I posted here earlier for advice on stocking my 50 gallon tank. I ended up going with 8 harlequin rasboras and 6 black neons so far. I think the next thing I want now are a couple larger fish, and like goramis and blue rams. What types of gouramis get along ok with each other and with the other fish I have here and how many can I have? Also will rams get along with them too and the others I have? Ideally I think I would like to have at least 3 of these types of fish if possible. The next fish I would like to get after these are probably a small group of some type of cats. I really like shrimp too, but would rams possibly eat them?
Will gouramis and rams work in my tank?
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happygirl65
Aquarium Advice Addict
I would recommend pearl gouramis a male female pair would be nice. 
The blue gourami are aggressive so steer clear of them. I think pearl gourami would get along with most any fish.
Rams would probably be fine it is sometimes hard to find a good stock of them though.
Look at cory cats, there are lots of varieties and they are fun to watch get at least 6 of them.
The blue gourami are aggressive so steer clear of them. I think pearl gourami would get along with most any fish. Rams would probably be fine it is sometimes hard to find a good stock of them though.
Look at cory cats, there are lots of varieties and they are fun to watch get at least 6 of them.
DragonFish71
Great white snark
The rams would eat the shrimp, unless you went with something bigger like bamboo shrimp. However they are filter feeders so if you're wanting shrimp as part of a clean up crew they wouldn't work. As happygirl said it is hard to find a good stock of rams. We got lucky yesterday and found 2 GBR males for our 2 females. The price had gone up $5 for them, supply and demand. Not that rams aren't worth it. Once these boys color up they'll be a great addition to our 40. I like a mix of Gold rams, GBR rams, and neons myself.
Some gouramis are peaceful. The dwarfs seems to be better as far as that goes.
For cats, can't go wrong with corys and otocinclus. Corys will help with excess food and otos will help with algae. Otos are much better at that than chinese algaeg eaters and they never take a break. Lil' guys are always on the move, and cute.
Some gouramis are peaceful. The dwarfs seems to be better as far as that goes.
For cats, can't go wrong with corys and otocinclus. Corys will help with excess food and otos will help with algae. Otos are much better at that than chinese algaeg eaters and they never take a break. Lil' guys are always on the move, and cute.
I did like dwarf neon gouramis (I think thats what they were, like a turquoise color) and the pearls. So would one dwarf, and two pearls be good? And then maybe a pair of rams later on? Or is that too much?
I like the shrimp for part of the clean up crew, but just mainly cause i like to watch them in there. So I guess I will have to decide between rams and shrimp then? I did like the bamboo shrimp too, so if I go with rams, then maybe having one bamboo shrimp would look cool in there. Since they are filter feeders, what exactly do you feed them?
I like the shrimp for part of the clean up crew, but just mainly cause i like to watch them in there. So I guess I will have to decide between rams and shrimp then? I did like the bamboo shrimp too, so if I go with rams, then maybe having one bamboo shrimp would look cool in there. Since they are filter feeders, what exactly do you feed them?
DragonFish71
Great white snark
I use algae tabs and finely crushed flake foods. Once they start dissolving they can filter it from the water. They're really cool to watch when they feed. I'm looking into liquid foods, like the stuff used for live corals too.
Ok cool, and they dont hurt any of the other fish or anything do they? Do they just look big and like they would eat anything?
So as far as that gourami combo I mentioned, would that work? Two pearls and one dwarf neon? Or two of each kind?
So as far as that gourami combo I mentioned, would that work? Two pearls and one dwarf neon? Or two of each kind?
I'm not familiar with pearls so I don't know how they would interact with the dwarf, or vice versa. My friend had two male dwarfs and we did everything, tall plants to the surface, even got a divider but they just tried to get one another and would run into it all day long. We got rid of one so there would be peace in the tank!
I agree with what meegosh has stated thus far. I would not mix a dwarf gourami with any other type. All dwarves are the same species and just color variants of colisa lalia. Pearls or (true) Honeys are the only ones I'd mix with rams.
Ok, so if I am understanding this right...
If I want a dwarf, I am pretty much just stuck with the one, and can't have any other gouramis. Any other bigger fish that could go with that and what I have now? I could be wrong, but I thought the ones I say in the store were in the same tank as pearls.
If I want multiple fish, then I would need to get pearls and could have rams, but then can't have shrimp (except for bamboo)?
If I want a dwarf, I am pretty much just stuck with the one, and can't have any other gouramis. Any other bigger fish that could go with that and what I have now? I could be wrong, but I thought the ones I say in the store were in the same tank as pearls.
If I want multiple fish, then I would need to get pearls and could have rams, but then can't have shrimp (except for bamboo)?
DragonFish71
Great white snark
Nah, bamboo shrimp are really laid back. I have them with bettas and with rams. Only problem might be them walking on a spawning site. Really irks the parents to be. *lol*
A lot that works in the LFS works because the fish are juveniles and stressed from being shipped all over the planet. When they settle into your tank and mature, they'll present more natural behaviors and aggression. You can try the dwarf with rams, I've never attempted it, but based on the territorial behaviors of each I think it might end badly. Something to keep in mind about the dwarves are how they are being farmed currently. They are subjected to gender influencing hormones and have a very high mortality rate.
DragonFish71
Great white snark
*Nods* Same with rams these days. Lil buggers die off before you can get them out of the bag. (been there, done that, NOT happy)
Ok I think I will get two pearls then for now, and then maybe get some catfish next. Then I will decided on what to get next when that time comes. Should the pearls be in pairs, or if I end up deciding against the rams, can pearls be in odd numbers (maybe like 3 of them)? Thanks for all the tips.
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