"Steve" wrote in message
.. .
Koi-lo wrote:
Steve wrote:
I like the blue gourami idea, but the OP should only get one, because
they're fairly territorial.


I'm thinking of a pair.


I bought 2 blue gourami in the spring thinking they were a pair - impulse
purchase. However, they clearly are male. There is obvious tension between
them, but I think it'll be ok because they're in a planted 90 gal
aquarium.

Then it should work out.

The OP should probably stick to "easy" and peaceful fish for the time
being. Platies or swordtails if the water is at least moderately hard,
perhaps a group of cherry barbs, a school of harlequins, other tetras
besides the neons, or cory cats/


I agree. The platies and swords would be most colorful, but male swords
are worse than male gouramis in my experience - they also jump. The tank
needs to be well covered to keep them from committing suicide. A trio of
swords or a trio of platies would do it. I personally grew bored with
cory cats. They're not colorful and they stay on the bottom and don't do
anything interesting. I sort of saw them as the "trash men" of the tank.

Male swordtails certainly are active, and that's one of their attractive
features. I agree on the aquarium lid - keeps the cat out, too .

Outside the cichlids there aren't many colorful fish out there. Just stand
back at the fish store and look at all the tanks. Most seem to be silvery,
shiny... but not real colorful. Now look at the live-bearers and goldfish.
Lots of activity and color there.

Cories are soooo cute when they pose on the bottom or a plant leaf. Some
have attractive patterns, and it's interesting when they occasionally dash
up for a bubble of air.


Another very interesting fish that I once had long ago, is the kuhlii
loach. I think web posts say they should be in a group, but mine was
alone and disappeared for weeks (buried in sand substrate).


A buried fish doesn't sound like it would be too colorful or interesting.
Just my opinion here...... but who's to account for taste? :-)


It was interesting that the fish could be gone for weeks, then re-appear.
The little face sticking out of the mud occasionally was interesting too.
Kuhlii loaches have a nice colour and pattern, and with a gravel substrate
they might not dig in(?). They'd no doubt like bits of abs pipe to hide
in, though.

Some fish are cute but not colorful - that's for sure. :-) I've had so
many fish over the years maybe I'm just a bit jaded. At this time I prefer
the active colorful livebearers and fancy goldfish. I also love the Malawi
cichilds but don't plan on setting up a tank for them again any time soon.
Nothing is more colorful and interesting than a tank of these cichlids.

Good luck to the OP, but the aquariums is pretty full already.


But what he has are "small" fish. He has room for a few more with good
filtration and water changes.


I agree that in a filtered, established long 20 gallon aquarium there may
be room for a few more fish.
Steve
--
Koi-Lo.... frugal ponding since 1995...
Aquariums since 1952
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