Quandary

[Thyra]

I am in a quandary on how I am going to stock a 26g tank. I like mollies and platies - there are so many different colors and variations, but I have found them very active and as much as I would like to put a betta in the tank as a sort of centerpiece, I don’t think the betta would like it. From reading Posts, I am thinking one of the Dwarf Gouramis or is there another fish that could be put in as a pair? I don’t want to get into the cichlid thing. This has to be a friendly tank because I want to be able to move platies or mollies from my 16g tank as it becomes necessary. In the past 4 months I had three of the fry survive. I have no idea how many were actually born, but these three have grown rapidly and are about 3/4 inch; therefore my 16g tank will soon be full.

 

[Newman]

you do not want to get into cichlids yet you want bettas and gouramies? both are related to cichlid and have the same aggression issues
in a 26 gallon tank I would do just mollies and platies if you like those and then maybe either a pleco of some sort (like BN) or some bottom feeders such as cory cats.

Centerpeice fish can easily be solved by buying one or two sailfin molly males. the thing is that mollies and platies prefer harder water and the gouramies and bettas are the opposite.
it would truly be best if you centered your tank around the two livebearing species.

 

[prsturm]

Well, my dwarf gourami is very active as well. He isn't aggressive at all. I think they mostly ignore non-gouramis. If you just had one, it might work. But like I said, he swims around and around and around and around and it isn't "relaxing" in the least bit.

 

[Thyra]

I did not know gouramis and bettas were related to cichlids. None of the list show them that way and there have been numerous people being advised they could put a DG in a community tank on this forum as long as it was alone - mostly because I gather females are hard to find. As far as swimming around, that should be no problem with mollies and platies because they are active too. It is the bettas that aren't as active or nearly as fast.

 

[bassbonediva]

What about a pair of rams? My pair of GBRs in the 20gL basically ignore the 10 black neon tetras, 1 panda cory and 1 clown pleco that they share the tank with. Not all cichlids are the non-community type. German blue rams and Bolivian rams, as well as apistogrammas (I think), are all community-friendly.

 

[Fishman1995]

I would also like to add in that Kribensis's are very pretty and arent agressive unless breeding so a pair of females would look amazing

 

[brian1973]

What about a pair of rams? My pair of GBRs in the 20gL basically ignore the 10 black neon tetras, 1 panda cory and 1 clown pleco that they share the tank with. Not all cichlids are the non-community type. German blue rams and Bolivian rams, as well as apistogrammas (I think), are all community-friendly.

I would recommend apistogrammas as well, they are usually good community tank mates but can get aggressive when breeding.

 

[Thyra]

Well, it is going on midnight and I have been researching and have come to no conclusion because there seems to be a lot of opinion about the temperature and compatibility and also the 26g tank. They are difficult to sex as juvies is my understanding so far. No one has said they would be happy alone like either a betta or a DG supposedly is. It sounds like there would never be any platy or molly fry that would survive. They are very beautiful fish I will admit and I had already consider the GBRs but I have seen in the past what cichlids can do and I want peace not war. Thanks for the suggestions - more reading to do.

 

[Newman]

how about 5 platy and 4 female molly with two or one sailfin male molly?

 

[Thyra]

I am enjoying the mollies & platies I have and I suspect that will keep the larger tank stocked. I have a male Dalmation sailfin and he is pretty showy all by himself - he's on of the reasons I wouldn't even attempt to put a betta in that tank. I have one silver fry that is maybe almost three quarters of an inch and he already acts like he is interested in the ladies so I may have my hands (nets) full! lol