# Rhino plecostomus, common plecostomus, powder blue gourami. Tank mates?



## ChamberX25 (Apr 4, 2010)

What would be some good tank mates to go with these two plecos and the powder blue gourami? They're all in a 55 gallon tank and seem to more or less get along just fine. So what would be good? I was thinking about getting a few more dwarf gourami, heard that they can be territorial with each other though. Any ideas?


----------



## iamntbatman (Jan 3, 2008)

First things first, what are your water parameters (pH and hardness)?

Just a heads up: that common pleco is going to get absolutely huge (18 inches or more). Eventually he'll need to go into a larger tank.


----------



## ChamberX25 (Apr 4, 2010)

PH is 7.6, been that since day 1, when I tried to lower it, about a month ago when I was given the tank with the fish in it, I tried to lower the PH, no luck, but from what I was told, it's okay as long as it stays constant which it has. As for hardness, not sure, I'll be getting the master kit with all the tests later this week.


----------



## ChamberX25 (Apr 4, 2010)

Any ideas?


----------



## iamntbatman (Jan 3, 2008)

Are you sure the pH is 7.6? I ask because the regular API pH test only goes up as high as 7.6; anything higher will still only register as 7.6. The master test kit includes a high-range pH test for pH > 7.6. If you do have a high pH and hard water, your options are somewhat more limited than if you had soft, acidic water. However, livebearers (guppies, platies, mollies, swordtails, etc.) do well in hard water, as do many rainbows.


----------



## 1077 (Apr 16, 2008)

I'm with Batman, Livebearers would work well with your water and actually do poorly in softer acidic water.
I would stay clear of Dwrf gouramis for many of them are prone to viral infections and as you have noted,,they can be quite territorial.
I have kept both the Rhino or (chocolate) plecos and the common plecos as well and both grow quite large and are copius waste producers making maintaining water quality much more difficult than the smaller livebearers.
Many people purchase the plecos as "cleanup fish' and they produce far more waste than any benefit's to all but the largest of aquariums. I might trade both to fish store for store credit if they are willing ,and select a species of pleco that stays smaller but to each,, their own.


----------

