# Stocking 45 gallon, Guppies main attraction, Wanna help? =]



## LyzzaRyzz (Dec 18, 2011)

So, i got a used 45 gallon, its cycling now.

I have nine guppies [3m6f] in my qt tank, a bn pleco, and a rubber nose pleco.

I know the guppies are going to breed, But i have a betta, two ACF's and a cray fish that will eat the babies. Still, id like to leave a bit of room in case i get a few more guppies, or if i decide to keep a few of the babies.

As far as i know, guppies are generally mid to high level swimmers. i have only had them in a 10 , 14 and a 24 gallon, and they are all the same hieght. But they were all over the tank..
Im assuming, in a tank thats 21 inches tall, that they guppies will be mid range swimmers?

Another fish i love, is the rosy red minnow. I know its a feeder fish, but i really like thier mouths, and their personalities. I have one of the 45 feeder fishi bought still alive. Shes actually helping my cycle my tank. 
Id really like to get a group of them, maybe five or six. To get that many though, to survive? Thats gonna take alotta fishes! Good thing there 10 for $1.25! I know these guys poop alot [or at least mine did!] But im already going to be doing daily gravel cleanings because of the plecos.

So, thats my plan for my tank.

Im thinking id like to add a few more species?

Which species would you guys choose?


----------



## Chesh (Feb 17, 2012)

Hello again! Those guppies will be zooming ALL over that tank, I'm sure! I guess they are considered mid to high, but in my experience, that doesn't matter much!

Before most people on here will be comfortable giving you advice, they'll want to know a bit more about your water. Do you know if you have hard or soft water? What temperature do you keep your water?

With minnows and guppies, I'd think your water is on the hard side?


----------



## LyzzaRyzz (Dec 18, 2011)

Yes, my water is on the hard side. I dont know the gh or the kh, since noone at my town hall will call me back!
The ph of my tank is 7, but comes out of the tap at 8.8.

The temperature is easily changable, as right now, i just have a 20 gallon heater, and its a 76, though i am getting a 300 watt heater in the next week.

I cant wait to add the guppies, [but i will!]! I just know they will be so happy!


I was at my lps, and they have a whole bunch of gouramis! The kinds they have are blue, paradise, imp dwarf and gold. Im pretty sure they can order me other kinds...

Ill be looking at the profiles now!


----------



## Chesh (Feb 17, 2012)

Congrats on a nice big tank without a mirror behind it, lol! That makes things ever so much easier for you!

Gourami are GORGEOUS fish, though they do prefer softer water, from what I understand. If you do decide to get one, keep it in a QT tank for longer than you would another type of fish. They have a nasty habit of being sick - especially the dwarf varieties! From what I understand - gourami are best to add to an already established tank, and they do like things to be well-planted. Since you're interested in breeding (I thought I read on one of your other threads?) you should be sure to get some floating plants for the fry to hide in (at least until you can pick them out), as well as to provide shade and shelter to the other fish you keep.

Since your water is on the hard side, and you have Mollies already (I LOVE LOVE LOVE MOLLIES!), perhaps you should stick with the fish that prefer your type of water - or even live-bearers? A few Platy would be a lovely addition to a live-bearer tank, as well as swordtails. And if you can find Endler's guppies - those little guys are just STUNNING! 

All of these together would give you a very active and colorful tank! I can't wait to see what you come up with - keep us posted, k?


----------



## LyzzaRyzz (Dec 18, 2011)

I actually had to get rid of the mollies, as my tank was too small. Low and behold, three days later, i get a bigger tank! 
I was thinking about platies, but ive read they are notorious fry eaters.
I do love the mollies, and might end up getting a few of them again. =] 

Though i do like the idea of smaller fish, with one bigger fish. 
I read some of the gouramis are better kept without other gouramis? 
Which gouramis are best singularly? And not eat my gups!

I was thinking maybe a honey gourami, but arent they better in groups?
How many to a group? Male to female ratio?

Im still a ways away from getting any additional fish, though would a ten gallon QT be okay for a gourami?
Im pretty sad that dwarfs are often sick...i dont want to risk missing an illness that could wipe out my tank.
How long would i have to QT for?


----------



## LyzzaRyzz (Dec 18, 2011)

I completely forgot, I would really like to have some cory cats in my tank. My boyfriend gthinks they are so cute! Im getting sand for them, so, id like to add them to my plan..=] Probably a group of six or seven?


----------



## Chesh (Feb 17, 2012)

Umm, how long have you had your guppies? Cuz' in MY experience, Guppies are EVIL when it comes to obliterating their own offspring! I had 4 females in a tank that kept popping out babies despite the lack of a male - over a period of MONTHS. And this tank was planted fairly well!!! It got to the point that I didn't have to feed them anymore. . . they just fed themselves with their own fry. Awful, isn't it? I've even had a guppy jump INTO a breeder basket and gobble up the babies that were supposed to be 'safe.' I'm not the biggest fan of guppies - they don't live with me anymore. 

Never had Platy, so I'll have to let someone else comment here, but if they're anywhere near as voracious as the gups. . . nomnomnom BABIES! *rolls eyes at live-bearers*

Bummer that you gave up your Mollies. They are one of my favorite fish. Mine are playful and silly, and full of personality. . . oddly enough, after the initial fry or two, they showed NO interest in devouring their own offspring. I was able to leave their fry go grow up with mom and dad in tank, and they've grown into beautiful little creatures. This is just my experience, though, Mollies are just as capable as any of the others as far as eating fry are concerned. Guess mine are well-fed and lazy 

I'd go 2 months on QT for a gourami - JUST to be on the safe side, and I'd think you'd be fine with a 10g for a QT area.  I'm not really sure which to recommend to you, perhaps there is a type out there that is more tolerant of harder water? Hopefully someone can help you out better here!

Corydoras ARE cute, and best kept in shoals - a group of 6 or 7 will be nice, but these also prefer softer water than your guppies. You'll have to be mindful that they're getting their fare share of food. Guppies are greedy eaters, and fast - while the cats are bottom feeders. Just be aware, should you choose to take that route, and be sure to get sinking pellets for them and distract the guppies with flake food, so the cats get a chance to eat in peace...


----------



## LyzzaRyzz (Dec 18, 2011)

I actually will need to get more mollies, how could i have forgotten?! I have a single female molly fry that survived the first birth in my tank. Shes 19 days old now, and her two guppy girl frys are 18.
Shes so cute, a dalmation to boot!

I really hope i get ahold of SOMEONE who knows the gh/kh of my water...My dad said he got it tested years ago, and again a few years ago, and my water was hard. But knowing the actual numbers is a different story.

So, since gouramis and cories are softer water ='[ What other kinds of fish could i put in the tank?

The stocking i have so far is 10-12 guppies, three-four mollies, a bn pleco and a rn pleco. I am thinking of returning the rn pleco for another opposite sex bn pleco, but im not too sure.


----------



## LyzzaRyzz (Dec 18, 2011)

and ive had the gups for about three weeks now, some of my females look ready to split thier seams! I didnt know guppies actively sought out their young...Im going to really have to watch them! I need those babies! lol


----------



## Chesh (Feb 17, 2012)

LOL! How could ANYONE forget that they NEED MOLLIES!!!? *luffs Mollies* Mine are dalmatians, too - SO cute! I'm working on a plot to get them into their own hard water tank, as my water is soft. I got them before I knew any better. They seem to be doing well (Mollies are notorious for the ability to thrive in almost any water), but I want them to be at their optimum happiness, so will find a way to make hard/salinated water happen for them. 

I am REALLY glad to see you're looking into harder water options. It really will be best for the fish, and for you - because a fish that is optimally suited to your water WILL be happier and more vibrant than the other way around. I know people do it all the time, but it's best not to. Of course, I have soft water, so I'm not really going to be too much help in offering suggestions there. But I KNOW they're out there!

API has a GH/KH test kit for fairly cheap - I paid around $7ish for mine. If they don't sell it in your fish shop, you can order it online - I know Amazon has it. It's a very simple test, and it's good to have on-hand. When I went through this, my city water representatives didn't actually have an answer. They don't know much about water, it seems - I wasted a lot of time speaking to supervisors and supervisors of supervisors and waiting for call backs before figured that out!


----------



## LyzzaRyzz (Dec 18, 2011)

I wish i could order stuff online!!
I should be getting a pay pal soon...My friend is willing to set it up for me, and use her money and ill pay her cash...she just lives 40 minutes away, and i dont have a car and neither does she. >.< 
I should be having a camp out with her this weekend, so hopefully...ill be ordering away!
If i spend any more money on tests, my boyfriends gonna kill me! He thinks Im nuts spending $35 on the api master test kit...

Is it bad i get a thrill when thinking about ALL THE FISH i could possibly have in my tank?

And Damn, I forgot the minnows!
I am so bad at keeping track of my stocking lists!

The list is actually,
10-12 guppies
3-4 mollies
6-7 Rosy Red Minnows
1 bn pleco
1 rn pleco


----------



## Varkolak (Jun 9, 2012)

1m per 2f on the honey gourami, I do fine with 2 males 3 females though in a slightly larger tank so as long as you keep under 2 males and more female then male you should be fine - but with your tank I'd bet you will want 1 m and 2 females and if your choosing them because of mine remember mine are golden honey xD huge difference in looks. I found some normal honey gourami at a pet shop and couldn't believe how much cleaner the colors are on goldens but its all personal preference


----------



## LyzzaRyzz (Dec 18, 2011)

What if I did just a pair? Would that work? So the different species are honey and golden honey? Is there a difference in behavior or just color?

Are there any other giuramis that may work? In case I can't get ahold of honey/dwarf..

My LPS had dwarf giuramis...they look pretty healthy. I know that those are the ones that most likely be sick, but they are just so pretty! I know, I shouldn't be swayed, but it's still a ways away from buying time.

I think that would be all if want in the tank..
2-3 honey gourami/dwarf gourami
10-14 guppies
6-7 Rosy Reds
3-4 Mollies
1 BN pleco

The RN pleco I'm still unsure about.

Would it even be worth looking in petsmart for dwarf/honey gourami? Since they are often sick, would petsmart just add to the sick factor?


----------



## LyzzaRyzz (Dec 18, 2011)

Oh whoops! I totally forgot the water harness issue. I went to go see the giuramis again today, so I uses I just got caught up!

Ugh! I thought I had a perfect stocking! Now I need another species...
Is there a bigger non fish eating fish that likes harder water?


----------



## Varkolak (Jun 9, 2012)

I don't think petsmart will normally carry honey gourami, I had a local one a few years ago that I trusted for fish but I don't know if you would trust yours - alot of the tank maintenance revolves around the local owners and if they quarantine or not.

You "might" be able to keep just a pair but 3 is optimal, if there are any females the male will want to breed and with only a single he will harass her non stop. My tanks aggression is gender split, the 3 females chase each other to create a loose pecking order while the males compete over prime bubble nesting areas. Once they both had their nests to guard the males keep in their spots and refuse to let females or other fish near them or the eggs.

I myself would really like to know for sure about the honey/golden honey myself but I'm pretty sure they share a scientific name. The females of golds have a lateral brown line that passes their eyes and are golden yellow, the male honeys have red fins and gold yellow bodies and while breeding get a black mask and throat. Female normal are a dull brown/tank with the same lateral line. Males of normal honeys are a dark red and will gain a brown/black throat and mask while breeding. I myself have noticed that golden honey gourami are smaller then the honey gourami I found, the females are barely 1.5inch and the males are smaller then that. The normal honeys I saw were almost the size of normal dwarf gouramis only thinner in width

Be warned that there are dwarf gourami that will be sold as honey gourami and will run the same 20-25% odds of being infected with DGI while Honeys are much less vulnerable to it (some would say immune) The easiest way to be sure you are getting honey gourami is to look for the lateral line on the females that can from all the way to their tail from their eye, sometimes it will be faded or not a complete line but its noticable.


----------



## LyzzaRyzz (Dec 18, 2011)

How do i know about the male though? Id hate to get two honeys and get the male be a dwarf! Ugh..id be crushed! Especially since their going to be my last addition!

What are the symptoms of the disease? Whats it called again? Id like to research it...


----------

