Six new additions today

**ken1508** · 02-04-2008, 05:42 AM

I went into the store intending on getting only an opaline gourami but came out with 5 serpae tetras also. I think I got bit by the fish bug today. My 20g is at the stocking limit now with a dwarf gourami, 6 neon tetras, 3 black tetras, a yoyo loach, a small pleco and the 6 new additions.

In the first couple of hours the dwarf gourami would chase the serpaes and nip at the opaline gourami. I guess it was the dwarf gourami's way of telling the newcomers who is the boss around here. It's been 8 hours and the aggressive behavior has stopped, thankfully.

I noticed the tails of every one of the serpaes are chewed up. They must like to chasing and nip at each other as I haven't observed them chasing the other tetras. I hope they continue to keep the aggression amongst themselves as I was a bit concerned that they might start picking on the neons.

The opaline gourami is still spending most of the time hiding in the corner behind the powerhead. I hope by tomorrow it will feel more comfortable in it's new home and swim around in the open. It's color is a lot less blue than I expected. Will it's color get better as it gets older and with better food?

The 6 new fishes were bought at Petco for a dollar each. Also in the dollar sale were a few different danio's, other tetras, kissing gourami, and chinese algae eaters.

**jbeining75** · 02-04-2008, 05:51 AM

take some pictures of the tank.... to slow the aggressive behavior you may want to move the tank around a little to break up any previously established territories....

**Lady Hobbs** · 02-04-2008, 06:35 AM

You just added 6 new fish at once to a 20 gallon already stocked. Watch for ammonia levels in a couple days. You are over-stocked and may have spike.

**ken1508** · 02-04-2008, 06:53 AM

Should I just do a water change in a couple of days to head off the possibility of an ammonia spike? Thanks for the heads up, Lady H.

**Lady Hobbs** · 02-04-2008, 06:58 AM

Have you got a tester? Rather than all these fish you got today, I would rather have seen you get 6 more neons. They are social and like to be with several of their own.

You are going to have to do frequent water changes to keep your stock healthy.

**jbeining75** · 02-04-2008, 07:00 AM

what type of filter are you running on the tank????

**toddnbecka** · 02-04-2008, 08:52 PM

Gourami's are territorial critters, I have serious doubts about the long-term success of keeping them both in a 20. A pair of one species would be better.

**Lady Hobbs** · 02-04-2008, 09:06 PM

I sure agree with Todd. You are trying to get too many species into one small tank. A nice school of fish with a few corys would have been sufficient.

**shockshockshad** · 02-04-2008, 09:18 PM

I agree with todd and hobbs too. 12 neons, 1 dwarf gourami, and 6 cories would be nice.

**ken1508** · 02-05-2008, 06:58 AM

Arrgghh, disaster has struck. I just now took a good look at all the fishes for the first time today and to my horror, the tails on all 6 neon's are ripped to shreds with one nearly all gone. I suspect it's the serpaes but have not observed any of them actually chasing any of the neons. Besides chasing each other the only other fish I've seen them chase is the yoyo loach which is much too quick for them. Could they be doing the damage after I turn off the lights at night? The only other suspect is the opaline gourami, but I haven't seen it chase anyone.

I've rearrange my work schedule tomorrow and will take the serpaes back to the store first thing in the morning. I'm just mad at myself for not taking a look earlier this afternoon or I would've taken them back today.

Lesson to be learn is after introducing new stock, take close observations for the next 24 to 48 hours so that immediate action can be taken to correct any problems.

Increasing the number of neons is really good advice because I really love their iridescent blue and red colors. I'm going to trade the three black tetras in for neons and purchase additional neons to end up with a total of a dozen.
A school of twelve should look really good. I'll pass on the corys since I've got two bottom feeders already, the pleco and the yoyo loach.

I've got two filtration systems, one is an Aqua Tech h.o.b and the other is an under gravel with two powerheads. I only run one at a time during the day and all off at night for about 7-8 hours.