Getting some new kids tonight

[Bear]

Our Petsmart gets new arrivals on Thursday nights, so we are hittin the store tonight before the weekend rush.

Any suggestions on what we should get?

Part of me is thinking more guppies, but I really want a betta in the long run and as long as I have guppies, no betta.

My balloon mollies CRACK ME UP - maybe a couple more of those?

Or am I full?

THanks ya'll!

 

[pendragon]

IMHO, you're pretty much at (maybe above) capacity now. The pleco and the moonlight gourami are both, in time, going to get sizable. They may not be big now, but they won't stay that way.

Having said that though, you'll find vastly differing opinions on stocking tanks. The general rule of "one inch of fish per gallon of water" (note that the rule is per gallon of *water*, not tank volume, as is frequently misinterpreted - fish can't extract oxygen from gravel) is a pretty good guideline, but some stock their tanks more heavily and things work out okay. I myself choose not to break the one-inch-per-gallon rule (in fact I stay just under it), but that's because I choose to err on the side of my fish's comfort. If your fish {a} have enough personal space, and {b} are getting sufficient oxygen, and {c} your water chemistry is stable (no ammonia or nitrite), and if {d} the nitrate level doesn't rise quicker than you are willing to keep it low through water changes, then give it a try. Stocking is a YMMV thing, but there is definitely a point at which you're overdoing it. The heavier your bio-load, the higher the stakes are if you lose control of your water parameters, and the easier it can happen.

pendragon!

 

[modernhamlet]

While I agree you're pushing maximum capacity on your tank, if all the parameters are ok and you're doing frequent water changes, you might be able to add just a little more bioload.

If you do, I'd suggest 3 more Rasboras. They're schooling fish and really don't behave normally unless there are at least 6 of them together.

Personally, I'd take the 2 Tiger Barbs back to your LFS, since 2 tigers are likely to annoy your Gourami to death with their fin-nipping. Plus, it would free up some space/bioload. If you really like them and they're behaving though, it's cool.

Good luck!

 

[Bear]

Yea, I'm keeping my eye on both the tiger barbs and the moonlight. We got them when we were uneducated and of course, the LFS was also quite uneducated.

We already returned one Moonlight (we originally had 2), and every day, I look at the tigers and wonder when the day is going to come where they start nipping. They really mind their own business though, surprisingly, so we want to keep them around and see if maybe they are just chilling.

The moonlight is starting to nip our powder blue gourami, and even though they are both pretty slow, the moonlight is still faster. The only reason we've kept him this far is that although he's nipping the powder blue, it's not THAT territorial and sometimes our powder fights back.

I thought about getting more Rasboras - maybe we'll just go ahead with that.

Maybe we'll return the moonlight, get 3 Rasboras and another balloon molly - and call it a day.

Thoughts?

 

[pendragon]

Let me preface what follows by saying: I am not a gourami expert by any stretch of the imagination, but...

I understand sometimes male gouramis do not like to share a tank with other male gouramis, even if they are of a different species. Sometimes they cohabitate peacefully, but it isn't uncommon that they don't. It depends upon the temperment of the particular gouramis in question. If the moonlight is male, and the powder blue is male, the nipping could be a "shoving contest" between them. Keep an eye out that it doesn't escalate as the moonlight gets bigger.

pendragon!

 

[Bear]

Let me preface what follows by saying: I am not a gourami expert by any stretch of the imagination, but...

I understand sometimes male gouramis do not like to share a tank with other male gouramis, even if they are of a different species. Sometimes they cohabitate peacefully, but it isn't uncommon that they don't. It depends upon the temperment of the particular gouramis in question. If the moonlight is male, and the powder blue is male, the nipping could be a "shoving contest" between them. Keep an eye out that it doesn't escalate as the moonlight gets bigger.

pendragon!

I will. Typically they are ok with other gourami species, but we'll definitely for any sings of a problem, on a regular basis.

Thanks!

 

[guppygirly]

I thought about getting more Rasboras - maybe we'll just go ahead with that.

Maybe we'll return the moonlight, get 3 Rasboras and another balloon molly - and call it a day.

Thoughts?

Sounds like a fine idea to me. As long as you maintain your tank you can keep it at fully stocked with out any problems (IME).

 

[plecoperson]

my gourami is a moonlight and is about 3 1/2 inches long now... he was a big bully when I got him as a young 'un now he has matured he has settled down. he is with a girl ml gourami so you might want to check the sex of the other Gouramis before you return ur wonderful fish!

 

[Bear]

my gourami is a moonlight and is about 3 1/2 inches long now... he was a big bully when I got him as a young 'un now he has matured he has settled down. he is with a girl ml gourami so you might want to check the sex of the other Gouramis before you return ur wonderful fish!

Good point. I do love the little guy. He's one of my favorites.

Everyone has explained how you can tell, but I just can't - how do I know if it's a boy or girl?

 

[plecoperson]

when their mature its easy peasy, boys are much bigger and they have orange under their bellies and orange feelers! my female is small and plump with a line of faint black spots down her sides.