Stocking ideas

[Sunnyspots]

I have an 80l tank (box size) in which I have some fine black gravelly substrate, bog wood, spider wood, a slate cave and a few rocks. I will also end up with about 7 species of plant, so well planted. According to SW Water my tap water parameters are pH 7.4 to 8.8 (I measured 6.8, but that was a dipstick), GH; 50ppm or Clarke 4, French 5, German 3 or 'soft'. And 20 mg/l Ca. Dipstick KH was 6 dH. (I still can't get my head around hardness types and values/units despite Chemistry A-level!)
I am assuming, with a more accurate volume measurement of 70l and all that decor, I have about 50l maximum for fish. I am considering:

1 Dwarf Gourami ( I know the health risk, but you've got to live and risk it!)
1 Peacock Gudgeon
6 Pearl Danios
Maybe some shrimp to help cleaning

All is dependent on my final water readings once the tank has matured, of course.
How does this sound?

 

[Essjay]

Is this the Superfish Home aquarium which is 65 cm long x 31 cm wide?

Pearl danios, like the related zebra danios, are fast swimming fish which really need a 90+ cm tank just because they are such fast swimmers. This fast swimming will also upset the sedate dwarf gourami. Are you set on them or would you be willing to have a slower swimming alternative? There are plenty of slow swimming fish which are suitable for your water.

Your water may be a bit too soft at 3 dH for peacock gudgeons, but if you want to try them I would get a male and one or two females. They won't overpopulate a tank with fry as most fry would be eaten even if the eggs survived long enough to hatch.

 

[Essjay]

If you could find a local breeder of dwarf gouramis, that would be the safest option.
If you buy from a shop, look at all the gouramis in the tank. If there any dead ones, go to another shop. If any of the fish look sickly, go to another shop. Don't take the risk.

 

[Sunnyspots]

If you could find a local breeder of dwarf gouramis, that would be the safest option.
If you buy from a shop, look at all the gouramis in the tank. If there any dead ones, go to another shop. If any of the fish look sickly, go to another shop. Don't take the risk.

Luckily there are a few shops around here, not many though. I'll look for a local breeder too. Thanks

 

[GuppyBreeder180604]

I don't know what the risk with gourami is here but assuming you mean by tank size then it should be ok
if you mean honey gourami. chocolate gourami, samurai gourami, or colisa Laila then it would be perfect.
pearl danios are a schooling fish so I would say to go for 10 of them. (I assume you mean Celestichthys margaritatus)
the peacock gudgeon is just fine
but the shrimp arent since your water is way too soft for them to properly change their exoskeleton.
all the fish you chose can be found in slow-moving black water with lots of wood, botanicals, and plants usually with clear substrates.
if you want to acidify the water a bit further and have a long-lasting fertilizer for your plants then I would suggest using common topsoil below the sand to provide nutrients and some unique chemicals that these types of fish tend to enjoy, some people would tell you to use peat but topsoil is cheaper, works just as well in my experience and its extraction process doesn't destroy one of the most important habitats in the world.

 

[Essjay]

The risk is that dwarf gouramis are often infected with incurable diseases by the time they reach the shop, and it is common for them to die shortly after purchase.

 

[GuppyBreeder180604]

The risk is that dwarf gouramis are often infected with incurable diseases by the time they reach the shop, and it is common for them to die shortly after purchase.

oh, that's so horrible. is it like a country thing? here I haven't had that happen ever, that just comes to show how poorly some stores and breeders manage these little beings, it almost feels like they don't see them as living things but just as easy money makers, shame on them.

 

[Essjay]

It's dwarf gouramis imported from fish farms in the far east. Gouramis bred locally don't have the same problem.

 

[GuppyBreeder180604]

It's dwarf gouramis imported from fish farms in the far east. Gouramis bred locally don't have the same problem.

that explains it. most fish from here come from local fish farms or from the USA so in your case the long trip (plus some shady management issues) causes them to get sick and die

 

[Essjay]

The most common issue is dwarf gourami disease (or dwarf gourami iridovirus). Fish TB is also known.

 

[GuppyBreeder180604]

The most common issue is dwarf gourami disease (or dwarf gourami iridovirus). Fish TB is also known.

oh I am terrified of catching fish tuberculosis not only because of its effects on humans but also because it would mean one of my babies is sick, such a horrible disease, does it have a cure?

 

[Essjay]

I'm afraid it doesn't - and neither does DGIV.

 

[GuppyBreeder180604]

I'm afraid it doesn't - and neither does DGIV.

that they come with fish tuberculosis and dwarf gourami disease just reinforces my belief that it is caused because the people at those farms don't take good care of them and don't even try to do so, they just see them as money makers and not as animals with needs and feelings, since both illnesses get to the fish when the water quality is bad and they are stressed.
shame on those people, they are evil

 

[Essjay]

It's similar to fish like guppies bred in the far east - they usually have intestinal worms.

 

[GuppyBreeder180604]

It's similar to fish like guppies bred in the far east - they usually have intestinal worms.

do the massive fish farms in the far east just don't have any regard for the fish well being, nor any quality standards?