# Questions: 2 Possible Fish Groupings



## Saki (Dec 27, 2005)

I've come down to two different potential tank setups for my 10 Gallon Aquarium. I have hard tap water, not sure of exact measurement, and the heater keeps it between 76-80 degrees(usually 78). Let me know if there are any problems with the groupings.

Setup 1:
2 Dwarf Gouramis (male and female)
6 Longfin Blue Danios
2-3 Ghost Shrimp

Setup 2: slightly salty water (1tsp per gallon?)
2 Mollies (female)
2-4 Cherry Barbs (male?)
2-3 Ghost Shrimp


I don't want anything to reproduce. My main concern are the Danios and Cherry Barbs, is it possible to keep a group of only females or only males in the same tank? Are any of the species too difficult to sex in order to prevent reproduction?

Also, the kit I bought didn't come with any kind of airstone or bubble maker thing...do I need one? You heard me...bubble maker thing!


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## DUSTIN323 (Sep 21, 2005)

You don't have to have an airstone or any type of bubbler.

I don't think you would have a problem with anything reproducing unless you tried, but you would need to get 2 male mollies instead of 2 females being that alot of times they are already preganent before you buy them. The danios & barbs aren't the easiest fish to sex I believe, but the dwarf gouramis are and you could get two females instead of 1m/1f to put out a chance of them spawning.

Your temp is fine, thoug if your water is hard you might want to use a little distilled water with water changes to soften it up a bit. I'm not for sure about the salt I know the mollies would enjoy and it wouldn't hurt the barbs if it's just a little, but you might wanna research about the shrimp though they should be fine also.
A


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## Saki (Dec 27, 2005)

I looked around and found the answer about ghost shrimp on this fish talk show http://www.petfishtalk.com. Ghost Shrimp can live with 1 tablespoon of aquarium salt per 5 gallons of water but anything more would be unhealthy. I suppose that is my answer to how much salt to use for the mollies. 

And I just read an article at this site http://www.bestfish.com/2somes.html which says most fish don't get along in pairs >_<


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## ron v (Feb 24, 2005)

Mollies are brackish water fish. The other fish you mentioned are from more of a soft/ acid water habitat.


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## Lydia (Feb 6, 2005)

I would do setup 1. You won't have to worry about the danios breeding. They breed kinda easily, but they eat their eggs after they breed so you won't have to worry about any of them hatching.


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## DUSTIN323 (Sep 21, 2005)

Rons right. But it could be done


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## Saki (Dec 27, 2005)

A lot of resources say that mollies can be healthy and happy in tanks with aquarium salt. They're very adaptable.

As for the ghost shrimp, they need hard alkaline water. I got the information from a site that someone else posted http://www.petshrimp.com/glassshrimp.html

I haven't read much on cherry barbs but there is a site that tells what fish can live together in specific tank setups and I matched up the mollies and cherry barbs because of it. http://www.elmersaquarium.com/c106community3livebearer.htm

If anybody knows for a fact that this information is false, please tell me. It's not like the internet is the most reliable source.

I kinda had my heart set on the mollies and cherry barbs. :? I'm willing to go with dwarf gouramis and danios if the other setup just isn't plausible.


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## DUSTIN323 (Sep 21, 2005)

It's not false. Just truly they are brackish but they can live happy & healthy(to what we can see) in fresh or fresh with aquarium or even saltwater. They are extremely adaptable fish.


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## Lydia (Feb 6, 2005)

Well, I hate to contradict Ron V, but I have had my molly in FW with a little aquarium salt as long as I have had her (over a year), and she is healthy and active. This is just my experience with mollies though. Ron V could very well be right.

Also, if you are worried about having babies from the cherry barbs or even from the mollies (if you happen to get both male and female), don't be. The mollies will happily eat any babies that appear in the tank, IME.


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## ron v (Feb 24, 2005)

Lydia said:


> Well, I hate to contradict Ron V, .


Which part of my statement are you contradicting?


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## Cichlid Man (Jan 19, 2005)

Lydia is disagreeing with you. She thinks that mollies can be kept in fresh water. yes, they can be kept in fresh water, and even breed. But they will be less prone to disease in brakish water.


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## ron v (Feb 24, 2005)

Well, I didn't say anything about the type of water any fish could be kept in. I just pointed out that "natural habitat" is different. It's up to the individual to decide if they think fish can adapt to unnatural conditions. BTW, I did say mollies are "brackish", but they are also found in fresh water. I'm no molly expert, but I think maybe hardness is more important than salt.


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