kissing gouramis, dwarf gouramis, and bettas
- Thread starter usacutie81
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So if I got the kissers LAST theres a chance they'd do okay? Now my next question is, my husband wants cardinal tetras, too, are the kissers gonna attack them? We're getting the tetras first. And they are a must. The only thing the hubby is insisting on (don't ask me why, I haven't the slightest clue).
Don't consider the actual "kisses" of a kisser fish to be anything but aggressive behavior. read this: How to care for your pink kissing gouramis Helestoma temmencki with pictures
It has good information on different kinds of fish. Why would you "just get" some fish, only to give them a death sentence by having other fish you "just get" bully them to death? Read the website, it has lots of different options on other great looking/interesting fish. Let us know what you decide to get!
It has good information on different kinds of fish. Why would you "just get" some fish, only to give them a death sentence by having other fish you "just get" bully them to death? Read the website, it has lots of different options on other great looking/interesting fish. Let us know what you decide to get!
MissFishy is right. The "Kiss" of the Kissers is aggressive behavior. They get 10-12 inches long and they pick on EVERYTHING. I watch the little guys at work that are about an inch pick on the dwarfs that are twice their size!! You need to keep in mind that just because you like the fish doesnt mean that they can be housed together. Its like trying to keep a coon dog in a cage with a coon. The animals dont have to be trained to attack others, its just nature and what they have been bred to do. You cant change nature just cause you want it a certain way. Cardinal Tetras and Dwarf Gouramies will be ok together. Look around at different profiles and pick some other fish. We are glad to help you out. 
Darn. Okay, you guys have convinced me. No kissers. Oh well, I can just get more dwarfs to make up for the loss. And more tetras, of course, the hubby will be happy bout that. Oh well. I'd like to upload pics so you guys can see my tank (it's our first so we're pretty proud of it) and I can keep you updated...but I don't know how...got any advice?
Oh well, I can just get more dwarfs to make up for the loss. And more tetras, of course, the hubby will be happy bout that. Oh well. I'd like to upload pics so you guys can see my tank (it's our first so we're pretty proud of it) and I can keep you updated...but I don't know how...got any advice?
There's info on how to post pictures here: http://www.myfishtank.net/forum/rate-my-tank-freshwater/29317-picture-posting-info.html
The tank has been cycling for about a week with 10 yr. pre-established gravel... we're getting a couple of the tetras tomorrow to see how they do. I've been going crazy wanting fish in the tank already! But we're gonna start with the tetras, 3 or 4 at a time till there's 15, then move on to the dwarfs and the betta and a few blue lobsters. I figure that won't be for another few weeks anyway, the tank should be pretty established by then, right?
If there was no source of ammonia when you put in the pre-established gravel (i.e., fish waste or bottled ammonia) then the bacteria would have died within a day or so, I believe. When you add the fish tomorrow, add some more of the gravel from the other tank.
It takes more than a few weeks to 'establish' a tank, but adding the fish a few at a time, waiting a couple weeks in between additions, is the way to go. It's a slow process and takes a lot of patience, but it's definitely worth taking your time.
It takes more than a few weeks to 'establish' a tank, but adding the fish a few at a time, waiting a couple weeks in between additions, is the way to go. It's a slow process and takes a lot of patience, but it's definitely worth taking your time.
I've already put in ALL the gravel from the old tank, bought it from someone else. No ammonia, no nitrites, no nitrates, completely clean. The PH has actually gone down a lot since I added the water though...which kinda suprised me. From 7.8 to 7.4, is it normal for the water in a new tank to drop in PH?
dangit! It didn't work! I'm gonna try one more time...
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Any of the bacteria from the established tank that was in the gravel is probably dead by now if you didn't add anything to the water. This is not a huge issue, it just means that you will have to cycle the tank with fish in it. Which means adding a few fish at a time. The fish produce ammonia in their waste (poop), ammonia will build up (watch these levels with your tester kit, do water changes if it gets too high), eventually, the nitrites will begin to build up, nitrites eat the ammonia. Nitrites are also toxic to fish, so monitor these with your tester kits and do water changes as necessary. Eventually, in an established tank, NitrAtes will start eating the nitrites. Thus you will have a complete cycle in which there is no ammonia or nitrites in the water. You will still have to do water changes to keep the nitrate levels down though. In my personal opinion, tetras are not good cycling fish as they are not very hardy. Please don't get fish "just to see how they do," you want to get something hardy that will cycle your tank for you until you can add the more fragile fish that are more sensitive to water conditions. You could start with a few danio, you can get them all different colors, they are very hard to kill and will live through a tank cycle.
you need to upload your picture to a webserver, then put the physical address between the image tags.
Something like this:
You can get an account with photobucket to store your photos. They even give you the code to copy and paste it in the message.
If your still stumped, pm me and I will put them up there for you *celebrate
Something like this:
If your still stumped, pm me and I will put them up there for you *celebrate