Planning 50 gallon Paradisefish Biotope!

[Ariaanna]

~Please read my post about the gourami biotope for more background information~

This concept is very strange, and will probably be problematic, but, like I stated in my other thread, I have several spare tanks to put the problem fish in (if only temporarily) and I have no problem with rethinking my tank idea and trading in fish. I just want to hear your thoughts on this concept right now.

~ Paradisefish (normal)
~ Black Paradisefish
~ Albino Paradisefish
~ Spiketail Paradisefish
School of whiteclouds
School of danios

This is a COLDWATER setup, to discourage the fish from breeding (and of course for the danio/wcmm comfort)

Again, will be heavily planted, but with nothing at the surface, and I intend to have a lot of surface movement just to ensure the males can't build bubblenests.

Now, should I have multiple females per male? Or would that just escalate aggression?

Also, I was thinking of maybe having a dojo loach as clean up crew, with maybe a rubberlip pleco.

Is this plan overstocked?

Also, are there any other ways to reduce the aggression between males? How many different types do you think WOULD be acceptable?

Has anybody heard of/tried a setup like this? I'd really like to hear any thoughts and/or experiences related to this.

Thank you!

 

[CAPSLOCK]

I don't think it's overstocked by bioload. You even have room for a rubberlip or dojo.

I doubt you could get away with more than 2 males, and then only because the tank is big enough for them. The more stuff you have in there to break up lines of sight and make more territories, the more peacefully the paradise fish should be. I'm not sure how many females you'd be able to have, though. Also, remember that paradise fish are really jumpy so you'll need to have the tank very well covered.

 

[Ariaanna]

Well, everything that I've read has indicated that a larger female:male ratio tends to cut down aggression greatly because the male has to divide his attention between the females. I'm not really expecting to be able to have more than 3 males (one spiketail, one black, one regular) and was hoping between the plants, rocks to establish territory boundaries, multiple females, and the fact they're of different species I might be able to cut down aggression enough to keep the three.

Have you tried anything like this, or know anybody who has? Unfortunately, since paradisefish have such a "bad rap" for being aggressive, it seems like not many people even keep one, much less a pair

I do have 2 20's and a 15 on standby (already cycled and everything) to put the problem fish in if things go badly (and then once they're separated, I'll decide if I want to try keeping them in those tanks, or bring them back to the fish store.)

 

[CAPSLOCK]

I don't really know. They aren't kept that often, which is probably because they're really not the best community fish for most tanks. If you've got enough stuff in there to make 3 territories, it could probably work. I haven't heard anything about male/female ratio, but I haven't looked either. It does make sense, though.

 

[Ariaanna]

Right now I have 1m 1f macropodus opercularis in my 55 community, and not only do they leave the other fish alone, but the male never bullies the female. Since this is the most aggressive species of the 3 I want to keep, I'm hoping this means success

Present concept is to "terrace " the fish tank- I'm going to get some trays or unglazed terra cotta window boxes and balance them on rocks (probably using aquarium sealant just to make sure they're secure) and place them side by side, each one several inches higher than the last. The rocks supporting the terraces will have java moss and java ferns on them (and will make nice little caves for cover if it is needed) and I'll have a pretty thick carpet of java moss over the substrate, as well. The window boxes will hold anubias, crypts, and various other plants as I deem fit. The top box will have bamboo in it (emersed). I also intend to have some water sprite and maybe one or two other very tall low light plants growing out of the substrate to further break up line of sight. It should look roughly like this:
_____
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...................................|_________ with plants growing out of each level, and room to swim under/between each level. what do you think?

 

[CAPSLOCK]

That's a neat tank design idea. That should give you a lot of territories, especially with each level being planted. You might get a group/pair of them to claim a territory under there where you can't see them, though (but then again, they'd have to come up for air).

Good Luck!

 

[Ariaanna]

My present paradisefish has a "territory" that's his, and he chills there whenever I'm not around (I think.) Every time I walk in the room, he comes out of the same hole in the rock and follows me around (but in his tank) as I move about. It's really quite endearing, and I'm hoping that's more or less what the fish will do. . . . they'll chill in their little caves, but mostly swim around (and maybe love on me a bit.)

Big Boy actually prefers being hand-fed now, and will jump up and bite my fingers looking for food. I've spoiled him terribly, I just hope the other paradisefish like me as much as he does.