agwats
Aquarium Advice Freak
There are giant gouramis but your standard blue or pearl gourami gets around 4 inches
New 120 litre / 26 UK Gallon tank
- Thread starter gwithyen
- Start date
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If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
agwats
Aquarium Advice Freak
Siamese algae eaters are good cleaners as they are very opportunistic eaters. They not only do a good job of keeping algae under control but will also eat flake or pellet food that gets left behind. They are fun to watch and are neat looking. As they grow they become good jumpers so make sure you have a good hood, maybe keep something with a little weight on it.
agwats
Aquarium Advice Freak
The SAE is less aggressive and territorial than the RTBS. And a better cleaner. Never heard of it cleaning other fish but it wouldn't totally surprise me
Galligak
Aquarium Advice Addict
I agree with not getting a SAE! Those things I've heard are horrid! Try looking at some loaches or sucker fish. I tried to fine one but couldn't narrow down one. Plus I don't know what's available around you
. But those are some good ones.
. But those are some good ones.agwats
Aquarium Advice Freak
I've never had any problems with an SAE but then again I've never kept them with bigger fish. Anyway never heard any "horror stories" about them either. I'll have to look into that
Ickletas
Aquarium Advice Freak
I've heard horror stories about cae's (Gyrinocheilidae Gyrinocheilus) but never a sae (Crossocheilus siamensis). I have 4 sae's and they don't bother anything at all. The cae on the other hand is a complete nightmare and will have to go soon as he is harrassing my loaches and has tried to stick his face to my trifisicata rainbow more than once.
agwats
Aquarium Advice Freak
Yeah I just did some quick research and as far as I can tell the bad rap comes from the chinese algae eater witch is sometimes sold under the name Siamese algae eater as a cheaper substitute. As I've read they get aggressive as they get older and on top of not being very good algae eaters they will eat smaller fish and eat the scales off of larger ones.
This brings me to another point. When buying fish you should pay more attention to the scientific name than the common name as several species can be sold under the same common name. It just helps you to make sure you are getting the fish that you want and that fits the best with its tank mates. Also do your own research, don't just trust the guys at the LFS. While some are very honest others don't know what they are talking about and will sell you anything
This brings me to another point. When buying fish you should pay more attention to the scientific name than the common name as several species can be sold under the same common name. It just helps you to make sure you are getting the fish that you want and that fits the best with its tank mates. Also do your own research, don't just trust the guys at the LFS. While some are very honest others don't know what they are talking about and will sell you anything
Ickletas
Aquarium Advice Freak
I agree with not getting a SAE! Those things I've heard are horrid! Try looking at some loaches or sucker fish. I tried to fine one but couldn't narrow down one. Plus I don't know what's available around you
Just as a heads up, cae's are often commonly called sucking loaches (well in the UK they are dunno about the other side of the water
). I would avoid them like the plague jmo
absolutangel04
Daphnia are People Too.
Hello. I agree that a rts is NOt right for your tank. In a tank that size, you could have a dwarf gourami or a single gold or opaline gourami as a centerpiece. For cichlids, you could have a pair of rams, apistos, or a single keyhole cichlid. Leopard danios would be good. Tiger barbs are notorious fin nippers, so I personally would not keep them with a gourami, but if you picked a different centerpiece fish, they would be an option.
Ickletas
Aquarium Advice Freak
Aha! That's what they have in pet@home, sucking loaches, £1.69 in the temperate tanks! So, I don't want them?!
Now where can I find a proper fish shop that speaks Latin?
I think you'll have to find one that is run by a Gregorian monk lol. Do you have a Maidenhead Aquatics near you? The 2 near me are really good and from what I have seen on the "UK?" thread a lot of the others around the country are also
There is a Maidenhead just outside Bristol, went there this morning as one of my heaters blew! Eel!
So... Armed with all of your advice, I had a chat with them too. Asian Biotope themed they suggested... 9 leopard danios, chequered barbs, a M/F pair of opalines and a Ruby shark for the bottom. Lots of plants, sand substrate.
Do you concur?!
So... Armed with all of your advice, I had a chat with them too. Asian Biotope themed they suggested... 9 leopard danios, chequered barbs, a M/F pair of opalines and a Ruby shark for the bottom. Lots of plants, sand substrate.
Do you concur?!
Ickletas
Aquarium Advice Freak
I can't see why that wouldn't work. The danios are fine, the checkered may squabble amongst themselves to sort out the pecking order but should leave everything else alone. Lots of plants will give everything somewhere to hide should they feel the need to and the sand will be nice and soft for the Ruby. I am by no means a stocking expert and I'm sure that if I'm wrong then someone else can put me straight but certainly on the face of it, it will work.
the shark will get too big,active,and territorial. 55 gallon MINIMUM
Ickletas
Aquarium Advice Freak
The ruby (rainbow shark I think they're called in the US) shark gets to about 6" from what I have seen and a 120l tank is about 36" x 12" x 18". It is probably about the minimum but there are no other bottom dwellers so it will have the whole bottom of the tank to itself. As for aggression, as far as I can tell they are only aggressive really toward conspecifics of which there are none and again, no other fish in his space. Plenty of plants/deco to hide in/break lines of sight would also help with this
they are fairly active,and claim large territorys. in a larger tank,the territorys are no big deal,but he could easily claim a 3rd of you tank as his and could kill fish that repeatedly enter/dont get out fast enough. basically you could end up with nothing but a shark
I really wanted a shark! (petulant foot stamp!) 
The guys in Maidenhead said a ruby/rainbow would be okay! Should I switch back to the tiger barbs as they are semi aggressive too? Then the gouramis and tigers should hold their own?
The guys in Maidenhead said a ruby/rainbow would be okay! Should I switch back to the tiger barbs as they are semi aggressive too? Then the gouramis and tigers should hold their own?
