Strange Tank Size

[Boxer_Gaz]

I've posted a couple of times and had a few ideas about stocking and tank sizes etc.

Not had fish for a food few years. I was going to go all out and get a 6 footer with clown loach and big cichlids.

However I think I should ease back into it gently and start with something smaller.

I have got a "hole in the wall" in my lounge and it used to house a tank before we moved in. The space is 36" long, 24" high and 12" deep. I am thinking of getting a custom tank made to fit in the space.

How does my stocking idea look for this tank?

10 x Odessa Barb
1 x Albino Shark
1 x Golden Gouramis
2 x German Blue Ram (pair)
1 x Queen Arabesque Pleco

Thanks

Gaz

 

[garyspence84]

I've posted a couple of times and had a few ideas about stocking and tank sizes etc.

Not had fish for a food few years. I was going to go all out and get a 6 footer with clown loach and big cichlids.

However I think I should ease back into it gently and start with something smaller.

I have got a "hole in the wall" in my lounge and it used to house a tank before we moved in. The space is 36" long, 24" high and 12" deep. I am thinking of getting a custom tank made to fit in the space.

How does my stocking idea look for this tank?

10 x Odessa Barb
1 x Albino Shark
1 x Golden Gouramis
2 x German Blue Ram (pair)
1 x Queen Arabesque Pleco

Thanks

Gaz

You should have told the old owners to throw in the costom tank as part of the deal haha.
Fish list seems ok to me. A friend of mine has all the fish in your list and they all live together fine and have done for some time now.

 

[Boxer_Gaz]

Thanks Gary. I wish I had now! Haha.

I've thought about the list quite a lot.

I think most of them can hold their own with each other. Non particularly aggressive.

Just concerned it may be overstocked?

 

[minnnt]

The shark will want 48" when older. Also, to live to their full potential, gbr's like 28 degrees plus. Unsure if the others appeciate these kind of temperatures or not.

 

[Boxer_Gaz]

Thanks for reply minnt.

I will be honest I had just read about the higher temps for GBR and swapped them for a pair of keyholes. I have also dropped the shark due to possibly getting aggressive and territorial towards the Pleco and Cichlids as he matures.

Would you add or take anything away from this?

10 x Odessa Barb
1 x Golden Gouramis
2 x Keyhole Cichlid (pair)
1 x Queen Arabesque Pleco

Would having 2 or 3 gourmis spell trouble? Would dwarf gourmis be a better choice?

Thanks

Gaz

 

[AquaJason]

Dwarf gouramis get along great,I havent a bad word to say about them
Pearl Gouramis are quite peacefull also, depends which you prefer.

 

[Boxer_Gaz]

Thanks Jason.

How would this look then...

10 x Odessa Barb
3 x Dwarf Gourami
2 x Keyhole Cichlid (pair)
1 x Queen Arabesque Pleco

 

[onidrase]

don't know much about odessa barbs, barbs in general tend to be really rambunctious and nippy, and keyholes tend to be very shy. I'd be more or less afraid that the barbs would make the keyholes hide all the time. I had a case similar when I had buenos aires tetras with my firemouth. The firemouth would not come out unless there was food to be had cause the tetras were always chasing each other back in fourth in the tank, nipping at each others fins and causing a ruckus.

I'd ask somebody who knows more about the barbs and the keyholes, but since every site I found on the guys points to them appreciating dither fishes of sorts, I'd try something like red eye tetras or bleeding hearts, maybe going even smaller to rummy nose tetras(if they won't get eaten) or harlequin rasboras (again if they won't get eaten)

Also, I totally know how you feel about weird tank dimensions. I've been trying to deal with a 30" length, 12" width, 24" height

in regards to dwarf gouramis, there are some stories of them docile and some of them being terrors. Get 1 male and 2 females and see how it works out. Though I personally would get something with a nicer reputation, like honey gouramis, sparkling gouramis, or pearl gouramis.

 

[ZoddyZod]

Dwarf gouramis get along great,I havent a bad word to say about them

multiple males will probably not work. They take a dislike to each other and the weakest ends up dead more often than not.

as said above....1 male and multiple females should be ok, or just 1 male.

 

[fishprotector]

Dwarf gouramis get along great,I havent a bad word to say about them

multiple males will probably not work. They take a dislike to each other and the weakest ends up dead more often than not.

as said above....1 male and multiple females should be ok, or just 1 male.

Multiple females sounds good to me

On a serious note though, I used to have two female and one male DG and they generally got on well.

 

[Boxer_Gaz]

Thanks for the great replays folks

*replies

 

[minnnt]

In all honesty i would swap the Dwarf Gourami's for Honey Gourami's. DG's can suffer some terrible health problems. Honey Gourami's will be fine in a 1 male 2 female combination.

I believe Odessa Barbs are actually quite calm compared to their more boisterous cousins, the Tiger Barbs. Also look into Pentazona Barbs and Black Ruby Barbs.

 

[Boxer_Gaz]

Thanks Minnt, I too recall that the Odessa barbs are much calmer than the tiger barbs.

I will check out what you suggest though also.

Cheers

Gaz

 

[minnnt]

No problem mate. I like Checker Barbs. When adult and fully coloured up they can be stunning. A very overlooked and under used fish imo.

 

[fishprotector]

Black ruby barbs are gorgeous. I have got a largish shoal (17) of them and they really bring the tank to life. They are playful, not aggressive but can stand up to bigger fish of they need to. The females look like a bit like tiger barbs. The males are the better looking ones imo. When in breeding mode, they turn a deep ruby colour with a jet black head and shimmers of green in their scales. I keep tying to photograph it but alas they are too quick.