30 gal almost ready to go, looking for some final opinions

[deli_conker]

I have a 30 gal in the middle of a fishless cycle and have a pretty good idea of what I want. I was just wanting some ideas on how to fine tune it.

I want the following...

6-8 cardinal tetras
6-8 serpae tetras

The next is what I'm trying to decide on...

3 pearl gouramis OR 3 dwarf gouramis

AND

6-8 cories (not sure of breed) OR 4-6 otocinclus

Anybody with experience or knowledge on these fish, plese let me know what you think...

thanks

 

[grimlock3000]

3 of any type of Gourami could be hard. Many Gouramis are picky and do not get along well with other Gouramis.

I would wait on the Otos and get the Cories. Otos really need to go into an established tank with a healthy source of algae.

 

[krap101]

you could try sparkling gouramis. i heard their not agressive. and why dont you get like a bristlenose pleco or something. otos are nice. but they are uhh. like not original

 

[madasafish]

Um. Otos are fine fish, but sensitive. They do need a good source of algae, but they also usually arrive in this country with health conditions that claim their lives within a month. Most of them have been starved on the ride over. The bacteria in their stomach dies, causing them bloating. This frequently kills them...

Gouramis are not a good idea in the instance. 3 gouramis would not get along at all, esp. if Dwarf Gouramis (unless you had 1 male and 2 females, and the females are very hard to find). I'd advise you to go with a fish that'll give you more pleasure in the future. Blue Rams (Microgeophagus ramirezi) or Apistogramma species are fun and playful dwarf cichlids with wonderful coloration. Try to find them if you can.

 

[krap101]

yeah ive only seen one and it was at wal mart. i got it because i was in the beginning stages of my fish hobby and didnt know the wal mart thing. it was a tannish white with a ilttle pink.

are females really that ahrd to find? because i thought sexing was only the dorsal fin pointed/rounded.

or is it the colors 2?

 

[deli_conker]

I had heard earlier that if you run gouramis that you want to run the same species and have at least 3 for social reasons. I'll have to wait for some more opinions I think while I do some more research on my own...

Corys and Ottos. I'll have to see what is out there when I am ready to buy. Most of the people at my lfs are good about knowing the health of the fish in their keep so I'll be asking them when the time comes.

 

[Overstocker]

Ifn it is a 30 long 3 gouramis will work. Make sure you have some plants or driftwood to break up the tank so they can each claim their own territory (corners and middle)

 

[Menagerie]

I just wanted to vote for cory cats because I love them

 

[deli_conker]

After a bit of research, I may go with dwarf gouramis. I have read on this site before that they can sometimes be aggresive. Anybody have any experience with them doing this?

I also think that the spakling gourami looks pretty good too. If I remember right they have a short lifespan. Any info/experience people have with these is appreciated.

I just wanted to vote for cory cats because I love them

You sound like my four year old daughter . I like the cories too, although I'm not sure what species I would get...

 

[ferret]

Dwarf gourami's are probably the second most 'aggressive' of the gourami's. I had two in a 90 gallon and they still managed to chase each other and fight a bit. The Blue gourami morphs are a bit more calm and the paradise gourami's are as about as bad as bettas. I've seen the paradise gourami's chase dwarves, and seen them flare at Blues but not chase. Blues are a bit bigger than them

I'd get two different color morphs of the dwarf, so they aren't identical. You don't necessarily need three.

 

[krap101]

the flame dwarves are nice. so are the honey. SO ARE THE A SPARKLING