setting up

Question
QUESTION: hey linda its alex :)
moms decided to get me this fish tank the Fluval Roma 90 Aquarium and just checking that the fish you sugested are fine in this tank and it is big enough, i think you suggested
2 sunset gouramis must these be dwarf or normal?,
6-8 tetras
4 cory cats
4 kuhli loaches
2 platys
and a betta fish but then you said if i omit the betta fish i can try 2 pearl gouramis and if not them an angel fish.
i dont kinda like the look of kuhli loaches so what else could you consider and want my tank to be very lively and colourful!
what would you suggest also :P could i just have a tank of wonderful angel fishes and like some shoals of tetras?

thanks and i hope you can help :P


ANSWER: Hi Alex,
I gather that this is a 23 gallon aquarium.  I'm from the old school, and go by gallons..lol
If you want Angels, you could put two, and a shoals of tetras, and 4 cory catfish.  Angels need 10 gallons of water each, which is why you could not put more.

If you want a lively colourful tank, then you should go with platies, swordfish, and guppys.  These fish have beautiful bright colours, and look astonishing in a tank.  They are hardy too, which makes them easier to keep.  They give birth to live fish, but you do not have to bother with this, they will eat them, and some will make it to adulthood.  When you buy these fish, always buy 3 females or more to one male, or only females.  You could have 6 platies  ( 1 male, and 5 platies)
3 swordfish, (one male, 2 females)  3 guppies ( one male, 2 females) and 4 cory catfish.

If you go with the Pearl Gourami, you could put two in your tank, 2 sunset drawf gouramis, 6 tetras, 4 cory catfish, and 3 female platies.

Weather loaches are very nice, and peaceful.  They grow to 6 inches, and need fine gravel.  They will hurt themselves if your gravel is big.  All loaches grow to be quite big which is why I recommended the kuhli loach.   The weather loach is a real pet, he will learn to take food from your hand.  I would keep two of them.
If you do go with the weather loach, do not add a pleco, or cory catfish.  The reason being that you do not want to overstock your tank.   Loaches are very good a finding food, at the bottom of a tank, but also need to be fed sinking pellets.
You can change this around a little, to suit your taste.  For instance you could put 2 pearle gouramis, 2 female platies, 2 weather loaches, a school of tetras.  
The choice is yours.
I hope this helps.
Lynda


---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: hey lynda (:
i like your suggestions but ive been looking on youtube and wouuld it be okay to have
1 blue and yellow rainbow fish (male)
and 2 females
and then maybe a school of tetras
cory cats
2 sunset dwarf gouramis
1 male platie
2 females
2 male guppies
5 females?
maybe an angel too ?
help please i would definately like the rainbows
also could you help me make it to the maximum cause i like alot of these haha
thanks x

ANSWER: Hi Alex,
This list is too much for a 23 gallon tank.  You have to remember that when adding fish, such as an Angel, she would need 23 gallons of water all to herself, therefore taking up 10 gallons of space leaving you with 13 gallons to add fish too, which would not be very many.  Drawf gouramis are very timid, and need a live floating plant.  I would not add these to the mix.  Instead, I would add I would add 2 more rainbow fish, and they love to be in groups of 6 or more.  This would be:
2 male rainbows ( Bosemani) and 4 females
Tetras would be too many to add...so it would be either tetras, or rainbows.
1 male platy, 2 females is okay
1 male guppy, and 3 females
cory cats.
This would be your limit...remember that overstocking will cause stress, and disease.  You are better to follow the rule, and have less fish, but healthy fish.
You have time to think about this, think it through, and let me know what you decide, and don't forget to add them slowly to your tank.
Lynda

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: how many cory cats?
and could i just have 2 and have more of something eles?
also could i not have platies and have
2 male guppes and 5 females?
thanks (:

Answer
Hi Alex,
You can replace the platies with guppies, there is no problem.  Little cory fish live in groups, they like to play, so you could put 4. You don't have to buy the corys all the same colour.  They all get along.  They are bottom fish, and rarely swim to the top or middle of the tank which is why you could put 4 of them.  Two little corys is really not enough.  It's fun to watch them play.  If you do not like the cory catfish, you could put in a weather loach instead, or you can keep the catfish, and put in two khuli loaches.
Lynda