What fish to buy?

Question

I have 2 large angel fish at the moment and 1 gourami all around 4 years old, they live alone at the moment in a 4ft tank and I want to add some new fish.

What other fish would get along with the ones I already have?
I would like some bigger fish (no tetras etc) and if possible something a little more unusual or colourful.

Answer 1

You could get some more gouramis. I don't know what type you have, but there are lots to choose from. Pearl gouramis, gold, blue/opaline, moonlight, silver...

You could get some livebearers (mollies, platies, swordtails)

A school of rainbows (http://badmanstropicalfish.com/misc-fish-pictures/ar.jpg).

Some peaceful cichlids, like kribensis (http://animal-world.com/encyclo/fresh/cichlid/images/kribensis1_s.jpg), bolivian rams (http://www.azgardens.com/images/Ram-Bolivian.gif), apistogramma (http://www.c-u-w.net/jpg/ad_konigs/apistogramma_agassizii_(ad_konigs).jpg)

Or how about some fancy plecos? like the Queen Arabesque (http://vivarium.cz/katalog_ryb/image_ryby/L333_Hypancistrus_sp._small.jpg), gold nugget (http://fish.orbust.net/images/gold.jpg).

Or silver dollars (http://z.about.com/d/freshaquarium/1/0/3/A/fw0084.jpg)?

Red-tailed black shark? (http://www.aqua-fish.net/imgs/fish/137.jpg)

Or some glass catfish (http://www.aqualandpetsplus.com/Catfis73.jpg)?

Answer 2

I really think you should also get the tank on your birthday, and give yourself these 6 weeks to read up on different types of fish and water chemistry. If you don't understand how water chemistry in your fish tank works and all about the nitrogen cycle, then it is pointless even trying to keep fish. First off I wanted to ask what size of tank you wanted to get? We can probably come up with some easy suggestions for you with knowing a tank size. Some small fish I can recommend are groups of 6 or more of small tetras, danios, barbs etc. Guppies are easy for some, but can also be very delicate. They also breed out of control and eventually you might not want that. It is fun at first when your fish have babies, but what do you do with all those babies after when your tank is too overstocked, and you are not prepared? Bettas are also good fish for small tanks. Cycling the tank for 6 weeks isn't to remove the chlorine, you can either buy water conditioners to remove it or let it sit for 24 hours and it will evaporate. When aging your water you must use an airstone in it, otherwise the water will lose oxygen and become stale. You should also be looking into whether your city uses chloramines to treat your water, if they do the best suggestion is to always use dechlorinators since aging your water doesn't get rid of them, and they can be just as harmful to fish as chlorine. Buy a test kit to test ammonia, nitrates, nitrites, and pH....it is highly recommended. The cycling period is so that your tank can go through the nitrogen cycle, which is the process where your filter and gravel build up beneficial bacteria that will help to convert fish waste into something less harmful for them. You will start off with ammonia, and depending on how you give it a kick start, it might take up to 2 weeks before seeing it back at 0. It will also take about 2 weeks for the nitrites to climb then stabilize back at 0. Ammonia and nitirtes can be very harmful to fish, and can either kill them or have negative long term effects on them. You will always want them to read 0 otherwise anything over can be lethal. Nitrates are a little less harmful, though in large numbers they too can be lethal. You don't want your nitrates to ever read more than 40, they should be less but typically you want them to be around 20 or less. Water changes usually help to keep them down, or live plants really help to consume nitrates.. I would suggest doing weekly 25% water changes at a minimum, unless you have a very light bioload in the tank you have, then 25-30% every 2 weeks might also work. Just a suggestion, go to the local fish store and bring paper and a pen with you. Walk around the fish tanks and any fish you see and you like, write it down on the paper. When you get home google the names of each fish and read at least a few sites that have profile information on them. Make sure you know what you are getting yourself into before you buy the fish. Don't ever rely on pet stores to know what they are talking about, most of the time they only know very little, and not enough to help you be successful. Keeping fish is more than just fun, it is a hobby and these little live creatures rely on us to take good care of them. I hope you enjoy your fish :)

Answer 3

I'd go with rainbowfish. The Boesmani and Iranian are particularly beautiful! Alternatively you could add a school of Yoyo Loaches, or some Siamese Algae Eaters.

Answer 4

Clown loaches are colorful and active. As long as you keep your tank clean they will be a nice addition to your tank. Get about 3-4 because they like to be in groups. Also you should aerate your tank with lots of bubbles because they will be more active and colorful because they are happy. They are also known to make clicking noises when they're happy. Provide sinking pellets, live foods, or frozen or freeze dried foods. They are carnivourous so once they get big they will eat small snails, shrimp, small fish, etc.

Answer 5

Why not try a few clown loaches, more gouramis (there's so many varieties), sailfin mollies, Plecostamus, glass fish, red fin shark.

Answer 6

No bettas (siamese fighting fish), just wanted to clear that up. the two fish you have are fairly aggresive, and bettas are agressive. this would mean certain death for mr. betta.

Answer 7

As long as you only ever keep one at a time, Siamese fighting fish are really beautiful, bright colours and those long floaty fins, gorgeous.

http://images.google.co.uk/images?hl=en&q=siamese+fighting+fish

Answer 8

can't you get a spotted catfish that cleans the tank. i remember my husband kept one with his tropical fish.

Answer 9

Piranha yum yum

Answer 10

how about a cod. if they don't get on you can have the cod for tea with some chips