Ammonia, Nitrite, and Nitrate

[MarkSD]

As far a tetra's being a schooling fish, do most fish need to be the same exact species or sub species of fish to school together? Like 5 or 6 of a neon tetra then 5 or 6 of another type and not mix say 1 of each kind of tetra. I wanted to get some sort of schooling group and then add something else. Still on the fence about what to get. Wondering how rams would be, blue or gold, then what about the german or bolivian? Can they hang with gourami also? And also would the gourami have to be the larger kind or the dwarf ones?

 

[aakaakaak]

It's sort of hit or miss what will school with what outside of its own group. If you have one cardinal tetra with six neon tetras it'll probably school with it, but if it's got it's own school of six cardinals it'll probably school separately.

I put a GBR in with my DG and it didn't last two days before it died from the constant pestering. So I tried a Bolivian Ram with my Dwarf Gourami and still ended up with constant pestering from the DG. I ended up having to rearrange the living accommodations so the DG wouldn't kill another one. Results may vary though. Some people never had any problems. Unfortunately, even with a gigantic log that displaces about 2G of water smack dab in the middle of the tank, the DG still wanted to beat them up. Honey (The smallest ones) and Pearl Gouramis aren't supposed to be little brats.

 

[MarkSD]

Well after a few more days of watching the tank I had some nitrite of about .25 or .50 but now today I am back to zero. Ammonia was at about 2ppm so I added some more and now it is maybe 4ppm but the nitrites are gone so now what. I am about ready to flush the tank water and toss some fish in to get this thing going. Not making any progress it seems. Tank in in the 80's, was 83-84 but turned it down a notch. Tank heater seems a little wacky and doesn't read right at all. Would it matter if I got tank water from someone else that has goldfish? Looking to get some bacteria from it or something to help the process along.