2 dwarf gouramis in same tank?

[adammorrill]

Hi, i have a 36 gallon tank with a powder blue gourami, 2 cherry barbs, and 3 cory cats. I was wondering if i could put another dwarf gourami in there like a honey dwarf one or something?

 

[bruinsbro1997]

Maybe, it could work out, or not. It's entirely dependent on the gourami's personality. You could try it but be ready to have a back-up plan if it doesn't work.

 

[Dale_I]

DG are fairly territorial. If one has been in the tank you may have issues introducing another. If both were introduced at the same time, they may have claimed separate territory and get along.

If you have aggression while introducing the second, you can rearrange the aqua-scape. A lot of times you can disrupt the claimed territory and then each will have an opportunity to figure it out, hopefully ending up with each finding their own spot.

However, DG are known to be aggressive anyway, so the previous advice is wise. Have a back up plan. Even if it is telling the LFS that you may need to return him if they don't get along. Any store with actual knowledge of fish know that not everything works out well all the time and as long as you are up front with them, at least they can let you know their policy on it.

 

[adammorrill]

Yah i dont like im going to try and get another because i dont have another tank and it would be to hard trying to take it back to the store

Do you have any other ideas for a bigger fish that would go good with this tank? I am planning on having like 2 bigger fish and 2-4 small schools of fish. Thanks

 

[bruinsbro1997]

Yah i dont like im going to try and get another because i dont have another tank and it would be to hard trying to take it back to the store

Do you have any other ideas for a bigger fish that would go good with this tank? I am planning on having like 2 bigger fish and 2-4 small schools of fish. Thanks

What about cichlids?

 

[adammorrill]

cichlids in a community tank???

 

[bruinsbro1997]

cichlids in a community tank???

Not all, but some cichlids are community tank fish

 

[Phranque]

What about cichlids?

About the only Ciclids I would recommend for a (larger) community would be Kribs (Kribensis), as they like softer water better than most (Ph 6.5 - 7.5)......but they are bottom territorial, and may give your Cory cats problems.... So, I'd say no to the Cichlids.

 

[bruinsbro1997]

I disagree. You can keep angels, apistos, rams, discus, keyholes and African butterfly cichlids in community tanks just fine as well.

 

[adammorrill]

i might try to get a bolivian ram or a GBR, are they bottom dwellers or middle or top?

 

[bruinsbro1997]

i might try to get a bolivian ram or a GBR, are they bottom dwellers or middle or top?

They are bottom to middle dwellers is where mine like to stay.

 

[adammorrill]

And they woould be friendly to all the fish even if i get some smaller ones like harlequins? (sorry for spelling)

 

[bruinsbro1997]

And they woould be friendly to all the fish even if i get some smaller ones like harlequins? (sorry for spelling)

Mine were fine with neons, cardinals, glowlights, black neons, and rummy-nose tetras.

 

[adammorrill]

ok i think i will probally try to find one then. Thanks

 

[jpchin]

i have 7 dwarf gouramis in my tank. all male and they all get along fine. added them at 2 different times and have a juvi in the tank now and all the others just ignore him. also have 2 rams. they are all males. i think that's the trick. no females no aggression.

 

[adammorrill]

i dont think im even going to try another gourami. And at my petco they have this ruby clown cichlid i think its called and it looks like a ram but the person working there said it would be to aggressive in a community tank but she also said that it was generally all cichlids that were aggressive so i dont think she knew much about it and it was in with some black skirt tetras. So is that some kind of ram?

 

[bruinsbro1997]

i dont think im even going to try another gourami. And at my petco they have this ruby clown cichlid i think its called and it looks like a ram but the person working there said it would be to aggressive in a community tank but she also said that it was generally all cichlids that were aggressive so i dont think she knew much about it and it was in with some black skirt tetras. So is that some kind of ram?

People at Petco know next to nothing. When I went there to buy a tank, a guy said he was going to put a 200 gallon tank on his apartment that's on the third floor and he said it would hold, not sure how practical that is exactly.
Ruby clown cichlids are the same thing as rams, bolivian rams for that matter. That person does not know a thing, several people on this site keep them in community tanks just fine without any aggression problems.

 

[adammorrill]

ok so should i try and get one? i dont have another tank to put it in if he is aggressive though

 

[Dale_I]

If you're buying them from a Petco, just ask them to take it back if he doesn't work out in the tank. They give you a couple weeks to 30 days to return them if they die. They should certainly give you a few days to see if the tank mates will be friendly.

 

[adammorrill]

i dont want to go through the trouble of watching it i think i will just try a ram but thanks