# Tips for new Tank



## Crossfire (May 25, 2011)

Hello

Currently I have a 5 gallon GloFish tank with two GloFish and one algae eater. I am saving my money right now and I'm very close to getting a 15 gallon tank and stand. I'm new at this, so I wanted to get some advice for setting it up and ensuring maximum fish health and happiness. I am palnning to get:
3 Glofish
1 Algae Eater
1 Borneo Sucker
1 Red Flame Dwarf Gourami
2-4 Sparkling Gouramis
4-10 Neon Tetras
1-2 Ghost Shrimp
1-2 Red Clawed Crabs

and maybe some Turqoise Guppies, but I'm not sure. I want to make sure I'm not overcrowding the tank. Please give me tips!


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## Ghost Knife (Mar 12, 2008)

Crossfire said:


> Hello
> 
> Currently I have a 5 gallon GloFish tank with two GloFish and one algae eater. I am saving my money right now and I'm very close to getting a 15 gallon tank and stand. I'm new at this, so I wanted to get some advice for setting it up and ensuring maximum fish health and happiness. I am palnning to get:
> 3 Glofish
> ...


A 15 gallon is too small for the Gouramis, but you could get maybe 2 Dwarf Gouramis. Also, the Red Clawed Crabs won't work because they require brackish water in more of a terrarium setup. The rest would work, but I would increase your school of glofish to 5-6.


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## TheOldSalt (Jan 28, 2005)

I'd go the opposite way, gourami-wise. You can't mix them very well, so I'd lose the flame and keep the sparklers. They'd have to go in late, though, after the tank was stabilized, since they're a bit fragile.


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## Crossfire (May 25, 2011)

Thanks for the tips, but how come the 15 gal is too small? Dwarf gouramis only get about 2 inches in maximum size, and sparkling gouramis are neon tetra sized. Also, I read that dwarf gouramis and sparkling need a minimum of 10 gallons. Is it because they're aggressive to each other?.....what if it were a 20 gallon?


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## TheOldSalt (Jan 28, 2005)

Yes, it's due to aggression. Size isn't everything when it comes to tank stocking. No, a 20 wouldn't be much help. Their claimed territories can cover a whole 75 or more.


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## Ghost Knife (Mar 12, 2008)

TheOldSalt said:


> Yes, it's due to aggression. Size isn't everything when it comes to tank stocking. No, a 20 wouldn't be much help. Their claimed territories can cover a whole 75 or more.


Yep, I have several Gouramis in my 125 and they still get defensive of each others space at times.


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## Mr. fish (Mar 8, 2011)

Its actually quite interesting to see them square up with one another... But, agreed they get quite aggressive. I had to remove all but one in my tank or one was going to end up dead.


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## Crossfire (May 25, 2011)

Ok, so now its 

3 GloFish
1 Algea Eater
1 Borneo Sucker
1 Dwarf Gourami or 2-3 Sparkling Gouramis
4-8 Neon Tetras
1-2 Ghost Shrimp

any other interesting schooling freshwater fish you can recommend? And I'm not too sure about the Borneo Sucker, I just read that they can actually be pretty pathetic at algae eating :/


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## Ghost Knife (Mar 12, 2008)

Crossfire said:


> Ok, so now its
> 
> 3 GloFish
> 1 Algea Eater
> ...


As I noted above you need at least 5-6 Glofish because Danios like to be in schools of that size or larger.


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## Crossfire (May 25, 2011)

Oh yeah i forgot to add that...I'm just worried i'm overcrowding the tank


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## Crossfire (May 25, 2011)

Okay, I just came back from the local PetSmart and I browsed their tanks and fish. They're having a sale, and I have more than enough money to buy this really cool 20 gal starter kit with day and moonlight bulbs. When I was there, I noticed they had a 15 gallon tank with some Skirt Tetras and like 5 male Red Flame Dwarf Gouramis...At first, I was thinking they were females, because they weren't eating each others faces off...They didn't chase or fin nibble...They swam calmly past each other. I asked an employee if they were males, and she said that there was only one female. I asked what a dwarf gourami would do to Sparkling Gouramis in a 20 gallon and she said that because they were smaller, yes the dwarf might get a little aggressive. But she said that as long as there is sufficant plant cover to hide in if they are to be attacked, they should be fine and could coexist mostly peacefully. So I have upgraded to a 20 gal which will contain only rocks, a boat-load of plants, and an air stone statue to these fish. Please tell me if I'm overcrowding!

5 GloFish
1 Algae Eater
1 Borneo Sucker (or regular pleco or maybe a catfish)
1 Dwarf Red Flame Gourami
2-3 Sparkling Gouramis
4-8 Neon Tetras
1-2 Ghost Shrimp


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## Ghost Knife (Mar 12, 2008)

Crossfire said:


> Okay, I just came back from the local PetSmart and I browsed their tanks and fish. They're having a sale, and I have more than enough money to buy this really cool 20 gal starter kit with day and moonlight bulbs. When I was there, I noticed they had a 15 gallon tank with some Skirt Tetras and like 5 male Red Flame Dwarf Gouramis...At first, I was thinking they were females, because they weren't eating each others faces off...They didn't chase or fin nibble...They swam calmly past each other. I asked an employee if they were males, and she said that there was only one female. I asked what a dwarf gourami would do to Sparkling Gouramis in a 20 gallon and she said that because they were smaller, yes the dwarf might get a little aggressive. But she said that as long as there is sufficant plant cover to hide in if they are to be attacked, they should be fine and could coexist mostly peacefully. So I have upgraded to a 20 gal which will contain only rocks, a boat-load of plants, and an air stone statue to these fish. Please tell me if I'm overcrowding!
> 
> 5 GloFish
> 1 Algae Eater
> ...


Looks good. Just make sure that algae eater is something small.


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## Mr. fish (Mar 8, 2011)

Trust me, I tried to make the dwarf gouarmi thing work... and it just didnt no matter how many plants I put.

Its best to only keep one or two in a 20 gallon...they are very aggressive. Once they start settling in they will battle for space. They remind me of Male bettas, just not as aggressive.


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## Crossfire (May 25, 2011)

Doesn't it also depend on the fish's personality? I've heard of 3 dwarf gouramis peacfully living together in medium tanks and then I've heard of one dwarf gourami killing all fish in an aquarium....Plus at the petsmart there were multiple male dwarfs in one tank and they didint appear agressive in the least to each other


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## TheOldSalt (Jan 28, 2005)

That's because they're in a bit of shock in their new temporary tank, and don't yet have anything to fight over.
That WILL change over time.


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