

Any ideas much appreciated.

 

[SJ2K]

Sounds like you've got it all figured to me id go for either the Rams (German/Bolivian) or the Gouramis.

 

[indigoj]

Thicklipped Gouramis are really nice. Or stay with the rainbow theme and get some Bosemanis? (4 maybe or a trio)

 

[rabbut]

Thicklipped Gouramis are really nice. Or stay with the rainbow theme and get some Bosemanis? (4 maybe or a trio)

I agree that thck lips are good looking, but they are also large (arround the 18 inch mark if I remember rightly), and thus wouldn't be too suitable for your tank. Bosemanis are also brilliant fish, but they will look washed out in the shop. Clever shop keepers set up a display with them in, to show them properly coloured up, but most don't. A small shoal of them would look ace Likewise with the Rams or you may be interested in Pearl Gorami, at 6 inch length, they should fit, and their size will mean they stand out. Avoid males though, as they can be agressive

HTH
Rabbut

 

[aquabadger]

Cool - thanks for all the replies. The LFS has plenty of thick lipped gouramis and I think they only get to 10cm so I will probably go for them. I've done a bit more reading up and 1M and 2F seems like a good idea. I just have one more question: I am not really bothered about raising fry or trying to sell them on. What should I do if lots of little gouramis appear or do most people just let the other fish eat them?

 

[Spooky76]

I would go for a pair of bolivian rams, but only because they are my Favourite fishies !!!!
But either way, sounds like any of the fish you have mentioned will look nice.

 

[rabbut]

Cool - thanks for all the replies. The LFS has plenty of thick lipped gouramis and I think they only get to 10cm so I will probably go for them. I've done a bit more reading up and 1M and 2F seems like a good idea. I just have one more question: I am not really bothered about raising fry or trying to sell them on. What should I do if lots of little gouramis appear or do most people just let the other fish eat them?

Thicklip rarely breed in the aquarium, and fry are so small that they are difficult to feed, unless you planned the spawn, and have the correct food to hand. Smaller fish will eat the fry also, but they are too small for the parents to be bothered about eating. They are a bubble nest spawner, so you will have a few days notice of fry, but you realy need a week to prepair the food for them..

All the best
Rabbut

 

[aquabadger]

Thanks for all the advice, but I have one more question. I like the look of the red finned sharks (aka rainbow sharks). Would one of them get on with what I have now? I got the thick lipped gouramis so I now have:

6 cherry barbs
6 dwarf neon (praecox) rainbowfish
2 thick lipped gouramis
5 amano shrimp

My tank is 125L and measures 80x35x40 cm.

 

[rabbut]

It can be made to work. RTBS can be very nasty or very nice. It all depends on the individual fish, and the only way to find out if it will work is to try it. In a 125l, if it goes wrong, it will go very wrong, so keep this in mind. Remember that well behaved RTBS are the exception, not the rule, and think it over, weighing up the risks before getting one. I personally wouldn't do it

HTH
Rabbut

 

[jonnyf84]

i have a rtbs in my community tank which includes a pair of pearl gouramis, he initially nipped at the female but now leaves her alone most of the time, now she sometimes rubs against him - wierd aye! he never bothered the male because of the size difference. When my girlfriend picked out a fish (a betta of coarse i put him in the main tank and the shark bullied and chased it constantly so i had to move the betta to my smaller tank - he is stoked now As above you just don't know until you try it but i wouldn't get rid of mine for the world, i love how he patrols the tank, he is the king!!! If you can get them in superb condition they even look like marine fish.

 

[aquabadger]

I had a feeling it might be a much for my tank. I am beginning to see why people have so many tanks now! There's always another fish you want...

 

[wilchil64]

you may be interested in Pearl Gorami, at 6 inch length, they should fit, and their size will mean they stand out. Avoid males though, as they can be agressive

Sorry, this was a while ago, but just wanted to ask a question .... I am looking for a centre piece for either my current 125 litre or my new 180 litre we're collecting saturday and I've been looking at Gouramis. They are all beautiful but I'll probably go for Pearl gourami. So my question is: you recommend not getting males because they are aggressive, but are the females as beautiful as the males? Is it better to get a pair, or a male and two females, or just 2 or 3 females?

I'll probably be keeping them with a small shoal of cardinals, maybe some head standers (can't remember their true name, but they look so funny) or harlequin rasbora, some corys (not sure which or how many yet, open to suggestions), would love some kribs and german blue rams, some amano shrimps.

 

[Pleccy]

you may be interested in Pearl Gorami, at 6 inch length, they should fit, and their size will mean they stand out. Avoid males though, as they can be agressive

Sorry, this was a while ago, but just wanted to ask a question .... I am looking for a centre piece for either my current 125 litre or my new 180 litre we're collecting saturday and I've been looking at Gouramis. They are all beautiful but I'll probably go for Pearl gourami. So my question is: you recommend not getting males because they are aggressive, but are the females as beautiful as the males? Is it better to get a pair, or a male and two females, or just 2 or 3 females?

I'll probably be keeping them with a small shoal of cardinals, maybe some head standers (can't remember their true name, but they look so funny) or harlequin rasbora, some corys (not sure which or how many yet, open to suggestions), would love some kribs and german blue rams, some amano shrimps.

Hello,

I would avoid pearl gouramis as these can grow to at least five inches, and would you really want a five inch fish in a 125 litre tank? If you do get them I would put them into the 180 litre tank. Males aren't normally agressive, the problem is caused by keeping them with only one female, two would be better. For your 125 litre tank I would look at a small group of smaller gouramis such as honeys (Colisa chuna).

 

[wilchil64]

Hello,

I would avoid pearl gouramis as these can grow to at least five inches, and would you really want a five inch fish in a 125 litre tank? If you do get them I would put them into the 180 litre tank. Males aren't normally agressive, the problem is caused by keeping them with only one female, two would be better. For your 125 litre tank I would look at a small group of smaller gouramis such as honeys (Colisa chuna).

Thanks. How big do the honey's grow to? I was actually thinking of putting them in the 180 litre tank, so maybe pearls will be ok, I'll work out total amounts and see if they fit in.

 

[rabbut]

Honeys get to about 4" maximum, but I have never seen them past three though They will need a mature tank, so if you get honeys, wait untill the tank has been going with fish in for 6 months

I think Pearls would be fine for the 180l, but agree the 125 is too small. Pearls get to about 6", not 5 The males won't be agressive reay, unless they are trying to breed. A trio of one male to two females would be best

All the best
Rabbut