Dwarf Gourami companions

[Bender81]

Dunno if anybody remembers but I used to frequent here back when I started my 5g tank about a year ago. Long story short, I've started over with only a couple of my old plants left.

So right now I have a piece of malaysian driftwood, anubias nana and crypt wendtii 'tropica', along with hygrophila polysperma, alternanthera reineckii ''roseafolia'' and some floated water sprite. Only attendant is a very pretty blue dwarf gourami. Wish I had a digital camera to show how it all looks atm.

Anyways, just wondering if 4-5 pygmy cory cats would be too much to add if I did weekly water changes. My local Big Al's has 'em and I think I'd love 'em. I'm thinking either the pygmies and some amano shimp or a bunch of amano shimp and a couple of snails (that won't eat my plants... any suggestions? *BOUNCINGS ). No $$, so no bigger tank in the near future. Sucks having such limited options.

 

[cybersymes]

cories [on their own (with the gourami)] sound good...
i'd go for 3 and see how your parameters look over the weeks...

as for water changes...i'd do one gallon every third day...
but that's just me ... i like happy fish...

 

[FishGeek]

I agree. I would start out with 3 Cories and see what happens. I think that the shrimp might over crowd. But depending on how you have it set up you might be able to get away with 2.

 

[echoofformless]

You could easily have two or three small cories in there, but I do think that the gourami appreciates a little more tank space than a 5g. It's not that he can't live happily in there, but he'd be really happy in a 20g.

 

[Bender81]

Only 3 even if I went for pymy cories and not regular sized ones?

How 'bout the snail and shrimp idea... will mystery snails eat my plants? =(

 

[Bender81]

Hrm, nm... I just skimmed an article and it sounds like they'd definately eat some of my plants. >< I'll prolly stick with only adding a few pygmies in the near future then.

 

[cybersymes]

Hrm, nm... I just skimmed an article and it sounds like they'd definately eat some of my plants. >< I'll prolly stick with only adding a few pygmies in the near future then.

try 3 dude...then check your water in a weeks time...
then check it again in another weeks time...
3 will be great...lotsa funn...

the more often you water change the happier your tank will be...
i do 10% every other day...it's a doddle...and i enjoy it...

and if your parameters are cool...
you may be able to sneak something else in there...

 

[Ronin]

hey, another toronto user. anyway, as I always say you can never have enough corys, they love to be in groups. but you have a space issue with the 5 gal so 4-5 is good. with water changes, i used to have a 5gal and it did fine with water changes every 6days.

 

[Lotus]

With pygmy cories, you need a group of no less than 6. They're a lot more shy than regular cories. They also appreciate a little cave (I don't know if your driftwood has some cavey parts). You will need to keep a close eye on nitrates to make sure they're not getting to high. A 5g with those fish will be very heavily stocked, IMO.

I'd say in a 5g you would be better off getting some shrimp. They're great at cleaning algae, too. Amano shrimp are a lot of fun, cherry shrimp will breed, which is cool.

 

[Timbo]

Corries love company, and that is your problem. Space. The shrimp are a good idea, Small and very amusing, Remarkably intelligent for an aquatic invertibrate. good at stealing things and hiding them out of harms way. Have a look round at the available types of shrimp in your area. Amado (Japanese read shrimp (or whatever) are easy to find and great to watch. (Quite cheap too). also most people who are not in the hobby look at them as unusual, so they are a talking point as well. Ultimately though a bigger tank is the answer to your problems, start to save and looking for a GOOD second hand set up might be a solution.

 

[Bender81]

k, I think I've decided on doing what's definately best for my fish and stick with the gourami and a bunch of shimp (mehbe a snail). Gonna focus on regular water changes and good plant growth (ferts, flourish excel) and hopefully one day be able to move everything to a bigger tank. *thumbsups