# Colourful or interesting fish



## duckyser (Oct 4, 2009)

Here is my tank. 




Anyone know of a fish that is very colourful or has an interesting ability that can live peacefully with the fish i already have? I remember a fish at big als that was eating sand??!!!


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## Cory (May 2, 2008)

That tank needs some barbs! Tiger, odessa, rosy, cherry .. any will do really  

Also, your fish are overfed a tad bit .


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## Holidays (Apr 18, 2010)

hehe...those cardinal looks like they're well fed, get more colorful tetras, like emperor tetras.


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## AquariAM (Jan 28, 2010)

I don't think you will have long term peace keeping multiple male pearl gouramis together in that space. I also don't think keeping a trichogaster sp and a colisa sp of gourami in that space will pan out long term. If the fish have been there more than six months and you haven't had a problem leave it be but personally I'd have gone with something like 1 male and 1 to 3 female pearls. Again if you've had this going a long time with no issues, disregard.

I don't know what you have on the bottom there. I'd suggest getting rid of the red honey/blood gouramis and substituding a dwarf cichlid.

At 0:30 a female honey gourami scratches herself on the eheim intake then does a squirm. She appears to be very irritated. Is this frequent behaviour for this fish?

A trio of Apisto hongsloi (Menagerie has some PERFECT ones) would be great and match your other fish nicely










You can, of course, go with any of a number of different apisto species, like cacatuoides, agassizi etc etc.

Other choices include Blue or Bolivian Rams



















you could also add a snazzy pleco like an L200










That is a* beautiful tank *and the fish look great. I'm just concerned about the gourami conflict. If you settle on one group and give a large clump of floating plants for them to make their nest in and feel secure you can get babies. You'll need a breeding net because all those tetras will inhale them but it'd be neat.

Nothing _eats_ sand but some fish sift sand. You probably saw a tanganyikan sandsifter (not compatible with your setup) or an eartheater species. Your tank does not look big enough for earth eaters.

If you need help sexing the gouramis let me know. Also if you go down to just a pair of gouramis you could add a pair of angelfish but it's moderately risky if they were to breed. A single angel would be 99% safe.

EDIT-- if you want another small fish group, go to Menagerie but soon because they will sell fast and look at the gold endler guppies. They look like endlers (google em) but they have a bright yellow body underneath. It's quite unusual. They're a bit pricey for small fish but they're awesome looking.

Just keep in mind you can get away with this because of your heavy planting and your tanks nitrogen munching abilities but you already have lots of fish and you can add a few more but this will consume kH and trace elements very quickly so keep them water changes up and have fun! Again love the tank!

*Also, your fish are overfed a tad bit .*

Agreed. Looks like too much starch or too much fat rather than too much food IMO?


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## Philip.Chan.92 (Apr 25, 2010)

Cory said:


> That tank needs some barbs! Tiger, odessa, rosy, cherry .. any will do really
> 
> Also, your fish are overfed a tad bit .


DO NOT get Tiger or Odessa Barbs in that tank, those are all small peaceful fish and odessa barbs and tiger barbs wreck havoc among smaller and slower fish, they WILL chase your other fish, only reason my corys are safe is that I got enough of each species to amuse each other you need around 6-7 to lower aggression and corys are always at the bottom and my tank is heavily planted, but they will not hesitate to chase your other fish, which also occupy mid to high levels. Cherry and Rosy barbs should be fine since they are quite docile in relation to odessa and tiger barbs.


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## Cory (May 2, 2008)

Actually, I've kept tigers and odessas with cardinals and other similar fish to those in his tank without problem. Barbs are not the vicious criminals people make them out to be at all. Sometimes a little nipping as they settle in but I've never seen a barb in a school do anything hostile. Even the barbs I'm keeping singly currently in a community setup don't bother anyone (clown and odessa). 

Obviously, you don't have to go for barbs though. I think you'd be happy if you did however!


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## Philip.Chan.92 (Apr 25, 2010)

Cory said:


> Actually, I've kept tigers and odessas with cardinals and other similar fish to those in his tank without problem. Barbs are not the vicious criminals people make them out to be at all. Sometimes a little nipping as they settle in but I've never seen a barb in a school do anything hostile. Even the barbs I'm keeping singly currently in a community setup don't bother anyone (clown and odessa).
> 
> Obviously, you don't have to go for barbs though. I think you'd be happy if you did however!


They aren't always aggressive I agree, it always comes down to the temperament of your specific fish, they can be docile or extremely aggressive. They love ganging up on smaller fish, I've tried to add smaller tetras such as neons, a few at first but my tiger barbs and odessa barbs are a mob of aggression and they killed them within the day. Smaller fish are just too tempting for them. If you are going with a peaceful community, it is better to keep it coherent. I wouldn't risk the lives and happiness of my current fish on the chance that the barbs I got are either aggressive or docile. I am pretty conservative when it comes to stocking and it's worked out so far but each to their own right?


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## Cory (May 2, 2008)

Well, I guess part of the reason I can be a bit more adventurous in my stocking is that if it goes badly there's always another tank.. or 20 to try the fish in lol. I haven't had any real problems though since the time my mom's paradise fish ate some smaller cardinal tetras and I learned never to underestimate the size of his mouth again lol. Maybe it's because I get all of my fish small or breed them myself and they grow up with the others ? Hard to say but I love my barbs.


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## Philip.Chan.92 (Apr 25, 2010)

I love my barbs as well and I know them well enough to not put any small fish in there lol . Can't wait to get my 10 gal for neon tetras and a male crowntail betta.


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## BillD (Jun 5, 2006)

I'm curious as to why some think the fish are overfed. From what I could see, there are quite a few females among the cardinals, but the rest of the fish don't look overfed.
Carbs ( digestible ones) are a problem in fish foods. It causes fatty livers, which are often attributed to too much fat.


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## Cory (May 2, 2008)

With all of the cyprinids and characins I've ever dealt with females that are fat with eggs get fat from side to side. That is to say, if you looked at them head on they would appear to be widening left and right. When a fish is overfed they get a droopy belly and they get fat downwards towards the bottom of the tank. These fish were the latter and more than that they were very distended not just a little bit which definitely is not eggs.


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## AquariAM (Jan 28, 2010)

The male honey gourami who is the first fish in the movie is fat but it isn't severe. We're just trying to help out here. Switching to a food with a lot less starch flour and grain products would fix this


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## duckyser (Oct 4, 2009)

Thanks for all the comments guys!
I will definitely stem back the feedings and consider your suggestions. I really like the look of those rams. As for food i am currently using Wardleys flake, frozen bloodworms, spiriluna discs and brine shrimp. What other foods should i feed to keep my fishes from getting fat?


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## Holidays (Apr 18, 2010)

duckyser said:


> Thanks for all the comments guys!
> I will definitely stem back the feedings and consider your suggestions. I really like the look of those rams. As for food i am currently using Wardleys flake, frozen bloodworms, spiriluna discs and brine shrimp. What other foods should i feed to keep my fishes from getting fat?


how many times do you feed them a day? I would just feed them once a day.



Cory said:


> Actually, I've kept tigers and odessas with cardinals and other similar fish to those in his tank without problem. Barbs are not the vicious criminals people make them out to be at all. Sometimes a little nipping as they settle in but I've never seen a barb in a school do anything hostile. Even the barbs I'm keeping singly currently in a community setup don't bother anyone (clown and odessa).
> 
> Obviously, you don't have to go for barbs though. I think you'd be happy if you did however!


I never had issues with tiger Barbs and Cardinals either, they seems to be happy playing with their own group. The only threat to Cardinals are fish that has mouth big enough to eat them, otherwise they're tough little boogers.


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## Holidays (Apr 18, 2010)

Philip.Chan.92 said:


> They aren't always aggressive I agree, it always comes down to the temperament of your specific fish, they can be docile or extremely aggressive. They love ganging up on smaller fish, I've tried to add smaller tetras such as neons, a few at first but my tiger barbs and odessa barbs are a mob of aggression and they killed them within the day. Smaller fish are just too tempting for them. If you are going with a peaceful community, it is better to keep it coherent. I wouldn't risk the lives and happiness of my current fish on the chance that the barbs I got are either aggressive or docile. I am pretty conservative when it comes to stocking and it's worked out so far but each to their own right?


The problem is not with tiger barbs, when you first add the neon, they will be abit disarray, they float almost like dead fish. all the other fish will try to nip them. But, If they are already acclimated, which is the case with OP, then there should be no issue. look at this vid: 



 or search "cardinal tetra tiger barb"


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## AquariAM (Jan 28, 2010)

The problem is not with tiger barbs, when you first add the neon, they will be abit disarray, they float almost like dead fish. 

That's nonsense. Neons don't do that unless there's something wrong. Properly acclimated that won't happen.


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## Holidays (Apr 18, 2010)

AquariAM said:


> The problem is not with tiger barbs, when you first add the neon, they will be abit disarray, they float almost like dead fish.
> 
> That's nonsense. Neons don't do that unless there's something wrong. Properly acclimated that won't happen.


lol, that's the point properly acclimate the neons and you shouldn't have any issues keeping tiger barbs with neons or cardinals, hopefully that makes sense to you.


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## Philip.Chan.92 (Apr 25, 2010)

I am going to keep my crowntail betta with my neons, hopefully they leave each other alone


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## Hack02 (Jul 2, 2008)

Gotta agree with AquariAM. I think a couple of rams or Apistos would be ideal as they are bottom dwellers. Pleco's are great and even syno petricola is a good option.


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## Holidays (Apr 18, 2010)

Hack02 said:


> Gotta agree with AquariAM. I think a couple of rams or Apistos would be ideal as they are bottom dwellers. Pleco's are great and even syno petricola is a good option.


never kept synodontis petricola, but wouldn't they be able to eat cardinal tetras? don't they hunt for food at night? those cardinals will be resting at the bottom, probably easy target. it'll be a pretty expensive food for the catfish in question.


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## Hack02 (Jul 2, 2008)

I've kept three of them in my tank for a couple of years now, with neons, cardinals, pencil fish. Not saying it doesn't/couldn't happen, but it's not noticeable to me that fish are disappearing.


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## duckyser (Oct 4, 2009)

What other foods should i feed to keep my fishes from getting fat?


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## AquariAM (Jan 28, 2010)

Holidays said:


> never kept synodontis petricola, but wouldn't they be able to eat cardinal tetras? don't they hunt for food at night? those cardinals will be resting at the bottom, probably easy target. it'll be a pretty expensive food for the catfish in question.


How tiny are these cardinals? 
Get corydoras if you're concerned . Funner to watch during the day anyways 

*What other foods should i feed to keep my fishes from getting fat?*

Limit fatty food like bloodworm. Use a dry food with less starch and less fillers. New Life Spectrum is pretty good. Still a little starchy IMO. If you could get your fish to eat Dainichi that'd be perfect but I can't see it happening.


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## Holidays (Apr 18, 2010)

I'd say cardinals probably max out at 1.5 inch and syno-cola at 4-4.5 inch


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## KhuliLoachFan (Mar 8, 2008)

Did you add anything ducky?

W


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## duckyser (Oct 4, 2009)

Been busy this week and haven't gotten a chance to go out. I'm still debating over Rams and apistos. As for the barbs I won't get them even if there is very little risk to my cardinals. How much do the rams and apistos I the photos usually go for?


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## KhuliLoachFan (Mar 8, 2008)

I usually see Apistos about $15 for good ones, most people buy a trio for $35-$45, Rams, depending on common or rarer types range widely from $15-$25. Electric Blue Rams were going for $40 each at one point a year ago, and are more like $30 each now. Some apistos might be a lot more than $15 each, and might be as much as $45 each.

W


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## AquariAM (Jan 28, 2010)

Holidays said:


> I'd say cardinals probably max out at 1.5 inch and syno-cola at 4-4.5 inch


Have seen 2.5" Cardinals


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## Cory (May 2, 2008)

New Life Spectrum foods are your best bet for a staple. They are pricier but you will not regret it. The pellet formulas are preferable to flake. Most fish can live solely on NLS without much problem. It has a very balanced nutritional content and it doesn't have an overabundance of starch or protein. That said, I keep 6 different types of frozen foods and occaisional live food as well in case the pellets alone aren't enough. There are a few NLS formulas that would suit your setup.


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## duckyser (Oct 4, 2009)

Unfortunately those fish are out of my price range. But would killi fish be compatable in my tank? It would be fun raising them from dry eggs in my 10g.


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## KhuliLoachFan (Mar 8, 2008)

Killies are probably something you should do in their own tank. Because they are often short lived ("annuals") you don't want to lose the eggs (get them eaten).

W


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