any suggestions for a big fish?

[smallfry]

I have a 46g tank with platys and will soon add gouramis...any suggestions for a larger size (approx. 4 inch) "show fish" that will be compatable?
(I've done some research - but not sure if there IS a fish that size that won't stress out my existing fish). I REALLY want a betta, but not sure how he would do with the gouramis/platys (bettas I know aren't quite 4 inch but they are beautiful). Any thoughts? (I have a planted tank)

[Andydg]

I think that the Betta and the Platies will get along without any major confrontations but the Gouramis in my experience will take a hit out on the Betta and leave him sleeping with the fishes.

[Menagerie]

Many on this site are going for rainbow fish. Some types get large and from what I know they are docile. You can see a few profiles at www.liveaquaria.com

[smallfry]

Thanks...The problem is I love both gouramis and bettas....and wish I could put them in the same tank. Any other ideas for a large "showy" fish? (If I get one kissing gourami would it try to "muscle out" other species of gouramis in the tank?)

[Menagerie]

Christmasfish keeps labyrinth fish--PM her and ask

[smallfry]

Thanks Menagerie - I've considered rainbow fish - but they school so I'd need 6 or so, which may push the limits of my tank size...I may look around the lfs to see what they offer for rainbows...that may help my decision.
BTW - my platys are out control like bunny rabbits! I now have 9!!! 8O (from one pregnant female - and her offspring) Yikes! (I don't want them to go to the LFS so I'm trying to "give" them to my friends - no luck yet.

[Hypostomus]

smallfry, look into pearl gouramis (Trichogaster leeri). They are large, peaceful gouramis that would make an excellent "show" species for your tank. Tend to be a little shy when you first put them in in my experience, but as long as you don't have them with boisterous tankmates they'll come out very quickly.

BTW- just because they're peaceful doesn't mean you can put bettas with them, sorry. :/

Alternately, if you want to stay out of labyrinthfish, a 46g would be a nice home for your platies and a mated pair of angelfish. The angelfish would be an excellent population control.

EDIT: Just recalled that snakeskins get a lot bigger than pearls too. Nix those.

[smallfry]

snakeskins??

[smallfry]

I'm thinking a pair of angel fish AND some gouramis...(if I do get a betta, I'll just put him in a different tank - sigh)

[patryuji]

Why not go for 4 angelfish instead of just a pair? You could then pick out a few different varieties.

[Hypostomus]

Two angelfish could pair off, and never let the other angelfish come out from one corner of the tank.

Note that they may act that way toward gouramis too- try and ensure you have only the most peaceful gouramis with angels. I've kept pearls and snakeskins with angels, but that was in a 55g.

Snakeskin gouramis (Trichogaster pectoralis - http://www.fishtank.dk/galleri/bille...pectoralis.jpg). Unfortunately they get a tad bigger than what you would really want in a 46g.

[smallfry]

You all have been so helpful! Thanks! I think for now I will try a pair of angelfish and a couple small schools of gouramis (probably 2 different species). These fish won't get quite as big as I initially wanted, but they are "showy" and bigger than my platys I have now.... I guess it's more uniqueness and "centerpiece" quality I'm looking for rather than brute size... 8)

[Hypostomus]

Be careful not to buy just any two species...gouramis don't really "school" so much as tolerate the presence of each other. What species did you want to get?

[smallfry]

I was thinking 2 schools...one for each species... (probably 2 kinds of dwarf gouramis) Or dwarf and kissing...not sure yet
BTW - thanks for your feedback!

[William]

Just make it an angel tank, or a south american biotope.. and get some Tetra's and a dwarf pleco, to.

[Hypostomus]

I agree. Depending on what dwarf you get, they can be nasty, or the angels can pick on them, etc., etc. Not really worth the trouble to try in that size tank unless you go with the larger, peaceful gouramis and get maybe one with your angel pair.

[smallfry]

If it's a choice between angels or gouramis...I think I'm swaying toward gouramis. I just don't know...it's such a difficult decision! ugh!!! (but it's all part of the FUN)
* Don't worry I'll probably change my mind another 30 times before I actually settle on something.

[smallfry]

Just make it an angel tank, or a south american biotope

This may be a dumb question...but what does a South American biotope consist of?

[ClamKnuckle]

i say if its a choice go for the gouramis too...i loved them when i did fresh water....some types are very beautiful fish and to me they seemed easy to care for too

[Christmasfish]

You cannot mix gourami usually though you have space for careful mixing of maybe two species......

AS far as dwarf gourami...they are either colisa chuna/sota or colisa lalia. Chuna has two morphs which one has been renamed (it WAS a MADE fish in 1972...no matter how many got released into the wild later). Lalia is a real lil pistol and should NOT be mixed with any other labyrinth . If they fear their tankmates they will hide in a corner and die or if the tankmate is a labyrinth/same body..they'll harasss it to death. They tear each other up almost as bad as betta and the male will harrass an unwilling female to stress or shred her. The Two-spot and three spot morphs also are iffy community fish and are not fond of other gourami types.
With all these fish it is a case of One male or 3-5 mixed.

If you want large gourami, they are peaceful types available. But the peaceful comes from a schooling nature so they don't do well in numbers less than 4-5. You can mix T/leeri(4 color morphs) and Kissers (2 colors) and even a trio snakeskins. Small tank mates may be lunch but they won't harrasss anything. These are all fish that grow 6-8 inches.

Nippers like angels are not good with gourami because the specialized feelers. These are tempting targets and are needed as organs of touch, taste and hearing. Though they do grow back, if there are any other stress factors in the community, this can cause them to fade away like a runt kitten. It is especially important to the dwarf gourami because they add an extra duty of hormone emmitting.
You can mix many color morphs of one specie, ,but I would caution against hoping for exceptions to the rule and mixing several species.

With the large gentle types you can have one docile betta splendens to patrol your tank....though sometimes they take exception to platies and mollys for the finnage and similar shape/colors.
Maybe you should go Asian community tank (biotope) instead of SA if you really like gourami.
Rasboras are asian, nearly all loaches are...and there are colorful smaller loaches to grab a trio + of.

Hope this helps