# TheDogFather's 20 Gallon



## Tabatha (Dec 29, 2007)

Here's my husband's 20 gallon -- keep in mind that I planted it 









- 5 Panda Cories
- 3 Otos
- 2 LF Albino Plecos (babies)
- 3 Zebra Nerites
- 3 RCS (yeah, we need more!)
- 4 adult female Endler/Guppies + fry


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## Katalyst (Jul 29, 2007)

I love panda's they are the cutest! The tank is gorgeous! Nice job!


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## Ciddian (Mar 15, 2006)

I really love this tank too.. You have a really good Eye tabatha...


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## Tabatha (Dec 29, 2007)

Katalyst said:


> I love panda's they are the cutest! The tank is gorgeous! Nice job!


Thanks Kate!

I find Pandas and Pygmys very cute albeit skittish.

Please let us know if you have any RCS available as I'd like to add some to this tank! We'll be in the Sheppard/Keel area tomorrow.

We'll also be visiting Finatics tomorrow!  and possibly BA's Scarb. as I need to pick up some Kent Essentials.

If anyone would like to join us, we'll be partaking in a Dim Sum brunch on Dundas east of Spadina, YUM!


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## Tabatha (Dec 29, 2007)

Ciddian said:


> I really love this tank too.. You have a really good Eye tabatha...


Thanks Cid!

I've noticed that red is mainly used as an accent plant in most planted aquariums...

As a gardener, I disagree


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## Katalyst (Jul 29, 2007)

Tabatha said:


> Thanks Kate!
> 
> I find Pandas and Pygmys very cute albeit skittish.
> 
> ...


Red Cherries I have but I will be out of town very early tomorrow morning making fish deals in Milton and the States lol. Figures because I live in the Sheppard/Keele area.


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## pat3612 (Jan 29, 2008)

Very nice tank Tabatha looks really good .Pat


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## Tabatha (Dec 29, 2007)

Katalyst said:


> Red Cherries I have but I will be out of town very early tomorrow morning making fish deals in Milton and the States lol. Figures because I live in the Sheppard/Keele area.


Just my luck! 

Let me know if you're ever making a trip downtown T.O.


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## Pablo (Mar 27, 2006)

Are those the BA guppies ?


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## Tabatha (Dec 29, 2007)

Nope, those are the female Endler/guppy mutts. The largest female dropped 10 yesterday


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## Tabatha (Dec 29, 2007)

Funny, I wasn't 100% happy with this tank... until today!

Yesterday I'd purchased jungle val, I plunked it in the tank without planting it, waiting for the w/e. For those who don't know, jungle val can grow to over 6' so you have a lot of leaves floating at the top of the tank.

Today TDF took me to BA's Scarborough to pick up some substrate for the new 25g long. I grabbed 2 & 1/2 bags of Eco-Complete, 1 bag of Tahitian sand and 1 bag of Torpedo beach.

The idea was to put down Eco-complete for the plants then sand on top for the bottom dwellers. and a beach type -- free swimming area on the left side of the new tank.

I also picked up 3 golden honey gouramis today with the intention of putting at least 1 into my tank at work (they were 3 for $10.00). The fact that they're a little shy, enjoy floating plants and are bubble-nest blowers, I knew that they'd love the jungle val.

I'm going to take out all the high light plants in this tank, put down some sand and leave the jungle val in there. I already have java moss and will add java fern and pick up more anubius making it a low light tank. I think the bottom dwellers and gourais are going to love it! Soft sand to dig in, dim lighting, what's not to love?


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## Ciddian (Mar 15, 2006)

I really enjoy low light tanks myself  i cant wait to see!


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## Tabatha (Dec 29, 2007)

*And Then There Was One*

Of the 3 honey gouramis, there's only one left. One jumped out of the tank and the other one died while I was planting. 

I'll be going to Menagerie to look for:

1) Trichogaster leerii (Pearl Gourami) - Osaka

2) Trichogaster chuna (Honey) or Colisa lalia (Dwarf Gourami) - 25g

3) Macropodus opercularis (Paradise fish) - 8g Office

Hopefully Saturday.


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## Pablo (Mar 27, 2006)

Tabatha said:


> Of the 3 honey gouramis, there's only one left. One jumped out of the tank and the other one died while I was planting.
> 
> I'll be going to Menagerie to look for:
> 
> ...


You know why?

Cuzz Big Als sucks *censored*

that sounds like some very stressed whacked out fish. They rarely jump when mellow. I've had them in open top tanks.

*the other one died while I was planting.*

REEEFUNNDD

I'll come with you if you want. I rip BA's new ones as a hobby. Those fish were not ready to be sold.

A fish which is in good condition does not 'die' like that. I know for a fact you keep your tanks in good condition so it wasnt your fault.


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## Tabatha (Dec 29, 2007)

Pablo said:


> You know why?
> 
> Cuzz Big Als sucks *censored*


Yup, you warned me! I will heed the Fish Guru!



Pablo said:


> that sounds like some very stressed whacked out fish. They rarely jump when mellow. I've had them in open top tanks.


Not to mention it's heavily planted with jungle val leaves floating on top.



Pablo said:


> *the other one died while I was planting.*
> 
> REEEFUNNDD
> 
> I'll come with you if you want. I rip BA's new ones as a hobby. Those fish were not ready to be sold.


Thank you for the offer, I won't be purchasing fish there anymore.



Pablo said:


> A fish which is in good condition does not 'die' like that. I know for a fact you keep your tanks in good condition so it wasnt your fault.


Thank you for saying that Pablo, I'm sure I'm not alone when I think that it was somehow my fault and feel horribly guilty and sad for the little lost life.

We only had them for a day but while watching them, you can really see their personalities, I'm glad I still have at least one left.

Thanks for recommending these awesome fish Pablo!


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## Pablo (Mar 27, 2006)

Tabatha said:


> Yup, you warned me! I will heed the Fish Guru!
> 
> Not to mention it's heavily planted with jungle val leaves floating on top.
> 
> ...


If you like those you will absolutely adore the trichogaster leeri- which I highly suggest you try to find @ a chinese store- which I don't think is racist because Im saying they're good not bad...?? Not sure...

anyways, Dragon, or ideally Wong's, would be great.

Wong's is absolutely the best source for butterfly tilapia, (obscenely cheap and high quality) flowerhorns<<my fav fish, and gouramis- especially pearl.

Mr Wong used to be the best angel breeder in east toronto but he is now a very old man and he no longer really oversees the perfect pairing of his fish and his quality has gone way down. its his sister running the show now.

Regardless, Ive never seen higher quality than there.

remember to pay close attention when you sex the gouramis. It is very easy to the trained eye. ask me if you forgot how.

As per the c. chuna- I emplore you to go rip BA's a new one- and complain upstrairs as well. Shawn (The redhead guy with a little facial hair and a chubby face) runs the store- and takes great offense to things being done half assedly.

he makes a tremendous effort to run a good ship- its just the employees are retards. he's a good person and a good friend and you can trust him- and kevin- the obscenely (like seven feet) tall blonde skinny kid in the basement. Everyone else sucks- except Santana the cashier who's a very very nice person but she's just the cashier.

Kevin actually taught me a lot of what I know, years ago.. He's actually got the presence of mind and conscience to tell people "dont buy that its crapp, its not ready, etc"

PS---

You put those fish in close to IDEAL setup conditions as per the planting etc. if they jumped or whatever they were crappy.
Unless you were whipping your hands in the tank around really fast. Gouramis all jump when you do that because they are poor swimmers and easily predated.

You have to move your hands in the tank very slowly- and always let a gourami swim away or around. They do not take well to large imposing animals. A healthy large angelfish on the other hand will come body check your hand to let you know you're too close to his favourite sword plant.


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## Tabatha (Dec 29, 2007)

Pablo said:


> If you like those you will absolutely adore the trichogaster leeri


Yes, trichogaster leeri is on my wish list!



Pablo said:


> anyways, Dragon, or ideally Wong's, would be great.


I'll have to check it out.



Pablo said:


> remember to pay close attention when you sex the gouramis. It is very easy to the trained eye. ask me if you forgot how.


Males have extended pointed dorsal & anal fins, females have shorter & rounded. Are there any other differences?



Pablo said:


> Shawn (The redhead guy with a little facial hair and a chubby face) runs the store- and takes great offense to things being done half assedly.


We been there at least a dozen times and I don't recall ever seeing him there!



Pablo said:


> kevin- the obscenely (like seven feet) tall blonde skinny kid in the basement.


We did see an insanely tall skinny kid last time we were there but he was upstairs. Maybe they were short handed.



Pablo said:


> PS---
> 
> You put those fish in close to IDEAL setup conditions as per the planting etc. if they jumped or whatever they were crappy.
> Unless you were whipping your hands in the tank around really fast. Gouramis all jump when you do that because they are poor swimmers and easily predated.


The jumper happened while we were at work. I don't whip my hands around the tank while planting.  



Pablo said:


> A healthy large angelfish on the other hand will come body check your hand to let you know you're too close to his favourite sword plant.


I look forward to experiencing an angelfish body check!


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## dekstr (Oct 23, 2007)

I bought 2 pairs of pearl gouramis from BA's scarborough during Boxing week, they are about 4" now.

They haven't jumped yet, even with an open top w/o cover on my 55g.
However, they were in only OK shape when I got them. Some torn fins, some missing scales. 

Their scales take a long time to heal because they are very small scales, but they have healed up nicely now.

IMO very easy to take care of, they eat about anything you give them, they even ate most of my smaller sized red cherry shrimps. 

Also, they are quite skittish. You think with them being the biggest fish in the tank they would not be. So when they freak out, all the other fish freak out as well. Other than that, they are extremely peaceful--coexists with all the smaller fish like pygmy cories, burmese border loaches, rummynose tetras, bronze cories, emperor tetras, etc.

They don't stay near the top as often as what literature says, they spend equal parts of time in the lower parts of the aquarium as well.

I also bought a smaller pair from Harold @ Menagerie, around 2-3".

They are all doing well.


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## Pablo (Mar 27, 2006)

*they spend equal parts of time in the lower parts of the aquarium as well.*

Only if unhappy.

Got too much current?

Is the surface still atleast on one side? Floating plants? Temp? PH? Other fish?

*Males have extended pointed dorsal & anal fins, females have shorter & rounded. Are there any other differences?*

Sexually mature pearl gourami males begin to develop a 'fringe' sort of like what a crown tail betta has on their fins
http://www.thekrib.com/Plants/People/hurley-pearl.jpg
look @ the anal fin


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## dekstr (Oct 23, 2007)

Pablo said:


> *they spend equal parts of time in the lower parts of the aquarium as well.*
> 
> Only if unhappy.
> 
> ...


I have areas of strong current and half the surface with dense floating plants with still current.

Temp is 26 degree celcius, ph is neutral to slightly acidic.

Other fish include cardinal tetras, rummynose tetras, burmese border loaches, pygmy cories, bronze cories, emperor tetras, 1 BN pleco.

Why do you say they are unhappy? To be more clear, I meant that they spend most of their time near the surface, but do not hesitate to go to the bottom if there's food on the bottom. They eat all the food at surface, then make their way to the bottom where the sinking food is.


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## Pablo (Mar 27, 2006)

dekstr said:


> I have areas of strong current and half the surface with dense floating plants with still current.
> 
> Temp is 26 degree celcius, ph is neutral to slightly acidic.
> 
> ...


^^This is the proper behaviour


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## JamesG (Feb 27, 2007)

Tabatha said:


> I look forward to experiencing an angelfish body check!


My biggest angels can really take you by surprise if there are eggs in the tank. The swim really hard right into your hand then suck on the skin. It sounds wimpy but it actually can hurt, at the least scare you so much you pull your hand and splash yourself.


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## Pablo (Mar 27, 2006)

http://s110.photobucket.com/albums/n88/111olbap/?action=view&current=100_4624.flv

This is me being attacked. I would steal the eggs from their once a week spawns because I didn't really have the proper environment to raise the babies.

No Angelfish were harmed in the making of this video. My hand was harmed a bit. It looks like Im close to them but there is a good six to eight inches between my hand and the glass so they're never in any danger. They never get touched. I get bitten a lot thoguh.


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## Darkblade48 (Jan 28, 2008)

Awesome video, it's very interesting to see the defensive behaviour of a pair of mating Angelfish.

It looks like they almost got the plastic bag off your hand too


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## Tabatha (Dec 29, 2007)

I absolutely LOVE those angelfish Pablo had, I wish I could have found some like that!


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