Can I add a Dwarf Gourami to this tank?

[mandy2936]

Hi! I have a 20 gallon [high] tank. It's cycling right now.
I'm going to add...

5 male Guppies
4 Julii Cories
6 Neon Tetra

and I'd like to add a male Dwarf Gourami to that setup. According to AqAdvisor.com, my tank will then be 100% stocked. It's at its max, but at least not overstocked.

Anyway, my two questions are...

1. Will the Dwarf Gourami be aggressive toward the other fish in my tank?

2. He will be okay being the only Dwarf Gourami in the tank, right? I heard 2 males will fight, but enjoy being in a group of 4 or so. Is being the only of its kind in the tank bad?

As for the concern of #1, I am going to try to choose a docile looking one at the store. I heard it's a hit or a miss when it comes to temperament in DG's. (Some aggressive others timid) Also, I'll be adding the DG last so perhaps he won't establish territory.

Thanks!!!

 

[logansmomma1228]

As far as I know gouramis like to have 2 Female to 1 male ratio, not sure on that though. I think they can do just fine solo as well.

As far as AqAdvisor, they are a good general stocking advisor but they are quite conservative and aren't always the best in accuracy. Good idea checking here first.

Some gouramis get aggressive, some get along just fine. All depends on the fish. As with any other kind of fish, they all have different personalities.

 

[mandy2936]

As far as I know gouramis like to have 2 Female to 1 male ratio, not sure on that though. I think they can do just fine solo as well.
-So can anyone give me a definite on that?

As far as AqAdvisor, they are a good general stocking advisor but they are quite conservative and aren't always the best in accuracy. Good idea checking here first.
So what you're saying is they like to under stock tanks a little?

Some gouramis get aggressive, some get along just fine. All depends on the fish. As with any other kind of fish, they all have different personalities.

Ok, thanks for the info!

 

[SeverumGuy]

I would imagine that one dwarf gourami would be fine in that tank, but he would be happier with two females. They're not very aggressive that's why you see them in a lot of community tanks. You have plenty of room in a 20g with the fish you have plus about three dwarfs.

 

[logansmomma1228]

They do like to under stock, but it is better that way especially if you are just starting out. I personally would rather be understocked than overstocked.

Hopefully someone else will chime in with more info for you.

EDIT: looks like someone did lol, just beat me to it

 

[SeverumGuy]

How big are your guppies and neons? You might have a problem with them down the road. Neons tend to be a bit fin nippy and might try to mess with the guppies. The good thing is that they are all males. If they were mixed.....you'd have to buy a huge tank.

 

[mandy2936]

They weren't my concern. Cardinal Tetras fin nip, but Neons don't. Anyway, as I said earlier, I haven't gotten the fish yet, my tank is still cycling. I'll be adding the Guppies first, and the Gourami last. I suppose I might have room for females, but as Logansmomma suggested, it's better to be understocked than overstocked, and yes, I'm a beginner.
AqAqvisor says I can't add any more, but as Logansmomma also suggested, they are conservative.
I might add females, but won't if they Dwarf Gourami can be fine on his own. <-- Anyone like to clarify that for sure?

 

[Lowryder]

My suggestion to you is: hold off on the gourami.

Dwarf gouramis can be alittle tricky to keep alive past 6 months. Seems once you get past 6 months then it usually lives. They are very susceptible to disease.

 

[SeverumGuy]

My friends girlfriend started with six guppies. They were a blend of male and female. Now she has two tanks setup just to house all the ones she has now. I think she said somewhere between 50 and 60 now? Eh..somewhere in that range. Either way, I would definitely be careful.

 

[mandy2936]

My guppies are going to be all male.

 

[mandy2936]

I think Ill just stick with my current stocking.
slightly boring, but at least the fish will be happy

 

[supradupafast]

My friends girlfriend started with six guppies. They were a blend of male and female. Now she has two tanks setup just to house all the ones she has now. I think she said somewhere between 50 and 60 now? Eh..somewhere in that range. Either way, I would definitely be careful.

Hehe.. I was just about to say..
3 Gups = 20 Gups = 60 Gups = OMG!!!!

 

[mudraker]

Male guppies sometimes get nippy. I keep a tank with neons and males only. The bigger males sometimes get aggressive towards the smaller ones and occassionally the neons.

 

[mandy2936]

Thanks everyone for the help!
I don't think I'll be getting a Dwarf Gourami. Probably just sticking with Neons and Guppies. Thanks for the help

 

[ryana]

Reply to mandy2936 from another mandy. I have just started a 20 gall high tank, moving a rather scrappy but happy population from a smaller tank, and had the same questions as you. I already have one BN pleco, one male sword and just added new neons to make a total of 9. I have one remaining white cloud from g.. knows when, who hangs with the neons. The sword is attractive for a sword but still reminds me of a maggot with fins, and I've had it for ages. I wanted to exchange the sword for a dwarf gourami and now have the opportunity to do so. I might just pop the cloud into the bag too. So I will be left with 9 neons and a small BN pleco in a 20 gall high tank. Planted tank, good filter, etc etc. I will try for a dwarf gourami. No guppies or mollies!! We had guppies in our fishponds and drains throughout my childhood - in my eyes, inside every frilly little guppy in the LFS tanks is a skinny brown thing crying to get out and resume eating the fins of the goldfish in the pond. I was given this tank and find it is quite a lot of work stocking a thing of this size - swimming pool sized tanks seem to be easier from what I read! Good luck - I'll try to post again when the sword goes.

 

[mandy2936]

Wow, it's been quite a long time since I've checked this thread!
My current tank stocking is 6 Neon Tetras, 5 Orange Von Rio Flame Tetras, 4 Julii Cories, and 3 male Guppies.
Everyone gets along perfectly, the Neons mind their own business and no one ever bothers them. The Guppies get a bit rambunctious towards one another everynow and then, but they are friendly to everyone else in the tank.

I while back (but still after this thread) the tank was stocked with 6 male Guppies, 6 Neon Tetras, and 2 Julii Cories. I also added a Dwarf Gourami, who was surprisingly really peaceful and my favorite fish in the tank. He was soo cool. Then he passed away, I couldn't determine the cause, and settled with the fact that they just carry a lot of diseases. So then I was done buying them

Since then, as you can see above, I added 2 Cories, 5 Von Rios, and removed 3 Guppies to put into another tank.

As I said before, everyone is peaceful and happy and I'm really enjoying the tank I already have a second tann set up, too!

 

[ryana]

adding a dwarf gourami?

Thanks for reply. I have same tank setup as you, it appears - also have 5 gall cycling for a betta. Just working out how to control filter flow with blowing up the motor. Plan on a betta and know I shouldn't worry about it being lonely but still ... And I don't want a large snail crawling up my leg at the dinner table.

In the 20 gallon high currently have 9 x neons, BN pleco, 1 x sword and 1 x white cloud. I had been hoping for natural attrition for the two latter soloists. I don't want to get companions for them, much as I like them as individuals, because I would prefer to have other types now, but they have hung on and on and on. I can prob pop the cloud in the bag with the sword when I take him back to the shop. Still hoping for gourami, but have time to think, as tank pretty new and still needs to settle. It cycled OK but I want to see how the first inhabs go for a while - gouramis are expensive here.