Help Me Divide My Fish Between My 2 Tanks Please!

[wilchil64]

Ok, I now have two tanks (both fully cycled filters in one tank, one to be transferred to other tank soon).

I currently have the fish in my sig, plus a 3 or 4 inch leopard frog plec.

I want to split these between my 125 litre Fluval Roma tank and 180 litre Juwel Rio tanks.

Ideally, we'd prefer one tank (probably the 125 litre Roma) with one, two or three centrepiece fish and two shoals of tetras (pref. 10 or 12 in each shoal) and then the other tank with a mixture of fish, but no tetras due to worrying about tetras getting into the Juwel filter.

We'd like to add some of the following:

- blue rams
- dwarf gouramis or other gouramis
- pictus catfish
- silver tipped tetras or glowlight tetras
- celebes half beak
- corys (not sure which, pref spotted ones)
- dwarf neon rainbows

I am considering giving away the 6 danios we already have, and possibly putting the guppys in my Aqua 40 (another quick question about that - I thought it was 28 litre but it states 40 litre on the box, measurements are 37 cm x 30 cm x 29 cm approx) if it helps free up space and compatibility for the other fish.

I know we can't have all these fish, but am not sure what combinations would go best, so am grateful for any suggestions.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Pleccy]

First of all I wouldn't add the pictus catfish or the dwarf gouramis, the former will eat small fish and the latter aren't as hardy as they were, and they are also susceptible to bacterial infections. Better alternatives would be Honey gouramis (Colisa chuna).

Here is what I would do:

Juwel Rio 180:
1x Angelfish
3x Rosy barbs
7x Guppies
5x Corydoras
5x Celebes halfbeaks

Fluval 125:
10x Glowlight tetras or Silver tipped tetras (Or you could add the danios and build up the shoal to around 10 fish).
2x Rams
5x Neon rainbowfish
2x Honey gouramis

Finally the Aqua 40 aquarium will hold about 32 l./8 gal. before displacement.

 

[wilchil64]

First of all I wouldn't add the pictus catfish or the dwarf gouramis, the former will eat small fish and the latter aren't as hardy as they were, and they are also susceptible to bacterial infections. Better alternatives would be Honey gouramis (Colisa chuna).

Here is what I would do:

Juwel Rio 180:
1x Angelfish
3x Rosy barbs
7x Guppies
5x Corydoras
5x Celebes halfbeaks

Fluval 125:
10x Glowlight tetras
2x Rams
5x Neon rainbowfish
2x Honey gouramis

Thanks Luke, I had read the same about dwarf gouramis many times, but had a chat with my LFS who reckoned the ones he'd seen recently, as long as the "normal" striped one and not just red or just blue, were quite healthy looking and he thought healthier than they had been ....? I know I shouldn't believe everything they say ... and will be happy with other gouramis. It's just I haven't seen honey gouramis in the flesh yet and my LFS also told me that they can be quite drab, not as striking as the pics! A difficult one ... I am of course more inclined to believe someone who has actually kept them!

Also re. the pictus catfish, I know this is a tricky one, but they are so striking! Wouldn't it be possible to keep one in the 180 litre if I put no other small fish in there?

Also I have 6 cardinal tetras already, listed in my sig.

 

[Pleccy]

If you do get the Dwarf gouramis be very careful, quarantine any fish for at least a week. Regarding the Pictus catfish you could have one in the 180 but the tankmates will have to be at least 8cm/3".

 

[wilchil64]

If you do get the Dwarf gouramis be very careful, quarantine any fish for at least a week. Regarding the Pictus catfish you could have one in the 180 but the tankmates will have to be at least 8cm/3".

OK, think I have to wave goodbye to the pictus then. The barbs are probably 2 inches and they look great in the 180 litre tank, chasing each other around.

 

[wilchil64]

How many male guppies (approx. 1" plus tail) could I keep in the Aqua 40 tank? There'd be nothing else in with them, apart from some plants and a couple of small pieces of slate, some gravel obviously ... they don't seem to be lively swimmers, would they be ok in there?

I'm hoping to rehome my danios. That would leave me with room in my 125 litre Fluval tank to do what we'd like to do. I'd love to have 2 shoals of tetras, ideally cardinals and glowlights, 10 of each, plus something for centrepiece, maybe 1, 2 or 3 gouramis, or a pair of blue rams ....and keep my gold ancistrus in there.

For the 180 litre Juwel, that would leave me with an angelfish, 3 rosy barbs and my L134. Still not sure what I want to add in there yet, probably some corys, and possibly 5 dwarf neon rainbowfish.