Power Blue Dwarf Gourami tank questions

[lind715]

Hello. I plan to set up a 20 gallon tank soon that will be heavily planted. Originally, I was going to make the main fish a betta but I saw some powder blue dwarf gourami at my local pet store and I really like the look of them. They are supposedly less agressive and I wouldn't have as much to worry about with other tank mates. I want to figure out now what a good assortment for a community tank would be for this fish.

First question: my research on the Internet has come up with conflicting information so I would like some advice as to whether or not I can have a pair of dwarf gourami in this size tank? If I can, is it preferable that they be the same color or can they be different?

The next question: would a school of six cardinal tetra, a school of six guppies (all male because they would quickly over populate the tank lol), and some red cherry shrimp for the gourami to hunt be too much? If I can only have one gourami, I would probably increase the number of guppies and tetra. I have a ten gallon tank that I will be breeding red cherry shrimp and add them into the 20 gallon tank. If the gourami won't hunt the shrimp enough, is there another singular peaceful fish that I can add that would be happy to feed on the shrimp?

Final questions, what are the best plants to stock this tank with and how fine of a gravel/ what brand would you recommend? I am planning to buy a light that will provide plentiful watts per gallon and I will be using liquid fertilizer, liquid co2, and root tabs. The tank is 12×12×30.

 

[dalto]

Dwarf gouramis are highly variable in personality. It would definitely be a risk to put two of them in a 20l. I have seen them be totally peaceful community inhabitants and also seen them harass everything in the tank until only the DG remained.

RCS are an expensive live food but I guess if you are breeding them your self it doesn't matter too much.

 

[fishliker]

I had a dwarf gourami that chases every other fish in a 29 gallon. Honey gourami are a little smaller but much more peaceful. Those you could maybe get 3, just one male. Good luck.


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[Mebbid]

Dwarf gouramirange in temperament. Generally, a single one would be okay with those tank mates.

 

[lind715]

There is a good fish store near me that is not a chain where I plan to get my fish from. Would they generally have an idea of the temperment of an individual fish with other fish? I know when I went to petsmart that the girl in there didn't know very much about aquariums because I decided to ask her some questions that I already knew the answers to just to see if I could trust the things she told me. That was a complete fail so I don't trust that they would monitor their fish well enough.

 

[dalto]

They may if they have had that specific fish for a while but often it will change with age and environment.

Sometimes you just have to try it out if you really like that fish.

 

[Mickeybags]

I had 3 orange dwarfs in a 10 gallon until one of them died a few weeks after bringing him home. I the. Replaced the one that died with a neon dwarf. They got a long just fine. I saw a powder blue dwarf all by himself in petsmart and brought him home. I will say though he is definitely a bully. The orange ones chase everything but the powder blue is mean and has claimed a spot and won't let anyone near it. These Gus also live with blood fin tetras and emerald cats.

As far as the guppies I wouldn't put them in. I bought a pair of males and one died immediately. I brought him back and got another same thing. The gouramis killed 3 male guppies. It must be something about their fins considering gouramis are cousins of the betta.


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[lind715]

I had a fear that they wouldn't like guppies because bettas didn't like guppies.

 

[Mebbid]

Its an individual temperament thing with the gouramis. I kept a gourami with guppies for a long time with absolutely no issues. Its really just luck of the draw, you have to get one and give it a shot.

 

[Coursair]

Just remember all the different Dwarf Gouramis are same species and almost always they are Males. Females are plain Silver and stores don't carry them. So you wouldn't have a "pair".

Plus even true pairs may fight. DGs are similar to Bettas. Territorial and tend to fight their own kind.


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[Coursair]

Honey Gouramis are a diff species and occasionally I'll see females.


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