For the most part, if several fish are introduced to the same tank at the same time, they establish a pecking order and all goes well. It's when a new fish is introduced that the potential for problems occur To help with the tranquility of the tank I would provide shale and plants for refuge.

I prefer to avoid introducing new fish, not only for "pecking order" issues but also for disease issues, so starting w/all six at once is not a problem. Is shale available at the LFS? I have 2" rocks and driftwood at the bottom of the tank and many, many java ferns. Nothing in the center of the tank though, most at the bottom.

What could I put in the center of the tank that would be natural? I was considering trying to get a large piece of wood to put into the tank diagonally and grow more java fern on that--tank has low lighting. I could also float anacharis in the tank, my last clump lasted about a year and a half.

They get too big for a 35 hex. One would be ok.

Too big? My understanding was a 35 hex is considered ideal for an angelfish. I had a mated pair in a 30 gal tall in college and they did very well.

Your local LFS ought have shale or rock. Personaly, I like tn idea of having live plants and some sort of rock or shale. Never used driftwood, but others do. I like Water Sprite, Banana, and sprouted plant bulbs.

Petiolaris:

Those plants require high light levels, correct? I have low light. I will look for shale.

james_ny:

What do you recommend for a 35 gal hex that is relatively long-lived? What about a school of gouramis?

You had a mated PAIR in a 30 gal tank, which is ideal for a pair but not for 6 fish, since you purchase them small you can´t differentiate the sexes, once they grow to maturity if there are females & males ( which is going to happen most probably ) one or two pairs may form and that´s when trouble begins, the male will bully the others all day long; 35 gals is too small for 6 angel fish.

Same thing is going to happen with gouramies, they outgrow 35 gals very fast, on the other hand, Colisas ( dwarf gouramies ) are excellent for that size tank, first of all, you purchase them as mature fish, so what you see it´s the most it will grow, they are beautifully colored and don´t bother anyone. 35 gals look like much but it´s not really a big tank so there are limitations on what you can have and how many of each.

Melle: I agree with those who say too many fish. You could either buy a mature pair, or 6 babies, then when they get larger and any seem to be pairing off, cull to the 2 best ones and trade the others back.

Even a pair is a lot for only 35 gallons. Mature Angels are actually quite large.

Okay, I can accept that my tank isn't suited for six angelfish. I certainly don't want to create any overcrowding problems. I was hoping to have some fish that would live at least five or more years; I don't like when my fish die--it was hard when my moores passed which is why I've been running a relatively empty tank (save for the surviving dojo loaches plus the many, many java ferns and snails) for the last few months and I don't like dealing w/introducing new fish every year or so. I've been trying to take my time w/deciding what kind of tropical fish to purchase.

I looked up Colisas and I would be happy w/a few of those. How many Colisas and does anyone have any other community fish recommendations? I've always liked fish w/personalities, that's why I like goldfish and angelfish. My dojo loaches are pretty boring and I never even bothered to name them (I've had them over two years). I'm pretty open-minded but prefer longer-lived, peaceful fish.

Melle: I sympathise with your distress at losing fish, but that's the reality of keeping small tropicals. If you want fish that will live a long time, try to find space for a 55 gal. tank, and get a young fantail Goldie.

With no heat and lots of fresh water, it will be with you for many long years and will develop quite a personallity.

Like Raul said Colisas would be a good pick. Because a 35 hex is tall but not as wide as a rectangular tank you may want to have a few bottom dwellers [catfish, Pleco, kuhli loach] some mid water swimmers [tetras, neons] with the surface level fish [African butterfly]. Or make it a species tank with a discus or angel. Good luck and post pics when your set up.

...and Colisas are real easy to breed! I used to breed them and other Anabatids when I was a teen.

Soooo...can I have 7 Colisas? I don't want neons or tetras. Seems I don't have enough space for angelfish and discus are out of the question though they are beautiful. Maybe I'll go to the LFS, see what's available, and pick their brains.

I did have two large black moore goldfish for many years but, now that they are gone, I got a heater and wanted to keep tropicals for a while.

The easist to breed are the Colisa lalia (Dwarf Gourami). All ya need is any old male and any old female that is laden with eggs. Then I toss in a styro coffee cup, broken in 4ths and floating plants. They do the rest!

I've given it some thought, how does this sound for a small fish community in my tank?

-pair (male/female) dwarf gourami
-3 platys (preferably a male and 2 femals "wagtail")
-7 barbs...I was hoping for Barbus oligolepis
-5 serpa or rosy tetra

Melle:

Unless you simply want to provide live food for the tetras and gouramis, skip the platties. It's also best not to mix barbs with tetras, and gouramis, including the dwarfs, tend to get quite territorial and agressive.

How about this: 6 each serpas, neons, (or Harl. Rasboras) and a small cory species. (With schooling fish, always at least 6 of each species.)

If you filter well, have a strong air curtain and never forget the need for continual water changes, 18 small fish should be okay in a 35 hex, even if it's really, the wrong shape for the fish.

Hex tanks make attractive "furniture" and take up less floor space, but the greater the water surface area in relation to the volume of water the better, and why the deeper the tank the more air pressure is needed to keep the deep water continually moving up to the surface.

BTW: if the end of your filter intake doesn't reach down to the bottom of the tank, get an extension for it. You want to draw from the lowest point possible.

I almost want to just get two goldfish again ;-)

My hex tank has an Eheim Pro filter and I can see particles moving at the bottom so I think the water is being mixed pretty well. I know how to take care of an aquarium, it's just been a long time since I've had tropicals and I'm not familiar w/what's available--I've always liked angelfish and gouramis tho.

I went to the LFS, I really didn't like the platties much so I'm good to skip those. Actually, the more I looked at the fish at the LFS, the more I realized I'd prefer a species tank rather than a "mixed community" (hence why I wanted six angelfish initially).

I think I'll try just a single pair of the dwarf gouramis. I've never kept gouramis and the males I saw at the LFS were stunningly beautiful!! They did not have females >:-/ Evenso, I'm not going to buy from that LFS b/c their fish didn't look too healthy. I like all my java ferns almost as much as I like the fish so it's not hugely important to me to have a lot of fish in the tank. I'm glad I was able to bounce ideas off people w/more experience taking care of tropical fish. Thanks!

Please skip the Serpae tetras, they are fin nippers. Skip Tiger and Rosy barbs, they are also fin nippers and harrass fish all day long. If you want some red go for Flame tetras or Red Phantom tetras.

There´s a variety of the common Colisa lalia, it´s called Blue neon Colisa, the bright blue turquoise color of the male is stunning and opposed to the common lalia the female is also colored.

Paradise fish are also beautiful, small and quite peacful ( in extraespecific agressive behavior ).

Raul:

I'm happy to just have one pair of dwarf gouramis and I will look for the "Blue neons".

I will also look for Paradise fish, I read a little about them on the internet and they also sound like nice fish.

I don't think I'll get any other fish, just a pair--so depending on what I can find I'll either get a pair of Colisia lalia or a pair of Paradise fish. Thanks for the suggestion, I hadn't considered Paradise fish.

If I can't find either, I'll get a school of 8-10 larger tetras or barbs and enjoy those for a while

The good thing about dwarf gouramies is that you don´t have to limit yourself to only one pair, you can have several of different species, all of them beautiful, small and peaceful.

Colisa chuna:

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Colisa labiosa:

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Colisa fasciata:

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