FishProfiles.com Message Forums

Thanks Kitten!! I like your black white idea, but unfortunately when I bought the tank I had no idea that I was going to end up with a black white set up, so its all mixed colors. (for starters the gravel is three different shades of blue ) Eventually that would be a good idea. I would love to give you the BN, where do you live? He's a great guy, lots of bristles, and he's at least 5 inches and not too old. I've NEVER seen any algae in my tank, and he enjoys Hikari algae/sinking wafers. There was a big post on him a couple weeks ago, I'll try to find it for you. I cant wait to finish up this tank, I'm going to have to get some special orders in from my lfs and then q-tine so it might take awhile but it'll be well worth the wait!

EDIT: RIP Daffy

[span class="edited"][Edited by ferretfanatic 2004-07-23 22:57][/span]

-Formerly known as the Ferretfish

all the better, thanks Meg

-Formerly known as the Ferretfish

Dwarf gauramis will only grow to a maximuim of 2.5 inches, not 3.5 inches.

haha yes very. I like this set up a lot, ive noticed a drastic change in my pandas behavior by filling out the school. very entertaining I cant wait for my neon blue dwarf to come in to the lfs

-Formerly known as the Ferretfish

Hello

I like the 6 black phantoms/6 pandas/1 gourami plan. The black phantoms are so much more fun to watch when there is a decent number of them. I have a 15 gallon of the same dimensions as yours...it has 6 black phnatoms currently and I'm getting some panda cories soon, weird hmm?

oops sorry guys I've been on vacation

I have an aquaclear mini and a regular sponge filter thingy on the tank. I think the BN's def. going back though hes just too big.

-Formerly known as the Ferretfish

that would be fine, exept if it were to be not much surface area. in my 15 gallon tank, i can fit in around 18 2 inch fish with a 3 gallon water change + cleaning of the gravle each week.

sounds good, although i'd remove that pleco too. they seem quite miserable in smaller tanks, where it is harder to hide, even when noone attacks them.
also, mind that the gourami is also a veri timid fish, and although noone threatens it, it might not be enough. they get stressed psychologically very easily, and dense populations do make them edgy. if the gourami doesn't come out to play in about a week's time, pass it on so it can enjoy life, and you won't have to remove his body in a few months' time.

If you dont mind doing some pretty ferequent gravel vacuming(1-2 per week is what i do) i dont thinkyou have any problems at all. BNs do poop lots, but they are good scavengers and algea eaters to. Do you have good filtration? My aquaclear 150 and bi-weekly water changes have no troubles keeping up with about 26 inches of fish in a 20 gallon. There not all full gtrown, and some will have to be moved before to long, but the point remains the same

Speaking from experience..I had dwarf gouramies in a 6ft long 125 gal tank..even then, I'd suggest getting 2 females per male..some males will harrass a female too much.

Heres the link to the thread, check it out its got pixx

http://www.fishprofiles.com/interactive/forums/thread.asp?id=42215&page=1

He's my baby

-Formerly known as the Ferretfish

How overstocked would I be with this 15 gallon setup:

5 Black Phantom Tetras
1 BN plec
4 panda cories
1 dwarf gourami

Could I pull that off with good filtration and weekly/biweekly water changes/gravel vacs?

-Formerly known as the Ferretfish

Give ME your BN. It would solve both our problems... you get to add more fish and I get to have another BN to fill my recently departed BN's job.

ANYway... you might be able to a pair of gouramis if it was M/F. M/M pairs can go bad in such a small space. I've never personally seen a female dwarf...

*goes to look up how big phantoms get* Oh, hmm... nice fish. Nice and small, too. Makes life easy.

With let's say...

6 Black Phantom (8.4"
6 Panda Cories (12"
1 Dwarf Gourami (3.5"

TOTAL = 23.9"
If you go by surface area, stocking level should be 24". You're right on the money if you go with that.

I don't think any of those are really heavy waste producers at all, so you should actually be about set. Also, this way both your schooling fish should feel pretty comfortable. *shrugs* With a good cleaning regiment, you might go a bit over that level, but pandas can be a bit delicate, so you might keep that in mind.

Have you given thought to decorating the aquarium? With the monotone fish you've chosen (minus the colorful gourami), it would be cool to go with black/white decor. If you do decide to go with the gourami, it would really stand out against the backdrop, too. Neon dwarf or the firy red type? Could be a very fun tank to set up. Good luck!

~Meow. Thus spoke the cat.~

Well, I really love my BN, but I think that he could go to another home if necessary. If I brought him back, could I get my school of cories up to 6, and add another dwarf gourami so I have a pair? THe list would look like this:
5 Black Phantoms
6 Pandas
2 Dwarf Gouramis

EDIT: or it may be better to keep just one gourami, and instead fill out the black phantom school a little more?

[span class="edited"][Edited by ferretfanatic 2004-07-23 21:44][/span]

-Formerly known as the Ferretfish

I would drop the BN & get another Panda Corydoras.



http://www.flickr.com/photos/corydoras/
Member of the Malta Aquarist Society - 1970.
http://www.maltaaquarist.com

I would wonder about the suitability of a BN for a tank like that, as well. I had my BN in a 20 gallon long, but he wasn't even two inches at the time. Not having personally seen a full grown specimen, I can't vouch for the size, but I'd think the smallest tank I would put one in would be at least twenty gallons. *shrugs*

~Meow. Thus spoke the cat.~

I would drop the BN from the list. They are large waste producers. Also, plants will help. A weekly to biweekly vac (about 3-5 gallons) should help keep water quality up to snuff.

Yea its regular dimensions, 24"12"12". What do you guys think my gravel vac/water change schedule should look like?

-Formerly known as the Ferretfish

The only reason for mentioning surface area was because if it were a tall 15 gallon, that many fish would not be good. Plus, with the frequent water changes, I don't think the nitrates will be a problem.

Sounds good to me. I don't know how much surface area matters, since it seems that the biggest concern is high nitrate levels, I think, which doesn't seem to have much to do with air exchange. But, fish won't really like a 15 gallon XH because those things are much taller than they are wide.