# Does this sound good?



## kfryman (Nov 7, 2011)

I will be stocking the Aqueon 16 gallon bowfront that will have the Ehiem Ecoo 2232, rated for up to 35 gallons, lightly planted. The stocking would be 13-15 neon tetras and 1 dwarf gourami.

So does it work? Do you think the gourami would get anxious with all the tetras?

Any other stocking for a soft water tank with a a pH of 6-8 is accepted. I will be altering the pH with peat if I do get the tetras.


----------



## Bombalurina (Oct 10, 2011)

Sounds like it will be extremely pretty! Which colour morph of the DG are you looking at?  

I would probably go with 10 cardinals instead of the neons, but that's just because I like cardinals better.


----------



## MaisyDawgThirteen (Dec 7, 2011)

Sounds nice.  Will it be a NPT?


----------



## Mo (Mar 15, 2012)

Sounds like a great stocking plan!

But Have you thought about
10 boraras brigittae,








8 Pygmy cories,








5 cherry shrimp,








and 
1 scarlet badis








All pictures found on google under the common name


----------



## kfryman (Nov 7, 2011)

Mo honestly, I would totally get those fish, but I am limited to what is around me as I when I buy the neons I am not gonna buy them all on the same day. I will buy like 4 the first day, then another day I will buy some more, and then get the rest so the bacteria can catch up. I don't want their to be a bad ammonia spike and kill all the fish. I am not getting cardinals as they are more sensitive because they still wild catch them...

It will have some plants with Ecocomplete, roottabs, and lots of fertilizers. Ecocomplete doesnt have enough nutrients to keep it going so you need to use additional fertilizers with it.

For the gourami I was thinking flame, neon or honey. If I can find honey that is lol, i may get one from Aquabid, but that all depends if I can find just one for sale that looks good.


----------



## Bombalurina (Oct 10, 2011)

My favourite is the neon.  I've actually found cardinals are no less hardy than neons. Neons are so overbred these days they die at the drop of a hat, whilst cardinals seem much stronger. Our cardinals are tank bred, though, and it does vary from area to area. 

Mo, that's pretty much one of my dream stockings! If only I didn't kill rasboras.


----------



## Olympia (Aug 25, 2011)

I vote flame dwarf gourami. All the neons I've seen are either incredibly washed out looking, or the contrast of red/blue is just too much for the eyes. 
Maybe QT the gourami for a while in case of dwarf gourami disease? Not sure how fast you'd notice it, though. An aquabid breeder would be a safer bet than a pet store one I'm sure.


----------



## kfryman (Nov 7, 2011)

Maybe I will get cardinal then! How many sounds good for the tank? Okay, flame gourmami! I do love their colors!


----------



## Mo (Mar 15, 2012)

Cardinals are magnificant fish! In My Opinion the are much more attractive, and stunning than neons. you could have about 8 in there


----------



## fish monger (Dec 29, 2011)

Can you adjust your filter ? I have a filter rated up to 45 gallons on a 30 gallon tank and it really seems like too much to me insofar as current is concerned.


----------



## Bombalurina (Oct 10, 2011)

If you can't adjust, Fishmonger, you can baffle it. 

Flame gourami + cardinals sounds gorgeous! I can't wait to see pictures.


----------



## kfryman (Nov 7, 2011)

It has an adjustable flow direction so I can aim it at the wall or create a spray bar. The tank will be setup for a while so I don't need to worry about that, also I don't even have the tank lol. But I know for sure I will be getting it for free with the stand!

8 Cardinals? I will think about it, as I would like to have a big group, I guess that is still big though...


----------



## Bombalurina (Oct 10, 2011)

I reckon you could squeeze as many as ten no problem.


----------



## Mo (Mar 15, 2012)

once the tank is established and mature you can have a maximum of 12-13 as long as you keep up with water changes and keep them regular and stable


----------



## kfryman (Nov 7, 2011)

Oh okay I will do that then, so at first I will just have like 7 or something, then after a while I will put some more in.


----------



## Mo (Mar 15, 2012)

yup. Cardinals can be a bit sensitive at times but when the tank is established you can have your full group


----------



## kfryman (Nov 7, 2011)

Okay, so I am sure on getting tetras, either neons or cardinals, and a dwarf gourami.

Are there any fish like bettas and gouramis that are from South America or at least solitary fish that will fit a 16 gallon?


----------



## Olympia (Aug 25, 2011)

Gourami are from Asia. 
Paradise fish is another anabantid, but they might be too aggressive for small tetra.
Most small fish school. Fish like anabantids are adapted to living alone due to the flooding/droughts and scarce resources that they have to fight over.
Nothing from south America comes to mind that is solitary and small.


----------



## kfryman (Nov 7, 2011)

I know gouramis come from Asia, I was just thinking that I could do a biotype. I guess it won't happen since South America is always having rain lol. Yeah I have heard of paradise fish being aggressive.


----------



## Shirleythebetta (Jan 9, 2012)

kfryman said:


> I know gouramis come from Asia, I was just thinking that I could do a biotype. I guess it won't happen since South America is always having rain lol. Yeah I have heard of paradise fish being aggressive.


Don't do paradise fish. I had three and they killed each other. This is why I don't trust store workers anymore.


----------



## kfryman (Nov 7, 2011)

Shirleythebetta said:


> Don't do paradise fish. I had three and they killed each other. This is why I don't trust store workers anymore.


Yeah that is why don't want them, I saw your thread...


----------



## Shirleythebetta (Jan 9, 2012)

Huh, glad I helped with that. Those would be nice fish as a single and all alone. They are really neat and so similar to betta. Even flare their gill plates and make bubblenests. They also get black when they are mad which is neat. It happens at the snap of a finger. I don't think I would ever own one again.


----------



## Olympia (Aug 25, 2011)

Just want to point out, sorry your paradise fish killed each other, Shirley. Lesson learned I guess, pet shop people are crazily uninformed sometimes- they see the species kept together in the same tank and assume it's fine to do this long term.
Most sources say to keep males solitary, while females can be kept in small groups since they are less aggressive.
It's important to remember that all these anabantoids are aggressive. Like I said at times they are forced to fight for resources like crazy. 
I'd say in general, aggression levels are betta splendens, paradise fish, wild betta, then gourami, from most to least aggressive (there are QUITE few exceptions, such as noble gourami who are all jerks to each other). Even peaceful gourami such as honeys have been known to kill each other (male vs male), for no apparent reason. I like to assume that something small, probably undetectable, happens in the tank that kick starts their aggression, like how a dry season in the wild would turn on their aggression, but it's just a thought. 
All these fish are quite close to my heart (they were the only ones that didn't die in my horrible fish tanks when I was little). ^-^

Btw, not pushing you into paradise fish, kfry, they were just the only other small solitary fish I could think of. I'm quite excited to see this flame gourami.


----------



## Shirleythebetta (Jan 9, 2012)

Thanks for the info and for sure a lesson learned. After that I started testing shop workers on things I knew about to asses their knowledge. For instance, I asked a girl if I could keep three comet goldfish in a 29 gallon and she said, "yea, sure" 
I like to learn about agressive species in general and that was nicely put. I did like the paradise fish for it's general looks and personality. They were very curious with people and actually "kissed" my skin when I cleaned the tank. They are very lovely as a SOLITARY fish.


----------



## Olympia (Aug 25, 2011)

Yea, maybe someday you could try again someday with a solitary male. They are very hardy (like betta). I find solitary fish seem to be smarter and "bond" to their owners more (like in the way our betta "bond" to us). ^-^ I really want one, but for now I want to grow my fish collection, so no lone fishie!


----------



## kfryman (Nov 7, 2011)

I like how gouramis are often peaceful as well, since that means you can easily have them with other fish. 

Olympia I think you have something going, solitary fish don't really bond since they aren't schooling fish but will bond to their owners. Schooling fish generally have each other so they don't need someone. Something like that, makes sense though...

I wish my sister would move out or take her desk down as it is only used to store items, she never actually does work on it. That way I can put the 16 gallon there


----------



## Olympia (Aug 25, 2011)

Yea, solitary fish need to be smarter since theres only one mind thinking the "survival plan" out, while schooling fish have tons of minds thinking things out. xD

And yea, the more common gourami seem to mind their own business in tanks.


----------

