Deliberation of new fish!!

[CosmicStar]

Hello friends! I've had a 16 gallon bowfront aquarium lightly planted with a nice piece of driftwood for 4 months now..and I am completely in love! It took me a bit to figure out my fish situation but once I finally came to it was the best decision. I had a total of 8 diamond tetras and one past away yesterday :/. Instead of buying a new diamond tetra I am leaning towards a center non-schooling fish. Maybe a fancy male guppy? What do you guys think?

[-Alex-]

You don't normally hear of guppies being kept alone... They do feel safer in groups and do group together in tanks so i wouldnt exactly class them as 'non-schooling fish'. Iv kept guppies lots of times and having a single one as a centerpeice fish just doesnt seem right to me.... Im not sure on this one :11: !

Maybe a single honey gourami would be a nice centerpeice fish.... I have honey's in my 20gal and i consider my endler guppies my schooling fish =D.

A male apistogramma? thumbs2:

[dizzydezzy]

Guppies like to be with their own kind, and while I'm not sure about diamond tetras (they are a larger kind, right?), they generally tend to be nippy, especially when kept in smaller groups, and vsn be pretty bad company for any fish with long flowing fins (like a male guppy). For the same reason, I would not recomend a betta (though a betta would have probably done ok with a larger group of smaller tetras, like neons..).

If you are really dead-set on a center fish, a single male dwarf gourami could be a pretty striking centerpiece for a smaller tank, and they tend to be less agressive than their larger relations. They are pretty personable little fish :)

[CosmicStar]

So a gourami would be suitable for a 16 gallon? Cool..because I was debating for one of those more so than the guppy! How big do the dwarf ones get..they are striking!

[escamosa]

They get to around 2 - 2.5 inches. thumbs2: There's so many nice colours in those. http://www.google.com.au/search?q=Colisa+lalia&hl=en&rls=com.microsoft:en-au:IE-SearchBox&rlz=1I7ACAW_en___AU376&prmd=imvnso&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=nPrXT8DRLcutiQf5urX-Ag&ved=0CFYQsAQ&biw=1280&bih=747

[MandyK]

Oh def go for the Dwarf Gourami! I have one of the Flame DG's and he is a trip! He uses my entire tank (55g), loves to scavenge off of everything in there, and is doing really well with my little neons I got today. He'll even come up to the glass to greet me when I come near.

[Lady Hobbs]

I would keep it as it is myself. I can't see what tossing one of some other species in the tank will do for the overall appearance.

[Llama]

If you're wanting to add a different fish, I'd agree that a dwarf gourami us a good choice! I have a honey dwarf gourami in my tank with a group if danios, and I think the difference in behaviors makes an interesting contrast. The DG does his own thing while the danios play their unending game of tag/hide and seek/whatever they're up to.

Can't go wrong with a replacement tetra, either... Depends on what you want to see in the tank.

[vinodjbhatia]

I think 8 diamond tetras in a 16 gallon is good enough stocking.

[Deonne]

Would a dwarf neon rainbow work?

[CosmicStar]

I think 8 diamond tetras in a 16 gallon is good enough stocking.
Well I don't have 8 any more..one past away on Sunday.

[CosmicStar]

I would keep it as it is myself. I can't see what tossing one of some other species in the tank will do for the overall appearance.
I'm just looking for something appealing..i think a gourami with my diamond tetras would be a nice contrast even though its a subtle one!

[ameliaaahx]

A dwarf neon rainbow is a schooling fish, so no...

Yeah, for a 16g I would just stick with diamonds. They're a larger tetra and a 16 is a pretty small tank. I hear that diamonds are notoriously nippy, and with only 7 they're probably gunna be extra nippy.

If you want more than one species I'd say either upgrade your tank or swap your diamonds for a smaller schooler, like 10 harlequin rasbora or some cardinal or rummy-nose tetras. Then you'd have room for like 6 cories or ottos or 8 Kuhli Loaches. And maybe a Dwarf Gourami.

[CosmicStar]

A dwarf neon rainbow is a schooling fish, so no...

Yeah, for a 16g I would just stick with diamonds. They're a larger tetra and a 16 is a pretty small tank. I hear that diamonds are notoriously nippy, and with only 7 they're probably gunna be extra nippy.

If you want more than one species I'd say either upgrade your tank or swap your diamonds for a smaller schooler, like 10 harlequin rasbora or some cardinal or rummy-nose tetras. Then you'd have room for like 6 cories or ottos or 8 Kuhli Loaches. And maybe a Dwarf Gourami.
Wellll, gouramis don't really have long fins for the diamonds to nip..

[ameliaaahx]

Doesn't mean it won't be nipped/harassed. Wouldn't attempt it myself.

[CosmicStar]

I understood that diamond tetras are a non aggressive community fish..which is why I got them..I don't see why they would be nippy to a gourami.

[ameliaaahx]

Well, I'm just stating my opinion. :) I think in that sized tank with that particular fish it would be better to just stick to diamonds.

Not sure why you bothered asking if you were going to disregard any information/opinions you got that you didn't like.

[CosmicStar]

Well, I'm just stating my opinion. :) I think in that sized tank with that particular fish it would be better to just stick to diamonds.

Not sure why you bothered asking if you were going to disregard any information/opinions you got that you didn't like.
I'm not..I'm clearly asking you to back up your statement with facts.

[MandyK]

He said, "In my opinion". No one would tell you something that would harm or hinder your fish tank in anyway. I personally would go with a Gourami, but then I'm much newer to this than these other people are.

Try not to get offended, people just want you to succeed!

[ScottishFish]

In my experience schooling fish in single digits will always be upredictably with regards to being nippy.

A 16G with you 7 tetras, a red cherry shrimp and an apple snail would look pretty good. I'd stay away from gouramis for your size of tank. I housed a dwarf in a 42G before and it was still as fiesty. All can depend on the individual fish aswell remember :22:

[CosmicStar]

I understand and am in no way offended (:! Just wanted a little more information! Why would a single gourami intimidate a non aggressive community fish of diamonds to where they would nip or harass him?

Hmm..I kind of like the idea of a cherrry shrimp! What about more than 1?

[CrunchyLeaf]

So this is just my 2 cents.

Take a look at this aquarium journal for an example of what happens when a tetra is kept in a small school in the presence of a larger fish like a gourami.
http://www.aquaticcommunity.com/aquariumforum/showthread.php?t=92676

In the case above they had to rehome some fish to find harmony in their tank. It's not that the gourami would so intimidate the fish that they would feel the need to nip at him, but the fact that they are in a small school could make them extra nippy and in a small tank like that he's not going to have a lot of room to get away. I promise you if you had a beautiful dwarf gourami with shredded fins who always hid or laid on the substrate, you would not like it.

I desperately wanted to have a big centerpiece fish in my 10 gallon, but I chose to go with 1 big school of a tetra and I am so happy that I did. The larger the school, the more fun they are to watch. I will always be thankful to Lady Hobbs for her persistent advice on keeping an appropriate number of species in your tank. thumbs2:

[ameliaaahx]

It's not that the gourami would so intimidate the fish that they would feel the need to nip at him, but the fact that they are in a small school could make them extra nippy and in a small tank like that he's not going to have a lot of room to get away.
Precisely what I was trying to get at -- sorry, I should have worded it better. :(

In, say, a 30g tank, you might be able to keep your Diamond + Gourami combo. You could have 15 diamonds and a DG, the Diamonds would be in a big enough group that they annoy each other rather than nipping at and harassing the other tank occupants. The tank would also be large enough that the Gourami could get away from the Diamonds if he had to. Just an example. In a smaller tank with a smaller school, as Crunchy said, poor Gourami is going to be a sitting duck. Those delicate feelers of his would be gone in a snap.

I like SFs suggestion. Cherry shrimp are really cute. :)

[CosmicStar]

In my experience schooling fish in single digits will always be upredictably with regards to being nippy.

A 16G with you 7 tetras, a red cherry shrimp and an apple snail would look pretty good. I'd stay away from gouramis for your size of tank. I housed a dwarf in a 42G before and it was still as fiesty. All can depend on the individual fish aswell remember :22:
Not a good call on the cherry shrimp ): LFS said the tetras would tear him apart since they love live food! I was looking forward to getting a couple too..soo looks like I'll just wait for the tetras to die off before I restock with new fish..would 10 be too many for the size that I have? Understood that single digit schools aren't thriving..

[CosmicStar]

Not a good call on the cherry shrimp ): LFS said the tetras would tear him apart since they love live food! I was looking forward to getting a couple too..soo looks like I'll just wait for the tetras to die off before I restock with new fish..would 10 be too many for the size that I have? Understood that single digit schools aren't thriving..
Or maybe I could just give the diamonds back to where I got them..they are beautiful and I have become attached some..I'm just a little torn on what I should do :?

[CrunchyLeaf]

Diamond tetras live up to 5 years so that's going to be a long wait. If you are not happy with them, look into rehoming them. Your LFS may give you a half store credit or your local aquarium club may have members that would take them for you. You could also try selling them on craigslist.

If you are really attached to them, then hopefully you will be happy with a species tank.

[CosmicStar]

Thanks...how many is the max I could have in my tank? Scientifically, if each is 2 inches I am only supposed to have 8..I was hoping for 10!

[ameliaaahx]

The 1inch-per-gal rule isn't really that accurate... I'm sure you could fit 10, or at least 9. You might just have to do a little bigger water changes than you are now. :)

But like Crunchy said, if you're not happy with them why don't you rehome them? I often sell off fish on the net.

Cherry shrimp can be something to consider for the future!

[CosmicStar]

Something to consider, for sure!! Which species are best with cherry shrimp?

[ameliaaahx]

I'm no expert, we don't have shrimp in the aquarium trade in New Zealand. But I think most small schooling fish can be safely kept with them. Like Cardinals, Rummy-nose, Penguins, Harlequin Rasbora, etc. There are dozen of alternatives, it all depends on what you like and what your LFS stocks.

Have you seen Es' thread on 10g stocking? A lot of the combinations would work well for your tank, you could just increase the school sizes a bit or in come cases add another species.
http://www.aquaticcommunity.com/aquariumforum/showthread.php?t=83955

[CosmicStar]

Thanks! Still undecided about what to do...I'm having dreams about it. :/

[CosmicStar]

I think I am getting rid of the diamonds and will try neon tetras and cherry shrimp if my LFS has them!

[ameliaaahx]

Good call. :) I really like my neons. I don't think there is much else you can get in the tetra family that rivals them for best colour display. You could fit 15 in there easy. Possibly more, I'm not sure how much of a bioload shrimp make but I assume it's not much.

[CosmicStar]

Good call. :) I really like my neons. I don't think there is much else you can get in the tetra family that rivals them for best colour display. You could fit 15 in there easy. Possibly more, I'm not sure how much of a bioload shrimp make but I assume it's not much.
Well, the fish store I trust the most is closed for father's day..bummer! How come you are shutting down your tanks?

[ameliaaahx]

Studying fulltime soon so I'll be poor, and also moving out of parents into a flat. :( I'm still deliberating what to keep and what to sell.

[CosmicStar]

Aww..well I wish you luck. Thought I would update my situation..I ended up keeping the 7 diamonds and adding 5 black phantom tetras..which are beautiful. Maybe I shouldn't have done that but it seems to be working out so far..I am tempted to bring back the tetras but it would be such a fight to try and catch them! Keeping it as is for now!