Help me choose Fish!

Future_herp. · #1 (**permalink**) 12-07-2005, 12:29 AM

I am looking into getting a 29-55 gal. aquarium soon and i don't know what to put in it. I am a beginner so I need animals that are relatively hardy. I was thinking 1-3 species and keeping them peaceful and non-territorial.

Some species I have taken into consideration:
Angelfish (not as the first thing in there, of course)
Blue gourami
some kind of large/active tetra
leopard danios

Alika · #2 (**permalink**) 12-07-2005, 12:39 AM

Gouramis are great, but they will beat up on your tetras if the tetras don't have lots of places to hide and if the gouramis don't have other gouramis to beat up on.

Consider getting the 55 and adding different types of gouramis. I love goldens, too, and pearl gouramis are my favorite. The dwarfs aren't quite as aggressive as their larger counter parts, and will get along better with the tetras.

I'd stay away from an angel as a starter fish. They are not hardy at all... far to easy to kill them.

Future_herp. · #3 (**permalink**) 12-07-2005, 12:52 AM

Thanks for the reply.

I wasn't gonna get the angel(s) for a couple of months at very least, thats what i meant above.
Are there any Tetras that can be in a tank with the Gouramis? I read on several sites that select species were compatible with blue gouramis but they didn't name them. I would get 4 or 5 Blues Gs is that enough for them to not pick on the little guys?

What makes the Angels so delicate? I (hopefully) will be able to create a stable environment, especially with a 55. There is an aquarium specialty shop about 2 mins from my house, and I will be getting all my supplies from there. They will probably give me help if something is wrong.

Alika · #4 (**permalink**) 12-07-2005, 01:22 AM

Tetras... I don't know. I actually keep a few tetras with my gouramis, but you're not really supposed to. I get away with it by keeping large tetras, having lots of hiding places, and keeping them in schools (safety in numbers!)

The angel fish... when I say wait, I mean, like, a couple of years. I worked at a petstore back in the day, and I saw too many well-intentioned fish folk bring back dead angels. It got to the point where we refused to sell angels to people unless they had lots of experience in keeping them successfully.

I don't know what about them is so delicate. I know that part of it is those large fins... easy for other fish to nibble on. But I think they also like a certain amount of salt in their water, a certain kind of current (or lack of current), certain tank mates, certain space requirements, and if the chemical balance of your tank is off by even a little bit... they're goners.

Future_herp. · #5 (**permalink**) 12-07-2005, 01:34 AM

what would be a good tank mate for Blue Gouramis?

tmfleo1 · #6 (**permalink**) 12-07-2005, 03:25 AM

You can have several different species of Gouramis together kissing Gouramis, Three Spot Gouramis , Paradise fish , theres more also tiger barbs the larger tetras silver dollars, Platies which are live bearing fish

I agree with Alika about the Angel Fish get to time under your belt first if you were interested in Cicilids I'd would say then the Convicts and Jack Dempseys very easy to care for and very hardy Jack Dempseys get fairly large Aprox 10" inches where the Convicts are smaller

Future_herp. · #7 (**permalink**) 12-07-2005, 03:57 AM

Yes, I checked out an angelfish book about 1 hour ago and It says that they can take only 3-4 degrees of fluctuation and are very delicate so I am definitely gonna wait for those.

What are the specific species of tetras that are big enough?

bleeding_sarcasm · #8 (**permalink**) 12-07-2005, 04:03 AM

you should get a bunch of guppys. then get an leucistic axolotl. im about to get rid of the majority of my fish to do that. i miss having one.

Future_herp. · #9 (**permalink**) 12-07-2005, 04:06 AM

Ha, arent those a bit difficult to care for?

Where would I get one?

How much would something THAT odd cost?

tmfleo1 · #10 (**permalink**) 12-07-2005, 04:56 AM

http://www.aqualandpetsplus.com/Tetr...r%20Tetras.htm

check out this link

tmfleo1 · #11 (**permalink**) 12-07-2005, 05:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bleeding_sarcasm

you should get a bunch of guppys. then get an leucistic axolotl. im about to get rid of the majority of my fish to do that. i miss having one.

I had one there very cool there are normal and albinos some tropical fish stores carry them price varies most under 20 bucks more like under 10 bucks

Future_herp. · #12 (**permalink**) 12-07-2005, 05:05 AM

Thanks for the Tetra link Tmfleo

I wasnt serious about that. those things just dont pass the attractiveness test. Everything has to be a certain amount of "Pretty" before I get clearance for it.

tmfleo1 · #13 (**permalink**) 12-07-2005, 05:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Future_herp.

Thanks for the Tetra link Tmfleo
I wasnt serious about that. those things just dont pass the attractiveness test. Everything has to be a certain amount of "Pretty" before I get clearance for it.

No problem you can also do a search in yahoo or any search engine type in TETRA or you can also type in CHARACINS there is alot of info out there

Future_herp. · #14 (**permalink**) 12-07-2005, 05:12 AM

I think I will go with the Congo tetras and The Blue Gouramis.

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