Advice on Gourami

[BarbsandGobies_expert]

Hi, I've just got some Dwarf Gourami, a male and a female to add to the tank, I currently have Rosy Barbs mostly and one tin foil barb. I have other fish e.g. like giant danios, loaches (which aren't as relevant) but I also have 2 females Rainbow Kribs which the man who sold them said they may be territorial. Both the tin foil and Kribs I would say are a bit over friendly. The male isn't bothered and is confident but the female is hiding and very nervous. I'm a bit unsure what to do as the seller also said they need to be in pairs. Does anyone have experience with these fish that could give me advice?
This would be greatly appreciated.
P.S The tank is 125L and the Tin foil barb is being monitored based on how big it gets and rehoming has been considered.

 

[Innesfan]

That's a lot of boisterous, fast-moving fish for a shy, still-water-loving, slow-moving species like Dwarf Gouramis to deal with. And the tank sounds overstocked. If they were mine, I'd move them to a more appropriate environment with smaller, calmer tankmates.

 

[BarbsandGobies_expert]

That's a lot of boisterous, fast-moving fish for a shy, still-water-loving, slow-moving species like Dwarf Gouramis to deal with. And the tank sounds overstocked. If they were mine, I'd move them to a more appropriate environment with smaller, calmer tankmates.

I haven't really added many more fish since I upgraded for m 60L to 125L, I understand the point you make.

 

[Colin_T]

Tinfoil barbs get too big (10-12 inches long) for a 125 liter tank. They also need to be in groups.

Post a picture of the gouramis so we can confirm you have a male and female and not two males. If you have two males they will fight and one will hide until it's killed.

 

[BarbsandGobies_expert]

I see, the tin foil barb has been considered to be re- homed, this may lay off the stress of both gourami. I will send a picture but the seller said he sold me one male and one female.
This is the male that is colourful right?
The female is like a silvery blue coloured one?( Not the tetra above it)

 

[Colin_T]

Yes, it's a pair (1 male and 1 female). I'm amazed they gave you an actual pr and not 2 males, which is the norm.

If you have floating plants like water sprite (Ceratopteris thalictroides/ cornuta) in the tank, it will offer surface protection and give the gouramis somewhere to hang out and they should be less stressed.

A photo showing the entire tank will give us more information on what hiding spots/ shelter you have for the fish.

 

[BarbsandGobies_expert]

Okay, thank you. I have decided to re home the tin foil barb asap but as you can see they have places to go:

 

[GaryE]

It's a beautiful tank, but not ideally set up for dwarf gouramis. Their world is the surface (they are air breathers, for example) and the cover and complexity they need should be up high, in floating plants (not great to have with carpet plants as they block the light).

 

[BarbsandGobies_expert]

Okay, do you suggest purchasing live plants to add to improve the situation?
As of today they do seem to be more out in the open which is good but I definitely think taking out the big tin foil Barb will support their settling. If I buy a plant like this will it possibly resolve the dynamic?

 

[GaryE]

The thing with a tank is that it should be a unit designed for the fish in it. You have a lovely set up for small shoaling fish with the tank in that photo. You have a soon to be huge barb that should never ever be kept alone in that small tank. So it has to go to a better set up.

I thought you had carpet plants, but the photo may fool my eye. Is it green gravel?

Either way, a barb or goby tank isn't a gourami tank. Their needs are very different. I see what looks like tiny numbers of barbs/danios in there, and social fish forced to become loners tend to get nippy. I think you have a larger decision to make.

If you prioritize barbs, as your online name suggests, then that's your direction. No one should end up with a lone tinfoil, so your source of advice there was not a good one. Any barb danio species kept in fewer than 6-10 individuals is going to be a bad dynamic.

If you prioritize the dwarf gouramis, you'll have a very warm tank with slow water movement, which Danios won't like. Rosy will hate it. You have the inhabitants of several tanks already overcrowded together. Everything but the gouramis you listed needs a larger tank and more numbers (except the kribs, which could use more space).

The dwarf gouramis could live with a warmth tolerant Asian micro-barb/rasbora, etc. You have a taste for large fish (look up adult rosy barbs). I don't mean to be hard on you, but you need to research your fish before you buy them. You have ones and twos of very social fish that live in huge groups in the wild. You care, so you will do well as a fishkeeper, and that means they will get to full size. Never buy a fish without knowing its needs first, and, very importantly, know how large it can (and will) grow.

 

[BarbsandGobies_expert]

Okay, thank you I did get the tin foil barb from a shop that were not experts and they sold him with some other barbs so I didn't realise at the time but that's fine he can be rehomed no problem.
On this particular occasion I was a bit to hasty I admit in purchasing the Gourami in which case would you suggest that they be re - homed too? Although I have tried to work out a way to keep the Gouramis, the equilibrium of the tank worked very well before putting them in so perhaps there not the best fit.
As for the Rainbow Kribs I have had for about a month and they are getting on well with barbs and danios etc.
I have been very open with the fish shop which are experts (Maidenhead Aquatics) and they thought the combination was possible to work. I appreciate the advice.

 

[Essjay]

I would not trust anything a shop worker says, not even Maidenhead Aquatics. Some staff may know something about fish but many do not.


The best starting point for research is the website Seriously Fish, then more specialised sites for further research. Seriously Fish will tell you the hardness and temperature a fish needs; the size tank it needs; what size group (though it is now realised these numbers are out of date and should be higher) and so on.

Knowledge Base — Seriously Fish

www.seriouslyfish.com

 

[Colin_T]

If you get some floating plants in the tank the female should be happier. The tank is also tall enough so most of the fish will live in the middle to bottom half and the gouramis can hang out at the top. However, there's never a 100% guarantee and the female gourami could remain stressed indefinitely. She is definitely stressed in the picture.

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As Gary mentioned, the danio, praecox rainbowfish, rosy barb, gold barb and flame tetra would all need companions (minimum of 6 of each species, preferably 10 or more), but that will probably overcrowd the tank.

The rainbowfish will grow about the same size as the dwarf gouramis but are active swimmers. They shouldn't cause any real problems to the gouramis but they do prefer water with a pH above 7.0. The gouramis, tetras and kribensis prefer water with a pH below 7.0. However, depending on what the pH is they might be ok. If it's around 7.0 out of the tap then it should be ok for all the fish in the tank.

If you want more rainbows fish (Melanotaenia praecox or dwarf rainbow), the males have a red tail and females have a yellow/ orange tail. They need lots of plant matter in their diet and at least 50% of the food they get should be plant based. You can use vege flakes/ pellets, small aquatic plants like Duckweed, or fresh/ frozen algae available from Asian supermarkets or the Asian section in a normal supermarket.

Gold barbs and flame tetras should be ok with the gouramis. A group of 10 of each would add colour and let the fish be in groups. Other small barbs that can be kept with small tetras and dwarf gouramis include cherry barbs and checkered barbs.

The rosy barbs and giant danios are going to be too big and active for the gouramis to be happy. I would get rid of them if you want to keep the gouramis.

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You need to get rid of the snail in the front of the tank. It looks like a Malaysian Livebearing snail and they are a horrible pest species that is virtually impossible to get rid of once they settle in.

 

[BarbsandGobies_expert]

If you get some floating plants in the tank the female should be happier. The tank is also tall enough so most of the fish will live in the middle to bottom half and the gouramis can hang out at the top. However, there's never a 100% guarantee and the female gourami could remain stressed indefinitely. She is definitely stressed in the picture.

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As Gary mentioned, the danio, praecox rainbowfish, rosy barb, gold barb and flame tetra would all need companions (minimum of 6 of each species, preferably 10 or more), but that will probably overcrowd the tank.

The rainbowfish will grow about the same size as the dwarf gouramis but are active swimmers. They shouldn't cause any real problems to the gouramis but they do prefer water with a pH above 7.0. The gouramis, tetras and kribensis prefer water with a pH below 7.0. However, depending on what the pH is they might be ok. If it's around 7.0 out of the tap then it should be ok for all the fish in the tank.

If you want more rainbows fish (Melanotaenia praecox or dwarf rainbow), the males have a red tail and females have a yellow/ orange tail. They need lots of plant matter in their diet and at least 50% of the food they get should be plant based. You can use vege flakes/ pellets, small aquatic plants like Duckweed, or fresh/ frozen algae available from Asian supermarkets or the Asian section in a normal supermarket.

Gold barbs and flame tetras should be ok with the gouramis. A group of 10 of each would add colour and let the fish be in groups. Other small barbs that can be kept with small tetras and dwarf gouramis include cherry barbs and checkered barbs.

The rosy barbs and giant danios are going to be too big and active for the gouramis to be happy. I would get rid of them if you want to keep the gouramis.

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You need to get rid of the snail in the front of the tank. It looks like a Malaysian Livebearing snail and they are a horrible pest species that is virtually impossible to get rid of once they settle in.

Okay thanks. I have made up my mind. The Tin foil will be rehomed. Just so you know there are three danios in there and there are multiple Gobies in there so they do have some companions. There is peace between fish but my plan is to remove any boisterous fish that I have noted and add some cover on the top of the tank. I think this is a good way to go especially as there is a peaceful atmosphere between the fish currently but this will make them all feel more comfortable. Thank you everyone for you help with this issue.