6 Gallon Help

[Bryon]

First let me say hello to everybody because I'm new here and give you a little intro. My names is Bryon and I'm a student at Michigan and I've been keeping tropical fish for a few years and have had many many tanks.

Now on to my question.

Being in a dorm room I'd like to have a tank here but only have room for a 6 gallon, so I bought one. I've kept "mini-tanks" before and had pretty good luck with them. I've started cycling this tank and it is densely planted with a tree-root cave as well as stacked rock cave. It has 10 gallon in tank whisper filtration as well as a heater to keep the temp constant.

Now I've kept dwarf puffers, Betta's, Sharks, paradise fish, glowlites, black neons, rosy reds, white clouds, cory cats, guppies and dwarf frogs and I would like something new in this tank.

Now My current stocking that I want to do is as follows:
5 Neon Tetras
1 Red Honey Gourami OR Dwarf Flame Gourami
1 Gold Mystery Snail

I've never had any dwarf gouramis or honey gouramis nor have I had neons.
I've read on many sites that neons are hardy if put in a cycled tank, however, I've also read that neons aren't hardy at all. I've read the same thing about dwarf gouramis.

What is people experience with these fish. Are they hardy? How would you recommend I add these fish I.E. Neons first or Gourami first? which would be better, the honey gourami or dwarf gourami? Lastly is this a dyed forum of gourami or is this how they come?

Thanks in advance for the help everyone. I hope this stay here is a good one

 

[Fuzz16]

neons are so inbred nowadays they have lost thier hardiness
people can can through a lot of them before they get some living.

the gourami is bred to be that color, so not dyed. and i think that 5 neons, a dwarf gourami, and a myster snail will be overcrowded for a 6g

welcome to the fourm

 

[Bryon]

neons are so inbred nowadays they have lost thier hardiness
people can can through a lot of them before they get some living.

the gourami is bred to be that color, so not dyed. and i think that 5 neons, a dwarf gourami, and a myster snail will be overcrowded for a 6g

welcome to the fourm

Thanks for the reply. I've read kinda what your saying about the gourami and was advised to get the honey gourami instead. I have seen honey gourami's like the one that is pictured but it has a blue tail, that would be dyed correct? Are cardinal tetra's hardier than neons?

 

[pondnewbe]

from what i understand cardinals are less hardy but i'm not sure. and hmm yeah it seems like it might be a little over crowded but if you keep up the maintaince you prob could pull it off.

 

[Bryon]

from what i understand cardinals are less hardy but i'm not sure. and hmm yeah it seems like it might be a little over crowded but if you keep up the maintaince you prob could pull it off.

Oh I know I may be pushing the bio-load, I think having 10 gallon filtration will be a big help.

 

[Fuzz16]

nope probably bred to look like that
and neons have a small waste produce and snails next to none. so ya i suppose it could be done ok

 

[MissFishy]

Neons/Cardinals are terribly sensitive nowadays. IMO, I wouldn't buy them just because it ups the demand and increases the number of them being bred. Yes, they're pretty fish, but not worth the trouble. What I would do with your 6 gal is:
3-5 small tetras (look into harlequins, von rios, or any other small tetras)
A betta (gouramis are a bit active for the set up you want and may be territorial with your other fish in such small quarters)
A snail

 

[Bryon]

nope probably bred to look like that

You mean the blue tail honey gourami I asked about?

Neons/Cardinals are terribly sensitive nowadays. IMO, I wouldn't buy them just because it ups the demand and increases the number of them being bred. Yes, they're pretty fish, but not worth the trouble. What I would do with your 6 gal is:
3-5 small tetras (look into harlequins, von rios, or any other small tetras)
A betta (gouramis are a bit active for the set up you want and may be territorial with your other fish in such small quarters)
A snail

Betta is totally out of the question for this set up for two reasons. Reason one, the filter creates a current which can damage a betta's fins as well as stress them out and reason two is I have 5 betta's at home. The reason I asked about the honey is because I'm told the dwarfs are to active for this size tank but honey gourami's would be fine. Anyone have experience with this? Also Betta's and snail......Not a good idea. I do appreciate the comment though

 

[Big Vine]

Bryon...welcome to MFT.
Below is a pic of one of the 3 honey sunset gouramies I had in a 10 gallon tank. It was short-lived, however, because I ended up losing them all within about a week's time. In retrospect, there were a number of them resting on the bottom with rapid gill-movement in the tank at the pet store I bought them from (never buy fish from a tank where there are ailing fish).

Admittedly, I thought the tank had cycled sufficiently when, in fact, there were still low levels of ammonia and nitrite present.

At the same time, I've kept many other fish that have survived similar (and even more elevated levels) just fine. So if I were you, I'd make sure that the tank has been up and running at minimum one or two months prior to adding the gourami.

Don't let my mistakes and bad luck discourage you though!
I think they're great fish, and the ones that I had seemed very peaceful toward one another in the time that I had them.

BV

 

[Bryon]

Bryon...welcome to MFT.
Below is a pic of one of the 3 honey sunset gouramies I had in a 10 gallon tank. It was short-lived, however, because I ended up losing them all within about a week's time. In retrospect, there were a number of them resting on the bottom with rapid gill-movement in the tank at the pet store I bought them from (never buy fish from a tank where there are ailing fish).

Admittedly, I thought the tank had cycled sufficiently when, in fact, there were still low levels of ammonia and nitrite present.

At the same time, I've kept many other fish that have survived similar (and even more elevated levels) just fine. So if I were you, I'd make sure that the tank has been up and running at minimum one or two months prior to adding the gourami.

Don't let my mistakes and bad luck discourage you though!
I think they're great fish, and the ones that I had seemed very peaceful toward one another in the time that I had them.

BV

Which would you recommend? The honey or dwarf gourami? Would you say Dwarfs are hardier?

 

[Big Vine]

My only experience with the honey gouramies was with the failed attempt that I just told you about, so I can't elaborate too much more on the subject than I already have.

I've never had dwarf gouramies.

The only gouramies I've kept have been opalines and golds, which I think are great, but obviously unsuitable for a 6 gal. setup.

Sorry I can't help!
BV

 

[Bryon]

My only experience with the honey gouramies was with the failed attempt that I just told you about, so I can't elaborate too much more on the subject than I already have.

I've never had dwarf gouramies.

The only gouramies I've kept have been opalines and golds, which I think are great, but obviously unsuitable for a 6 gal. setup.

Sorry I can't help!
BV

Thanks for the help anyways.

 

[James From Cali]

Honeys are just a color morph of Dwarves IMO. They grow to the same size and are realtively peacful. If you go with the Dwarf or Honey I suggest making an area for him so he feels secure. Also a nice theme for this tank would be Asian so maybe some Harliquin Rasboras and the Gourami.

 

[MissFishy]

Actually, I've kept several bettas with snails with no problems whatsoever. Of course, it depends on the betta. I would get the smallest gourami you can find (healthy of course), and then be ready to find it a new home if/when it outgrows the tank or becomes too aggressive for the other fish. I've also never had the honey gouramis, but I have had a blue spot, it was the meanest fish I've ever owned...

 

[Bryon]

Actually, I've kept several bettas with snails with no problems whatsoever. Of course, it depends on the betta. I would get the smallest gourami you can find (healthy of course), and then be ready to find it a new home if/when it outgrows the tank or becomes too aggressive for the other fish. I've also never had the honey gouramis, but I have had a blue spot, it was the meanest fish I've ever owned...

All the betta's I've had or have kill snails and dwarf and honey gourami only get 2inches, they won't out grow the tank.

 

[Stueyandspike]

I have 2 dwarf Flames and they are active little things but like to hide (very skiddish) So if you get one i would recomend a hiding place for him or he might get aggressive, They seem to be fine with my Head and tail lights and serpae tetra

 

[Bryon]

I have 2 dwarf Flames and they are active little things but like to hide (very skiddish) So if you get one i would recomend a hiding place for him or he might get aggressive, They seem to be fine with my Head and tail lights and serpae tetra

I have a couple of caves for the gourami, which ever one I get. How hardy are your flames?

 

[IDunnoWhy]

I have kept Honey Gourami in the past, with very good results, They were actually quite hardy (I was a far worse fishkeeper back then). I would think if you can find a healthy specimen in one of your LFS go for it. I would also suggest the Harlequin Rasbora, a few would look great with your Honey.

If you do go with the Gourami, I would select a healthy looking female, they can still be a little spastic sometimes, but IME not as aggressive as the males. And as stated they will enjoy having some hiding places.

 

[Bryon]

I have kept Honey Gourami in the past, with very good results, They were actually quite hardy (I was a far worse fishkeeper back then). I would think if you can find a healthy specimen in one of your LFS go for it. I would also suggest the Harlequin Rasbora, a few would look great with your Honey.

If you do go with the Gourami, I would select a healthy looking female, they can still be a little spastic sometimes, but IME not as aggressive as the males. And as stated they will enjoy having some hiding places.

Thanks for the help. I can't seam to find any harlequin's at all.

 

[IDunnoWhy]

Thanks for the help. I can't seam to find any harlequin's at all.

Yea, they can be hard to come by sometimes. The LFS I frequent, has them in hoards, then nothing for a while.