Will a pearl gourami suit my tank?

[missgingersnap]

I have a 48 gallon tall tank. 31H 20L 18W
I have 2 angels, 9 neons, 6 guppies and 4 albino cory cats. I want to get one more larger centerpiece type of fish. I was thinking of a pearl gourami but I'm not sure if they will eat my smaller fish. Can they be alone or do they have to be in pairs or groups? If you have any other ideas that would work with the fish I have that would be great. I also plan on getting a bristlenose pleco at some point. Thanks guys!

 

[missgingersnap]

No ideas guys?

 

[JustOneMore20]

I would hesitate to put a gourami in with the Angels. Sometimes those 2 don't mix well and since the surface area of the tank is low (since its tall instead of wide), I wouldn't want to chance it. Pearl gouramis are usually pretty well behaved but Angels can be pretty ugly sometimes.

The Bristlenose would be a great addition though.

If you are looking to add more fish than that, I would add even more Neons. The more the merrier with those guys.

 

[missgingersnap]

Hmmm....they're so pretty though. My angels are still very young. Would that make a difference in their attitude? Maybe I could add one more angel instead or is 3 too many for one tank? I was thinking to get a few more neons. They seem a lot more active when there are more of them.

 

[Jacko]

Hmmm....they're so pretty though. My angels are still very young. Would that make a difference in their attitude? Maybe I could add one more angel instead or is 3 too many for one tank? I was thinking to get a few more neons. They seem a lot more active when there are more of them.

I would keep it at just 2 angels for now, unless they turn out to be a male and female pair down the road, you'll probably have to rehome one or the other, they tend to fight pretty badly and taht tank isn't big enough for 2 fighting angels.

If you round the neon school to say a dozen, that'd pretty much stock your tank. A tall tank can't hold as much of a bioload as a long or standard tank due to the lack of surface area.

 

[the_elvish_misfit]

Dwarf blue gouramis or the pink kissing kinds are both pretty and usually nice with other fish around their same size. The kissing kind like company though. Angels can be mean but they can also be nice. My dad cringed when he saw I got Angels (obviously the same attitude as previous comments). But mine keep to themselves, sometimes check out the other fish, but have yet to be aggressive.

 

[Jacko]

Dwarf blue gouramis or the pink kissing kinds are both pretty and usually nice with other fish around their same size. The kissing kind like company though. Angels can be mean but they can also be nice.

Dwarf gouramies could work out, kissing gouramies definitely won't. They can get nearly 12 inches, they're nearly as bad as gouramy gouramies. If the angels do turn aggressive though, a dwarf gourami won't be able to hold it's own against them.

 

[the_elvish_misfit]

Dwarf gouramies could work out, kissing gouramies definitely won't. They can get nearly 12 inches, they're nearly as bad as gouramy gouramies. If the angels do turn aggressive though, a dwarf gourami won't be able to hold it's own against them.

Oh yeah.. I didn't realize the initial post said the tank was 48 gallons. But if it were a smaller tank the kissing ones stay smaller.

 

[joy13]

Fish do NOT grow to the the size of tank. The only thing a to small of tank does to a fish is torture it. The outside body may slow down growing but the internal organs keep growing. The best thing I can think to compare to is wearing your underwear 5 sizes to small. You could live for some time like that but I think you wouldn't be very happy about it.

 

[Jacko]

The best thing I can think to compare to is wearing your underwear 5 sizes to small. You could live for some time like that but I think you wouldn't be very happy about it.

lol, I've always heard the "try living your life in your closet" example for stunting... I have to say I like this new underwear one.

Fish do not grow to the size of the tank unless it ends up that they have tail and nose butting against either side of the tank. Science says that if the surroundings are pristine, they won't stunt untill they can grow no longer. That being said, an oscar in a horrible filthy 125 gallon tank will end up more stunted than an oscar in a properly maintained and filtered 55 gallon. The problem with smaller tanks and bigger fish is that bigger fish are messier in most cases which make maintainance in smaller tanks more difficult, less maintained means dirtier which usually leads to stunting.

I think that made sense... not sure.

 

[skye144]

Oh yeah.. I didn't realize the initial post said the tank was 48 gallons. But if it were a smaller tank the kissing ones stay smaller.

The Kissing Gourami "Helostoma temminckii" is another fish like the bala shark that people just find in the local petco and they grab one and end up with way too much. Not only a bad fit for this size of tank, that fish would not exactly fit in with the group in the tank already.

On a better note, a bristlenose would perfectly round out that tank and for now I am sure you will be happy with those angels as centerpieces.

 

[MichaelsLilGray]

The angels will defenantly be enough of a center point when they grow up that you wont really have to worry about it.. just like cycling and everything else in the fish world.. patience is all that is required.. dont jump the gun and get something else big.. especially any chiclids... one of the most aggressive and territorial fish you can..

 

[missgingersnap]

ok...i guess I am kind of imaptient. Don't plecos...even the small ones have a big bioload? Would I be better off getting snails? Also, I thought the german and bolivian rams weren't aggressive?

 

[joy13]

Snails and plecos are poop machines so it really doesn't matter. If you are looking for a nice size pleco that gets to be a character go for a bristlenose.

 

[MichaelsLilGray]

its not the other fish being aggressive you have to worry about.. its the angels being territorial, that you have to be concerned with.

 

[missgingersnap]

My angels are pretty mellow, but then they're still young and I have no idea of sex.
Well, I think I decided against the pearl gourami. I just thought one would be nice for mid to top portion of my tank. Most of my fish seem to hang out middle and bottom. I thought of hatchetfish but I have some holes in the top that they might jump out of plus they need to school and I don't think I have the room. What about a little school of glofish for the top? Anyone know of any other mid to top area fish that are pretty?

 

[MichaelsLilGray]

not really pretty.. but mollys will stay at the top of the tank and skim the surface all day long.. just make sure you dont get a female-male in the bunch.. or you will have 50 in a month lol

 

[Animal_fanatic]

Becareful with the neons and angels, those two can be iffy mixes. People say their neons go missing and others say that if the two grow up together the angels won't eat them. Keep an eye out when those angels get big =)

 

[missgingersnap]

I think those balloon mollies are kinda cute.
My angels and neons have been together since they were babies so I'm hoping my angels leave them alone. They're getting pretty big now and so far no interest in the neons. I figure I'll make sure they're well fed and if they aren't hungry they won't try to eat my little neons. But even still....I do a neon head count every day when I get up. lol