What Would YOU Put in a 6 Gallon Mini-Bow?

[Lisa]

Hello,

I have an empty 6-gallon "mini-bow" tank that is just crying out to be
used. We already have a 50-gal. community tank (dwarf gouramis, corys,
eventually paradise fish and etc.).

We also have a 10-gallon with 2 divided bettas - so I don't want to go
the betta route again. We also have a 6-gallon with 4-6 fancy guppies
(provide fry for the other tanks!). But this empty tank is offending
me! It seems forlorn.

Any ideas? What would you put in an empty 6-gallon - that isn't bettas
or guppy fry? :-)

Thanks,

- Lisa
Central Coast, CA

[Billy]

"Lisa" > wrote in message
ups.com...
|
| Any ideas? What would you put in an empty 6-gallon - that isn't
bettas
| or guppy fry? :-)
|

Small school of cardinals and a pair of cory cats.

[John Thomas]

Lisa wrote:
> Hello,
>
> I have an empty 6-gallon "mini-bow" tank that is just crying out to be
> used. We already have a 50-gal. community tank (dwarf gouramis, corys,
> eventually paradise fish and etc.).
>
> We also have a 10-gallon with 2 divided bettas - so I don't want to go
> the betta route again. We also have a 6-gallon with 4-6 fancy guppies
> (provide fry for the other tanks!). But this empty tank is offending
> me! It seems forlorn.
>
> Any ideas? What would you put in an empty 6-gallon - that isn't bettas
> or guppy fry? :-)
>
> Thanks,
>
> - Lisa
> Central Coast, CA
>
An Apple Snail and as many ghost shrimp as you can buy for $3.00! :-)

[Elaine T]

Lisa wrote:
> Hello,
>
> I have an empty 6-gallon "mini-bow" tank that is just crying out to be
> used. We already have a 50-gal. community tank (dwarf gouramis, corys,
> eventually paradise fish and etc.).
>
> We also have a 10-gallon with 2 divided bettas - so I don't want to go
> the betta route again. We also have a 6-gallon with 4-6 fancy guppies
> (provide fry for the other tanks!). But this empty tank is offending
> me! It seems forlorn.
>
> Any ideas? What would you put in an empty 6-gallon - that isn't bettas
> or guppy fry? :-)
>
> Thanks,
>
> - Lisa
> Central Coast, CA
>
A few ideas...

- A trio of 1 male and 2 female Lamprologus ocellatus "gold" or
Neolamprologus multifasciatus - small shell dwelling Tanganyikan
cichlids. The shell dwelling behavior is really neat to watch and when
they're out, they sit on the bottom, propped on their pectoral fins sort
of like gobies. If your water is hard like mine in So. Cal, they'll
love it and will likely spawn.

- A community of a few of any small tetra or rasbora and a ram or
Apistogramma spp. I have lambchop rasboras and a ram in my 5 gal.

- A pair of any of the Apistogramma spp., kribensis, or rams. They
should breed and care for their eggs but Apistos can be harder to keep
than L. ocellatus. Kribensis are relatively easy.

- Killifish! Yo - Richard! What works in a 5 gallon? I've kept Fp.
gardeneri in a community tank just cause he looked really cool, but you
can spawn pairs of killies easily in 5 galons.

--
__ Elaine T __
><__'> http://eethomp.com/fish.html <'__><

[[email protected]]

One blue crayfish.

[sophie]

In message om>, Lisa
> writes
>Hello,
>
>I have an empty 6-gallon "mini-bow" tank that is just crying out to be
>used. We already have a 50-gal. community tank (dwarf gouramis, corys,
>eventually paradise fish and etc.).
>
>We also have a 10-gallon with 2 divided bettas - so I don't want to go
>the betta route again. We also have a 6-gallon with 4-6 fancy guppies
>(provide fry for the other tanks!). But this empty tank is offending
>me! It seems forlorn.
>
>Any ideas? What would you put in an empty 6-gallon - that isn't bettas
>or guppy fry? :-)

pygmy corys.

>
>Thanks,
>
>- Lisa
>Central Coast, CA
>

--
sophie

[IDzine01]

I keep two African Dwarf Frogs in my 6 gallon.

Or maybe one or two Dwarf Puffers. (Two if you keep it heavily
planted.)

[Eric Schreiber]

IDzine01 wrote:

> Or maybe one or two Dwarf Puffers. (Two if you keep it heavily
> planted.)

I kept four dwarf puffers in a three gallon tank with no problems at
all. It was only lightly planted with some Java fern.


--
Eric Schreiber
www.ericschreiber.com

[IDzine01]

I had two female Dwarf in a 5.5 gallon and one was picked on quite a
bit until I allowed enough hiding spots for her. I think, like many
fish, some are just more aggressive then others.

>From my readings, I hear they do best with 2 - 3 gallons per puffer but
you probably could do more as long as you keep those nitrates down very
low.

[Larry Blanchard]

In article om>,
says...
> Any ideas? What would you put in an empty 6-gallon - that isn't bettas
> or guppy fry? :-)
>
>
First - live plants.

Then one of the following:

Corydoras - maybe 5 or 6 with the plants and a good filter

Killifish - short lived but beautiful and you can buy the eggs online.
One pair or two? I don't know.

Dwarf puffers - three or four.

That's what I'd do but I see you've gotten lots of suggestions - the
problem will be choosing among them :-).

--
Homo sapiens is a goal, not a description

[NetMax]

"Lisa" > wrote in message
ups.com...
> Hello,
>
> I have an empty 6-gallon "mini-bow" tank that is just crying out to be
> used. We already have a 50-gal. community tank (dwarf gouramis, corys,
> eventually paradise fish and etc.).
>
> We also have a 10-gallon with 2 divided bettas - so I don't want to go
> the betta route again. We also have a 6-gallon with 4-6 fancy guppies
> (provide fry for the other tanks!). But this empty tank is offending
> me! It seems forlorn.
>
> Any ideas? What would you put in an empty 6-gallon - that isn't bettas
> or guppy fry? :-)
>
> Thanks,
>
> - Lisa
> Central Coast, CA


I suppose my answer would vary by the day of the week, so my Tuesday
answer will be.......
A pair of Eretmodus cyanostictus, choosing from the Burundi, Kavalla
orange, Tanzania or the Zaire.

Sometimes called surf gobies, these Tanganyikan cichlids only get to 3"
(female is smaller). They swim, hover, park and hop between rocks. They
share duties, the female mouthbroods for 10 days and then the male
mouthbroods for another 10 days. Although not dramatically coloured,
they more than make up for it in personality. This is the kind of fish
who will swim out to meet you, and then while you're doing other stuff,
he will calmly park in the water and seem to study your every move with
the most studious expression. Tired of being 'studied' you can push your
nose right up to the glass, and he will not yield his position, watch you
for another minute, and then calmly turn around and slowly swim to some
stone, as if to tell you that your entertainment value has dropped.

Last year, I seen a pair at the LFS for $120. By the time I got back to
the store from doing a little research, they had been sold :o(.
--
www.NetMax.tk

[Eric Schreiber]

IDzine01 wrote:

> I had two female Dwarf in a 5.5 gallon and one was picked on quite a
> bit until I allowed enough hiding spots for her. I think, like many
> fish, some are just more aggressive then others.

I have no idea what gender mine were. I didn't even know there was a
good way to tell them apart. You're right, though, different
individuals, and in varying mixes, will behave differently.

They were pretty cool little fish, but mine were a PITA to feed. They
insisted on nothing but frozen bloodworms.


--
Eric Schreiber
www.ericschreiber.com

[Kay]

Elaine T wrote:
> Lisa wrote:
>
>> Hello,
>>
>> I have an empty 6-gallon "mini-bow" tank that is just crying out to be
>> used. We already have a 50-gal. community tank (dwarf gouramis, corys,
>> eventually paradise fish and etc.).
>>
>> We also have a 10-gallon with 2 divided bettas - so I don't want to go
>> the betta route again. We also have a 6-gallon with 4-6 fancy guppies
>> (provide fry for the other tanks!). But this empty tank is offending
>> me! It seems forlorn.
>>
>> Any ideas? What would you put in an empty 6-gallon - that isn't bettas
>> or guppy fry? :-)
>>
>> Thanks,
>>
>> - Lisa
>> Central Coast, CA
>>
> A few ideas...
>
> - A trio of 1 male and 2 female Lamprologus ocellatus "gold" or
> Neolamprologus multifasciatus - small shell dwelling Tanganyikan
> cichlids. The shell dwelling behavior is really neat to watch and when
> they're out, they sit on the bottom, propped on their pectoral fins sort
> of like gobies. If your water is hard like mine in So. Cal, they'll
> love it and will likely spawn.
>
> - A community of a few of any small tetra or rasbora and a ram or
> Apistogramma spp. I have lambchop rasboras and a ram in my 5 gal.
>
> - A pair of any of the Apistogramma spp., kribensis, or rams. They
> should breed and care for their eggs but Apistos can be harder to keep
> than L. ocellatus. Kribensis are relatively easy.
>
> - Killifish! Yo - Richard! What works in a 5 gallon? I've kept Fp.
> gardeneri in a community tank just cause he looked really cool, but you
> can spawn pairs of killies easily in 5 galons.
>

IMHO I think a 6 is sto small for kribensis, or rams.

[Tedd Jacobs]

"Eric Schreiber" wrote...
> IDzine01 wrote:
>
>> I had two female Dwarf in a 5.5 gallon and one was picked on quite a
>> bit until I allowed enough hiding spots for her. I think, like many
>> fish, some are just more aggressive then others.
>
> I have no idea what gender mine were. I didn't even know there was a
> good way to tell them apart. You're right, though, different
> individuals, and in varying mixes, will behave differently.
>
> They were pretty cool little fish, but mine were a PITA to feed. They
> insisted on nothing but frozen bloodworms.

mine were the same way. unfortunatly, they didnt survive the move. :*(
only other loss thus far has been one of my mated angels. :-/ once we get
everything settled in i'm going to do some shuffling and set up the 15 gal.
just for them and the pl*co, who incidentaly came through the move fat as
can be. he seems to have a thing for HBH frog bites, scoops them up like
puffers on bloodworms. ;-)

tedd.

[Tedd Jacobs]

"NetMax" wrote...

<snip>

> [...] Tired of being 'studied' you can push your nose right up to the
> glass, and he will not yield his position, watch you for another minute,
> and then calmly turn around and slowly swim to some stone, as if to tell
> you that your entertainment value has dropped.
>
> Last year, I seen a pair at the LFS for $120. [..]

geesh, i can get that treatement from my wife for free! ;^)

[Elaine T]

Kay wrote:
> Elaine T wrote:
>
>> Lisa wrote:
>>
>>> Hello,
>>>
>>> I have an empty 6-gallon "mini-bow" tank that is just crying out to be
>>> used. We already have a 50-gal. community tank (dwarf gouramis, corys,
>>> eventually paradise fish and etc.).
>>>
>>> We also have a 10-gallon with 2 divided bettas - so I don't want to go
>>> the betta route again. We also have a 6-gallon with 4-6 fancy guppies
>>> (provide fry for the other tanks!). But this empty tank is offending
>>> me! It seems forlorn.
>>>
>>> Any ideas? What would you put in an empty 6-gallon - that isn't bettas
>>> or guppy fry? :-)
>>>
>>> Thanks,
>>>
>>> - Lisa
>>> Central Coast, CA
>>>
>> A few ideas...
>>
>> - A trio of 1 male and 2 female Lamprologus ocellatus "gold" or
>> Neolamprologus multifasciatus - small shell dwelling Tanganyikan
>> cichlids. The shell dwelling behavior is really neat to watch and
>> when they're out, they sit on the bottom, propped on their pectoral
>> fins sort of like gobies. If your water is hard like mine in So. Cal,
>> they'll love it and will likely spawn.
>>
>> - A community of a few of any small tetra or rasbora and a ram or
>> Apistogramma spp. I have lambchop rasboras and a ram in my 5 gal.
>>
>> - A pair of any of the Apistogramma spp., kribensis, or rams. They
>> should breed and care for their eggs but Apistos can be harder to keep
>> than L. ocellatus. Kribensis are relatively easy.
>>
>> - Killifish! Yo - Richard! What works in a 5 gallon? I've kept Fp.
>> gardeneri in a community tank just cause he looked really cool, but
>> you can spawn pairs of killies easily in 5 galons.
>>
>
> IMHO I think a 6 is sto small for kribensis, or rams.

What exactly makes you say that? My ram is currently doing fine in a 5
gallon tank.

--
__ Elaine T __
><__'> http://eethomp.com/fish.html <'__><

[Richard Sexton]

> - Killifish! Yo - Richard! What works in a 5 gallon?


Nearly everything. It wouldn't be appropriate for thge larger
Fundulopanchax species, but any Aphyosemion you can easily
get your hands on would be ideal. A. striatum is one of
any numnber of ideal nearly unkillable breeds-like-crazy
killifish that are one of the most spectacular fish on
the planet:

http://viewimages.killi.net/s/STR/

Many thanks to Sigfried Basler for the addition of his superb images
here.


--
Need Mercedes parts ? - http://parts.mbz.org
http://www.mbz.org | Mercedes Mailing lists: http://lists.mbz.org
633CSi 250SE/C 300SD | Killies, killi.net, Crypts, aquaria.net
1970 280SE, 72 280SE | Old wris****ches http://watches.list.mbz.org

[Kay]

Elaine T wrote:
> Kay wrote:
>
>> Elaine T wrote:
>>
>>> Lisa wrote:
>>>
>>>> Hello,
>>>>
>>>> I have an empty 6-gallon "mini-bow" tank that is just crying out to be
>>>> used. We already have a 50-gal. community tank (dwarf gouramis, corys,
>>>> eventually paradise fish and etc.).
>>>>
>>>> We also have a 10-gallon with 2 divided bettas - so I don't want to go
>>>> the betta route again. We also have a 6-gallon with 4-6 fancy guppies
>>>> (provide fry for the other tanks!). But this empty tank is offending
>>>> me! It seems forlorn.
>>>>
>>>> Any ideas? What would you put in an empty 6-gallon - that isn't bettas
>>>> or guppy fry? :-)
>>>>
>>>> Thanks,
>>>>
>>>> - Lisa
>>>> Central Coast, CA
>>>>
>>> A few ideas...
>>>
>>> - A trio of 1 male and 2 female Lamprologus ocellatus "gold" or
>>> Neolamprologus multifasciatus - small shell dwelling Tanganyikan
>>> cichlids. The shell dwelling behavior is really neat to watch and
>>> when they're out, they sit on the bottom, propped on their pectoral
>>> fins sort of like gobies. If your water is hard like mine in So.
>>> Cal, they'll love it and will likely spawn.
>>>
>>> - A community of a few of any small tetra or rasbora and a ram or
>>> Apistogramma spp. I have lambchop rasboras and a ram in my 5 gal.
>>>
>>> - A pair of any of the Apistogramma spp., kribensis, or rams. They
>>> should breed and care for their eggs but Apistos can be harder to
>>> keep than L. ocellatus. Kribensis are relatively easy.
>>>
>>> - Killifish! Yo - Richard! What works in a 5 gallon? I've kept Fp.
>>> gardeneri in a community tank just cause he looked really cool, but
>>> you can spawn pairs of killies easily in 5 galons.
>>>
>>
>> IMHO I think a 6 is sto small for kribensis, or rams.
>
>
> What exactly makes you say that? My ram is currently doing fine in a 5
> gallon tank.
>

http://hjem.get2net.dk/Best_of_the_Web/blue%20rams.html

http://www.myfishtank.net/forum/archive/index.php/t-2362.html

http://www.fishandtips.com/displaydb.php?ID=2

The GCCA, Greater Chicago Cichlid Association suggests nothing less than
a 20. They like to swim and move about with proper room they look so
awesome 5 gallon is not the proper room.

[Elaine T]

Kay wrote:
> Elaine T wrote:
>
>> Kay wrote:
>>
>>> Elaine T wrote:
>>>
>>>> Lisa wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> Hello,
>>>>>
>>>>> I have an empty 6-gallon "mini-bow" tank that is just crying out to be
>>>>> used. We already have a 50-gal. community tank (dwarf gouramis,
>>>>> corys,
>>>>> eventually paradise fish and etc.).
>>>>>
>>>>> We also have a 10-gallon with 2 divided bettas - so I don't want to go
>>>>> the betta route again. We also have a 6-gallon with 4-6 fancy guppies
>>>>> (provide fry for the other tanks!). But this empty tank is offending
>>>>> me! It seems forlorn.
>>>>>
>>>>> Any ideas? What would you put in an empty 6-gallon - that isn't
>>>>> bettas
>>>>> or guppy fry? :-)
>>>>>
>>>>> Thanks,
>>>>>
>>>>> - Lisa
>>>>> Central Coast, CA
>>>>>
>>>> A few ideas...
>>>>
>>>> - A trio of 1 male and 2 female Lamprologus ocellatus "gold" or
>>>> Neolamprologus multifasciatus - small shell dwelling Tanganyikan
>>>> cichlids. The shell dwelling behavior is really neat to watch and
>>>> when they're out, they sit on the bottom, propped on their pectoral
>>>> fins sort of like gobies. If your water is hard like mine in So.
>>>> Cal, they'll love it and will likely spawn.
>>>>
>>>> - A community of a few of any small tetra or rasbora and a ram or
>>>> Apistogramma spp. I have lambchop rasboras and a ram in my 5 gal.
>>>>
>>>> - A pair of any of the Apistogramma spp., kribensis, or rams. They
>>>> should breed and care for their eggs but Apistos can be harder to
>>>> keep than L. ocellatus. Kribensis are relatively easy.
>>>>
>>>> - Killifish! Yo - Richard! What works in a 5 gallon? I've kept
>>>> Fp. gardeneri in a community tank just cause he looked really cool,
>>>> but you can spawn pairs of killies easily in 5 galons.
>>>>
>>>
>>> IMHO I think a 6 is sto small for kribensis, or rams.
>>
>>
>>
>> What exactly makes you say that? My ram is currently doing fine in a
>> 5 gallon tank.
>>
>
> http://hjem.get2net.dk/Best_of_the_Web/blue%20rams.html
>
> http://www.myfishtank.net/forum/archive/index.php/t-2362.html
>
> http://www.fishandtips.com/displaydb.php?ID=2
>
> The GCCA, Greater Chicago Cichlid Association suggests nothing less than
> a 20. They like to swim and move about with proper room they look so
> awesome 5 gallon is not the proper room.

Thanks for the articles. The first was very useful but speaks of
successfully spawning pairs of rams in a 10 gallon tank. It also says
that both a pair of rams and a pair of apistos can go in a 20. That
means that again, the rams have 10. That article is also written
towards keeping rams in biotope conditions. Nice, but not always necessary.

The second seems to be nothing more than someone being obnoxious in a
newsgroup, and the third also says 10 gallons for a breeding pair,
although it cites no references and seems full of mistakes. There is a
thread going on misinformation about tropical fish on the internet in
a.f.cichlids at this very moment and that nice-looking but unreferenced
article seems to be exactly what folks are talking about.

I've bred a lot of cichlids. Or rather, watched them breed in my tanks.
I had very little to do with it. I didn't pull the possibility of
keeping dwarf cichlids in a 6 gallon tank from thin air or poorly
written articles, but rather from my own experience. Small cichlids
tend to defend an area smaller than even a typical 10 gallon leader when
they breed in a community. My altispinosas - a larger fish than rams -
only staked out a territory of about 7x7" in a 55 gallon community tank
when they got amorous. Three different species of Tanganyikans each
staked out about 12x9" of turf in another large tank. Since a 6 gallon
bowfront is 14x10.5", I don't see how there isn't room for a pair of
small cichlids with nothing else.

--
__ Elaine T __
><__'> http://eethomp.com/fish.html <'__><

[Kay]

Elaine T wrote:
> Kay wrote:
>
>> Elaine T wrote:
>>
>>> Kay wrote:
>>>
>>>> Elaine T wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> Lisa wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>>> Hello,
>>>>>>
>>>>>> I have an empty 6-gallon "mini-bow" tank that is just crying out
>>>>>> to be
>>>>>> used. We already have a 50-gal. community tank (dwarf gouramis,
>>>>>> corys,
>>>>>> eventually paradise fish and etc.).
>>>>>>
>>>>>> We also have a 10-gallon with 2 divided bettas - so I don't want
>>>>>> to go
>>>>>> the betta route again. We also have a 6-gallon with 4-6 fancy guppies
>>>>>> (provide fry for the other tanks!). But this empty tank is offending
>>>>>> me! It seems forlorn.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Any ideas? What would you put in an empty 6-gallon - that isn't
>>>>>> bettas
>>>>>> or guppy fry? :-)
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Thanks,
>>>>>>
>>>>>> - Lisa
>>>>>> Central Coast, CA
>>>>>>
>>>>> A few ideas...
>>>>>
>>>>> - A trio of 1 male and 2 female Lamprologus ocellatus "gold" or
>>>>> Neolamprologus multifasciatus - small shell dwelling Tanganyikan
>>>>> cichlids. The shell dwelling behavior is really neat to watch and
>>>>> when they're out, they sit on the bottom, propped on their pectoral
>>>>> fins sort of like gobies. If your water is hard like mine in So.
>>>>> Cal, they'll love it and will likely spawn.
>>>>>
>>>>> - A community of a few of any small tetra or rasbora and a ram or
>>>>> Apistogramma spp. I have lambchop rasboras and a ram in my 5 gal.
>>>>>
>>>>> - A pair of any of the Apistogramma spp., kribensis, or rams. They
>>>>> should breed and care for their eggs but Apistos can be harder to
>>>>> keep than L. ocellatus. Kribensis are relatively easy.
>>>>>
>>>>> - Killifish! Yo - Richard! What works in a 5 gallon? I've kept
>>>>> Fp. gardeneri in a community tank just cause he looked really cool,
>>>>> but you can spawn pairs of killies easily in 5 galons.
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>> IMHO I think a 6 is sto small for kribensis, or rams.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> What exactly makes you say that? My ram is currently doing fine in a
>>> 5 gallon tank.
>>>
>>
>> http://hjem.get2net.dk/Best_of_the_Web/blue%20rams.html
>>
>> http://www.myfishtank.net/forum/archive/index.php/t-2362.html
>>
>> http://www.fishandtips.com/displaydb.php?ID=2
>>
>> The GCCA, Greater Chicago Cichlid Association suggests nothing less
>> than a 20. They like to swim and move about with proper room they look
>> so awesome 5 gallon is not the proper room.
>
>
> Thanks for the articles. The first was very useful but speaks of
> successfully spawning pairs of rams in a 10 gallon tank. It also says
> that both a pair of rams and a pair of apistos can go in a 20. That
> means that again, the rams have 10. That article is also written
> towards keeping rams in biotope conditions. Nice, but not always
> necessary.
>
> The second seems to be nothing more than someone being obnoxious in a
> newsgroup, and the third also says 10 gallons for a breeding pair,
> although it cites no references and seems full of mistakes. There is a
> thread going on misinformation about tropical fish on the internet in
> a.f.cichlids at this very moment and that nice-looking but unreferenced
> article seems to be exactly what folks are talking about.
>
> I've bred a lot of cichlids. Or rather, watched them breed in my tanks.
> I had very little to do with it. I didn't pull the possibility of
> keeping dwarf cichlids in a 6 gallon tank from thin air or poorly
> written articles, but rather from my own experience. Small cichlids
> tend to defend an area smaller than even a typical 10 gallon leader when
> they breed in a community. My altispinosas - a larger fish than rams -
> only staked out a territory of about 7x7" in a 55 gallon community tank
> when they got amorous. Three different species of Tanganyikans each
> staked out about 12x9" of turf in another large tank. Since a 6 gallon
> bowfront is 14x10.5", I don't see how there isn't room for a pair of
> small cichlids with nothing else.
>

Personally I have a betta in my 6 gallon. I would not dream of sqeezing
anything else in or even another kind of the fish I was tempted with a
dwarf gourami, but didn't do it cause the the small space. . I like fish
to swim and roam. Its great to watch. And as far as tank advice, I tend
to stick to the GCCA, they are experts. I have my ram in a 20 gallon
tank and he just loves to swim and explore, His cave which he loves
would not fit into a 6 gallon. Its so great to watch. I cannot imagine
him in my 6 gallon it would be so sad to me.

If you would have really read my first reply it said IMHO. In My Humble
Opinion. But you focused on what you thought was negitive about your six
gallon. If you have right to do whatever you want as do I.

[Elaine T]

Kay wrote:
> Elaine T wrote:
>
>> Kay wrote:
>>
>>> Elaine T wrote:
>>>
>>>> Kay wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> Elaine T wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>>> Lisa wrote:
>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Hello,
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> I have an empty 6-gallon "mini-bow" tank that is just crying out
>>>>>>> to be
>>>>>>> used. We already have a 50-gal. community tank (dwarf gouramis,
>>>>>>> corys,
>>>>>>> eventually paradise fish and etc.).
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> We also have a 10-gallon with 2 divided bettas - so I don't want
>>>>>>> to go
>>>>>>> the betta route again. We also have a 6-gallon with 4-6 fancy
>>>>>>> guppies
>>>>>>> (provide fry for the other tanks!). But this empty tank is
>>>>>>> offending
>>>>>>> me! It seems forlorn.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Any ideas? What would you put in an empty 6-gallon - that isn't
>>>>>>> bettas
>>>>>>> or guppy fry? :-)
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Thanks,
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> - Lisa
>>>>>>> Central Coast, CA
>>>>>>>
>>>>>> A few ideas...
>>>>>>
>>>>>> - A trio of 1 male and 2 female Lamprologus ocellatus "gold" or
>>>>>> Neolamprologus multifasciatus - small shell dwelling Tanganyikan
>>>>>> cichlids. The shell dwelling behavior is really neat to watch and
>>>>>> when they're out, they sit on the bottom, propped on their
>>>>>> pectoral fins sort of like gobies. If your water is hard like
>>>>>> mine in So. Cal, they'll love it and will likely spawn.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> - A community of a few of any small tetra or rasbora and a ram or
>>>>>> Apistogramma spp. I have lambchop rasboras and a ram in my 5 gal.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> - A pair of any of the Apistogramma spp., kribensis, or rams.
>>>>>> They should breed and care for their eggs but Apistos can be
>>>>>> harder to keep than L. ocellatus. Kribensis are relatively easy.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> - Killifish! Yo - Richard! What works in a 5 gallon? I've kept
>>>>>> Fp. gardeneri in a community tank just cause he looked really
>>>>>> cool, but you can spawn pairs of killies easily in 5 galons.
>>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> IMHO I think a 6 is sto small for kribensis, or rams.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> What exactly makes you say that? My ram is currently doing fine in
>>>> a 5 gallon tank.
>>>>
>>>
>>> http://hjem.get2net.dk/Best_of_the_Web/blue%20rams.html
>>>
>>> http://www.myfishtank.net/forum/archive/index.php/t-2362.html
>>>
>>> http://www.fishandtips.com/displaydb.php?ID=2
>>>
>>> The GCCA, Greater Chicago Cichlid Association suggests nothing less
>>> than a 20. They like to swim and move about with proper room they
>>> look so awesome 5 gallon is not the proper room.
>>
>>
>>
>> Thanks for the articles. The first was very useful but speaks of
>> successfully spawning pairs of rams in a 10 gallon tank. It also says
>> that both a pair of rams and a pair of apistos can go in a 20. That
>> means that again, the rams have 10. That article is also written
>> towards keeping rams in biotope conditions. Nice, but not always
>> necessary.
>>
>> The second seems to be nothing more than someone being obnoxious in a
>> newsgroup, and the third also says 10 gallons for a breeding pair,
>> although it cites no references and seems full of mistakes. There is
>> a thread going on misinformation about tropical fish on the internet
>> in a.f.cichlids at this very moment and that nice-looking but
>> unreferenced article seems to be exactly what folks are talking about.
>>
>> I've bred a lot of cichlids. Or rather, watched them breed in my
>> tanks. I had very little to do with it. I didn't pull the
>> possibility of keeping dwarf cichlids in a 6 gallon tank from thin air
>> or poorly written articles, but rather from my own experience. Small
>> cichlids tend to defend an area smaller than even a typical 10 gallon
>> leader when they breed in a community. My altispinosas - a larger
>> fish than rams - only staked out a territory of about 7x7" in a 55
>> gallon community tank when they got amorous. Three different species
>> of Tanganyikans each staked out about 12x9" of turf in another large
>> tank. Since a 6 gallon bowfront is 14x10.5", I don't see how there
>> isn't room for a pair of small cichlids with nothing else.
>>
>
> Personally I have a betta in my 6 gallon. I would not dream of sqeezing
> anything else in or even another kind of the fish I was tempted with a
> dwarf gourami, but didn't do it cause the the small space. . I like fish
> to swim and roam. Its great to watch. And as far as tank advice, I tend
> to stick to the GCCA, they are experts. I have my ram in a 20 gallon
> tank and he just loves to swim and explore, His cave which he loves
> would not fit into a 6 gallon. Its so great to watch. I cannot imagine
> him in my 6 gallon it would be so sad to me.
>
> If you would have really read my first reply it said IMHO. In My Humble
> Opinion. But you focused on what you thought was negitive about your six
> gallon. If you have right to do whatever you want as do I.

I did really read your first reply, what little there was. I took
offense because you flat-out contradicted me without providing any
references, alternate suggestions for Lisa, anecdotes, or data
whatsoever. You basically said to me, "I think you're wrong and I'm not
going to bother to substantiate my opinion." Not my idea of humble.

However, I'm tired of arguing. Your ram is fine in 20 gallons, mine is
fine in 5 so there is clearly no one correct answer (as with much of
this hobby) and we're probably boring everyone who is reading this
thread silly.

--
__ Elaine T __
><__'> http://eethomp.com/fish.html <'__><

[NetMax]

X-No-Archive: Yes

Elaine wrote:
> Kay wrote:
>> Elaine T wrote:
>>> Kay wrote:
>>>> Elaine T wrote:
>>>>> Kay wrote:
>>>>>> Elaine T wrote:
>>>>>>> Lisa wrote:
<snip>

>.. so there is clearly no one correct answer (as with much of this
>hobby) and we're probably boring everyone who is reading this thread
>silly.


huh what? *rubbing eyes*, is it over? I must have nodded off...


oops, sorry, I guess I got silly ;~)
--
NetMax

[Kay]

Elaine T wrote:
> Kay wrote:
>
>> Elaine T wrote:
>>
>>> Kay wrote:
>>>
>>>> Elaine T wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> Kay wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>>> Elaine T wrote:
>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Lisa wrote:
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Hello,
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> I have an empty 6-gallon "mini-bow" tank that is just crying out
>>>>>>>> to be
>>>>>>>> used. We already have a 50-gal. community tank (dwarf gouramis,
>>>>>>>> corys,
>>>>>>>> eventually paradise fish and etc.).
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> We also have a 10-gallon with 2 divided bettas - so I don't want
>>>>>>>> to go
>>>>>>>> the betta route again. We also have a 6-gallon with 4-6 fancy
>>>>>>>> guppies
>>>>>>>> (provide fry for the other tanks!). But this empty tank is
>>>>>>>> offending
>>>>>>>> me! It seems forlorn.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Any ideas? What would you put in an empty 6-gallon - that isn't
>>>>>>>> bettas
>>>>>>>> or guppy fry? :-)
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Thanks,
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> - Lisa
>>>>>>>> Central Coast, CA
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> A few ideas...
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> - A trio of 1 male and 2 female Lamprologus ocellatus "gold" or
>>>>>>> Neolamprologus multifasciatus - small shell dwelling Tanganyikan
>>>>>>> cichlids. The shell dwelling behavior is really neat to watch
>>>>>>> and when they're out, they sit on the bottom, propped on their
>>>>>>> pectoral fins sort of like gobies. If your water is hard like
>>>>>>> mine in So. Cal, they'll love it and will likely spawn.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> - A community of a few of any small tetra or rasbora and a ram or
>>>>>>> Apistogramma spp. I have lambchop rasboras and a ram in my 5 gal.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> - A pair of any of the Apistogramma spp., kribensis, or rams.
>>>>>>> They should breed and care for their eggs but Apistos can be
>>>>>>> harder to keep than L. ocellatus. Kribensis are relatively easy.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> - Killifish! Yo - Richard! What works in a 5 gallon? I've kept
>>>>>>> Fp. gardeneri in a community tank just cause he looked really
>>>>>>> cool, but you can spawn pairs of killies easily in 5 galons.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> IMHO I think a 6 is sto small for kribensis, or rams.
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> What exactly makes you say that? My ram is currently doing fine in
>>>>> a 5 gallon tank.
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>> http://hjem.get2net.dk/Best_of_the_Web/blue%20rams.html
>>>>
>>>> http://www.myfishtank.net/forum/archive/index.php/t-2362.html
>>>>
>>>> http://www.fishandtips.com/displaydb.php?ID=2
>>>>
>>>> The GCCA, Greater Chicago Cichlid Association suggests nothing less
>>>> than a 20. They like to swim and move about with proper room they
>>>> look so awesome 5 gallon is not the proper room.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Thanks for the articles. The first was very useful but speaks of
>>> successfully spawning pairs of rams in a 10 gallon tank. It also
>>> says that both a pair of rams and a pair of apistos can go in a 20.
>>> That means that again, the rams have 10. That article is also
>>> written towards keeping rams in biotope conditions. Nice, but not
>>> always necessary.
>>>
>>> The second seems to be nothing more than someone being obnoxious in a
>>> newsgroup, and the third also says 10 gallons for a breeding pair,
>>> although it cites no references and seems full of mistakes. There is
>>> a thread going on misinformation about tropical fish on the internet
>>> in a.f.cichlids at this very moment and that nice-looking but
>>> unreferenced article seems to be exactly what folks are talking about.
>>>
>>> I've bred a lot of cichlids. Or rather, watched them breed in my
>>> tanks. I had very little to do with it. I didn't pull the
>>> possibility of keeping dwarf cichlids in a 6 gallon tank from thin
>>> air or poorly written articles, but rather from my own experience.
>>> Small cichlids tend to defend an area smaller than even a typical 10
>>> gallon leader when they breed in a community. My altispinosas - a
>>> larger fish than rams - only staked out a territory of about 7x7" in
>>> a 55 gallon community tank when they got amorous. Three different
>>> species of Tanganyikans each staked out about 12x9" of turf in
>>> another large tank. Since a 6 gallon bowfront is 14x10.5", I don't
>>> see how there isn't room for a pair of small cichlids with nothing else.
>>>
>>
>> Personally I have a betta in my 6 gallon. I would not dream of
>> sqeezing anything else in or even another kind of the fish I was
>> tempted with a dwarf gourami, but didn't do it cause the the small
>> space. . I like fish to swim and roam. Its great to watch. And as far
>> as tank advice, I tend to stick to the GCCA, they are experts. I have
>> my ram in a 20 gallon tank and he just loves to swim and explore, His
>> cave which he loves would not fit into a 6 gallon. Its so great to
>> watch. I cannot imagine him in my 6 gallon it would be so sad to me.
>>
>> If you would have really read my first reply it said IMHO. In My
>> Humble Opinion. But you focused on what you thought was negitive about
>> your six gallon. If you have right to do whatever you want as do I.
>
>
> I did really read your first reply, what little there was. I took
> offense because you flat-out contradicted me without providing any
> references, alternate suggestions for Lisa, anecdotes, or data
> whatsoever. You basically said to me, "I think you're wrong and I'm not
> going to bother to substantiate my opinion." Not my idea of humble.
>
> However, I'm tired of arguing. Your ram is fine in 20 gallons, mine is
> fine in 5 so there is clearly no one correct answer (as with much of
> this hobby) and we're probably boring everyone who is reading this
> thread silly.
>
Now thats one thing I can agree on.

Kay

[Geezer From The Freezer]

Lisa wrote:
>
> Hello,
>
> I have an empty 6-gallon "mini-bow" tank that is just crying out to be
> used. We already have a 50-gal. community tank (dwarf gouramis, corys,
> eventually paradise fish and etc.).
>
> We also have a 10-gallon with 2 divided bettas - so I don't want to go
> the betta route again. We also have a 6-gallon with 4-6 fancy guppies
> (provide fry for the other tanks!). But this empty tank is offending
> me! It seems forlorn.
>
> Any ideas? What would you put in an empty 6-gallon - that isn't bettas
> or guppy fry? :-)


Why not save it for a hospital / Quarantine tank, assuming you don't already
have one!?