DreaminginBlue
Aquarium Advice FINatic
- Joined
- Dec 27, 2016
- Messages
- 779
Hi all,
My friend has a ten gallon tank she hasn't used since her beloved fish died of old age a few years ago. She's thinking of setting it back up, and was interested in having a dwarf gourami. I want to help her with this, and I figured I'd consult you guys with our questions, as you have way more experience than my limited research provided.
How can I help her cycle her tank? Can I take driftwood or filter media in a bag full of water over to her place? (Which part of my filter would I take out to put in her tank?) Also, she lives an hour or so away, so how long will the beneficial bacteria survive? Does it need to be kept a certain temperature? I also have some bottled bacteria, which I know either works or is useless, but I suppose it doesn't hurt to try that, too.
Is 10 gallons okay? My research seems to indicate you should only keep one, as they can't be aggressive to each other, and if you keep multiple, the male to female ratio should be at least 2 females for every 1 male. It also said never to keep two males together unless you have a big enough tank for them to have their own territories. I don't think I'll advise her to get more than one, but in case she wanted a few, is this do-able?
Also, general tank setup help would be nice. I know they like hiding spots, but I don't know about the substrate. She also hasn't mentioned if she's going to do live or fake plants (personally I'll always advocate for live)....
Can they live with other fish? If so, what would you recommend? The internet suggested cory cats and tetras, but NOT guppies or bettas; however, I'm sure there must be other types that can be housed peacefully with dwarf gouramis. Can she keep any inverts with one, i.e. snails and shrimp?
And other general care tips you guys have would be great. I've been looking online but nothing beats an experienced fish keeper who knows what they're doing!
My friend has a ten gallon tank she hasn't used since her beloved fish died of old age a few years ago. She's thinking of setting it back up, and was interested in having a dwarf gourami. I want to help her with this, and I figured I'd consult you guys with our questions, as you have way more experience than my limited research provided.
How can I help her cycle her tank? Can I take driftwood or filter media in a bag full of water over to her place? (Which part of my filter would I take out to put in her tank?) Also, she lives an hour or so away, so how long will the beneficial bacteria survive? Does it need to be kept a certain temperature? I also have some bottled bacteria, which I know either works or is useless, but I suppose it doesn't hurt to try that, too.
Is 10 gallons okay? My research seems to indicate you should only keep one, as they can't be aggressive to each other, and if you keep multiple, the male to female ratio should be at least 2 females for every 1 male. It also said never to keep two males together unless you have a big enough tank for them to have their own territories. I don't think I'll advise her to get more than one, but in case she wanted a few, is this do-able?
Also, general tank setup help would be nice. I know they like hiding spots, but I don't know about the substrate. She also hasn't mentioned if she's going to do live or fake plants (personally I'll always advocate for live)....
Can they live with other fish? If so, what would you recommend? The internet suggested cory cats and tetras, but NOT guppies or bettas; however, I'm sure there must be other types that can be housed peacefully with dwarf gouramis. Can she keep any inverts with one, i.e. snails and shrimp?
And other general care tips you guys have would be great. I've been looking online but nothing beats an experienced fish keeper who knows what they're doing!