Archivarium 2004

[Trill the man]

I am thinking about a selection of fish to setup my tank with. At the moment, I am considering adding this line up to my 20g long:-

2 Pearl Gouramis
6 Cherry Barbs } I may change this to 6 Harlequins and 3 Cory cats,
8 Harlequin Rasboras} though is it possible to mix cories and Kuhlis?
5 Kuhli Loaches
1 Bristlenose Plec'

The tank will get weekly water changes and frequent maintenance

Thanks, Phil

P.S. The Pearl Gouramis are what I really wish to keep, the fish line up will more or less be built around them.
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"Donald duck never wore pants, but when he gets out of a bath, he covers his waist with a towel...."

[Huntress]

I would go with one pearl and build around that. A 20g long doesn't really have enough room for territories for two large gouramis. Then your 8 harliquins, 5 kuhlis and bristlenose plec will be fine. You could even add some cories to the bottom if you'd like. 3-4 would be fine except for the Emeral cories which get too large.
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"Feminae bene moratea historiam raro faciunt"

[Trill the man]

Hmmmmmm, I thought that most gouramis had to be kept in pairs...how about a pair of thick lipped gouramis? If not, I am open to suggestions for a central fish as a focal point in my tank.
It will be mainly bogwood with bucnhes of ambulia in between, sand substrate.

thanks, phil
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"Donald duck never wore pants, but when he gets out of a bath, he covers his waist with a towel...."

[PharCyde]

Aren't thick lipped gouramis bigger than Pearl Gouramis?

What about Dwarf or Honey Gouramis?

[Trill the man]

I've read that thick lipped gouramis usually grow about an inch smaller than pearls..thats the info I've got from the internet. I was thinking about dwarfs, only the female isn't very interesting, and considering I will have just one pair, I was hoping for a nice pair of some fish (other than a live bearer ie swordtails) as a focal point. Hney dwarfs are a little too small as a focal fish IMO.
Thank you, and again, I am open to suggestions.

Phil

P.S. How heavy/light are ghost shrimp on the bioload...I am wanting a good clean up crew to keep my tank nice and clean, after the troubles I've experinaced in the past .
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"Donald duck never wore pants, but when he gets out of a bath, he covers his waist with a towel...."

[JewelsRCute]

if you want a pair go with pink kissing gourami or green kissing gourami, very cute but get big. I get gourami and then trade them in when they get too big for my tank and get a different gourami, that way I always am learning about new fish. Male dwarf gouramis are very pretty and stay small. I had one and he did great but didn't live very long.
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I like danios. I also like cichlids and shrimp and tetras and gourami and... this could go on for a while.

[Taratron]

I vote against kissing gouramis. IMHO and IME, working at the zoo and pet store for over two years, very few places WANT fish that get that large as donations. Skip the kissers. They get too large, and in my opinion, having a fish for a certain time, then returning it when the owner deems it too large (often way after stunting has begun) is fish-having, NOT fish-keeping. We need to keep in mind that these are living animals, not a fad.

I think a single pearl gourami would be best.
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But if you tame me, then we shall need each other....You become responsible, forever, for what you have tamed.
~Antoine de Saint-Exupery

[Trill the man]

Okay, cheers. Is it perfectly okay to have a single pearl? Won't it get lonely? Or are they okay on their own? I don't wish to have an unhappy fish .

Phil
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"Donald duck never wore pants, but when he gets out of a bath, he covers his waist with a towel...."