Can I add more fish

[Byron]

On the Pearls, that is what I suspected. Male gourami are territorial, some species more than others, but individual males can vary within a species. In a group, more females than males is always safer to avoid this, but discerning male/female in store tanks of immature fish can be difficult. As you have a lovely looking pair (the lower fish is definitely male, the upper behind looks more female), don't upset the apple-cart. They will inevitably spawn.

Congo Tetra would be a good choice. A group of 7-9, with roughly even gender; the males are the more striking by far, and having more of them will not result in the gourami problem at all, so 4 males to 3 females or similar is fine. Usually easy to discern gender even when small, look for the beginnings of the caudal fin extension in males; females will even when young be much plainer, basically a "white" fish, lacking the iridescent shine of the males. This species really needs a four-foot tank like your 55; I have 7 presently in my 4-foot 90g. They spawn regularly, though the eggs get eaten by the other fish. They like to swim on occasion, but that won't be too much for the gourami. My males do relay races from time to time, usually two of them, with a third trying to join in. This is quite separate from any interactions with the females.

Cardinal Tetra tend to prefer the lower half of the water column, among plants and branches. As far as compatibility, no problems here.

If you want truly red fish, have a look at the Coral Red Pencilfish, Nannostomus mortenthaleri. These are incredible fish. Mid to upper half of the tank generally, but they will spread out just like the Boraras but be a better match because you will at least see them. Photo attached--and they really are red like this.

Byron.

 

[hobby5]

Lovely tank you have there!

Imho those are 2 male pearl gourami. If you look closely both have very extended back fins.

@OP Don't get overexcited with pictures on the internet. Many are color enhanced. From what I have seen the Boraras are mostly less intense.

My first choice would also be the Trigonostigma espei. But of course it is better if you pick a fish you truly like and want. I think a larger shoal of cardinal tetras (30-40) would look great too. And with all the plants they would not stay at the very bottom but also use the upper parts. Practically you can chose any tetra you like which does not get too big. So imho the Congo tetra is a little too active and too large for your tank and I am not sure how they will react to the gouramis.

 

[Munroco]

Cardinals will swim at most levels, I think it probably depends on your planting. Mine go all over, sometimes together sometimes in ones and twos

 

[thrujenseyes]

EEEEKKK!!!! I LOVE them!!!!! They are perfect!!! EXACTLY what I was looking for!! Soft water, mid to upper third level swimming, prefer slower water (just like the gouramis), prefer planted tanks, prefer similar higher temps as the gouramis as well! All around, they seem like a really excellent fit for my tank.

Yay! I adore them and thought of them the second I read your post. Glad they seem to fit! They are super small bodied also so aren't bad on bio load (well...depending how many you get).
I'd love to have them but I don't have soft water. Please post if you get them!!!

editing....I just read the rest of the threads that I somehow missed...
awwww shucks..too small.

 

[thrujenseyes]

Congo Tetra would be a good choice.

Byron showed us a Gorgeous picture of his a while back and man they are really pretty fish!

If you want truly red fish, have a look at the Coral Red Pencilfish, Nannostomus mortenthaleri.

This is a seriously gorgeous fish! I've never seen these in person. I would surely look into these if I were you!
I'm so jealous of all the amazing space you have!

 

[Byron]

Those of us who are indeed blessed with soft water out of the tap do have some beautiful options in fish. I am reminded of this during every water change when I can run tap water directly into the tanks. I would not be able to have the tanks of wild caught fish exported from South America or SE Asia if my water wasn't like it is.

 

[BeckyCats]

On the Pearls, that is what I suspected. Male gourami are territorial, some species more than others, but individual males can vary within a species. In a group, more females than males is always safer to avoid this, but discerning male/female in store tanks of immature fish can be difficult. As you have a lovely looking pair (the lower fish is definitely male, the upper behind looks more female), don't upset the apple-cart. They will inevitably spawn.

Congo Tetra would be a good choice. A group of 7-9, with roughly even gender; the males are the more striking by far, and having more of them will not result in the gourami problem at all, so 4 males to 3 females or similar is fine. Usually easy to discern gender even when small, look for the beginnings of the caudal fin extension in males; females will even when young be much plainer, basically a "white" fish, lacking the iridescent shine of the males. This species really needs a four-foot tank like your 55; I have 7 presently in my 4-foot 90g. They spawn regularly, though the eggs get eaten by the other fish. They like to swim on occasion, but that won't be too much for the gourami. My males do relay races from time to time, usually two of them, with a third trying to join in. This is quite separate from any interactions with the females.

Cardinal Tetra tend to prefer the lower half of the water column, among plants and branches. As far as compatibility, no problems here.

If you want truly red fish, have a look at the Coral Red Pencilfish, Nannostomus mortenthaleri. These are incredible fish. Mid to upper half of the tank generally, but they will spread out just like the Boraras but be a better match because you will at least see them. Photo attached--and they really are red like this.

Byron.

The first picture I posted did not show the fins well at all. Here you can see them on both fish better. Both males, unfortunately. You can see The Boss (as I call him) coming up around the corner to peck at his brother.

And here he is being bossy.

Regarding new species, I took another look at the espei, and I do actually like them. I don't see them in stores very often though. That's the problem with any kind of interesting fish I suppose. It has to be available. If you think of anything else that would be a good fit for this tank, let me know. It doesn't have to be red. I just want to be able to see it reasonably well from a few feet away.

 

[Byron]

I agree, those are both male, it is clear in these latest photos. It would be nice to have 3-4 females, if you could be certain (this is something I wold certainly aim for, even if it takes some effort to find them somewhere). But you have the space, and lots of lovely plants, so it is not as bad as it could be in another sirutation to have just two males. And if neither fish is overly aggressive, as doesn't seem to be the case, it may not be a real problem.

Sometimes one has to wait a spell for the intended fish, I have done this, so don't make the mistake I once did years ago of acquiring fish just to have more in the tank, and then find they are taking up space of something else you would prefer and which are then available.

In addition to what I previously mentined, there are several tetra species that would work here. The disk-shaped species like Rosy Tetra, Roberti Tetra, Red Phantom Tetra...these all work well with sedate fish like the Pearls.

 

[hobby5]

... I don't see them in stores very often though. ...

Any reasonable shop should be able to order them or any other common species for you.

 

[BeckyCats]

I agree, those are both male, it is clear in these latest photos. It would be nice to have 3-4 females, if you could be certain (this is something I wold certainly aim for, even if it takes some effort to find them somewhere). But you have the space, and lots of lovely plants, so it is not as bad as it could be in another sirutation to have just two males. And if neither fish is overly aggressive, as doesn't seem to be the case, it may not be a real problem.

Sometimes one has to wait a spell for the intended fish, I have done this, so don't make the mistake I once did years ago of acquiring fish just to have more in the tank, and then find they are taking up space of something else you would prefer and which are then available.

In addition to what I previously mentined, there are several tetra species that would work here. The disk-shaped species like Rosy Tetra, Roberti Tetra, Red Phantom Tetra...these all work well with sedate fish like the Pearls.

I was afraid that females would just make the males more aggressive. Would adding females make things more peaceful?

 

[BeckyCats]

Any reasonable shop should be able to order them or any other common species for you.

Now that you mention it, there is a LFS that has offered to special order fish. I guess I just like to see something in person before deciding. I suppose I could always order from an online place too if I get really sure of something. Thanks for the reminder.

 

[Byron]

I was afraid that females would just make the males more aggressive. Would adding females make things more peaceful?

It would get the two males' minds off themselves, but more importantly you would see some of the natural behaviours of the species and I believe this is the greatest joy in this hobby. Just make sure they are females, and here I would get four. With all the plants and given the tank space, and this species being one of the more peaceful of gourami, it should work.

 

[BeckyCats]

I would start with taking the number of your existing tetras to 15 and see how you like that. They will probably become more active and "fill" the tank better.

Sometimes one has to wait a spell for the intended fish, I have done this, so don't make the mistake I once did years ago of acquiring fish just to have more in the tank, and then find they are taking up space of something else you would prefer and which are then available.

In addition to what I previously mentined, there are several tetra species that would work here. The disk-shaped species like Rosy Tetra, Roberti Tetra, Red Phantom Tetra...these all work well with sedate fish like the Pearls.

I've been rethinking the glowlight tetras. I think I will take Zante's advice and at least bump up their numbers to 12 - 15. I already know that I like their behavior and that they seem to do well in my tank, so it is a good place to start. Perhaps with more of them in there, they will be easier to see.

According to an online stocking calculator, I can have as many as 36 of the glowlight tetras (with the pearls and cories). I know it's just a computer making a calculation, so I'm asking you guys, doesn't that seem like too many fish or is that about right?

 

[Byron]

According to an online stocking calculator, I can have as many as 36 of the glowlight tetras (with the pearls and cories). I know it's just a computer making a calculation, so I'm asking you guys, doesn't that seem like too many fish or is that about right?

Even 36 glowlight tetras will not come even close to overstocking, and with the two pearl gourami and a group of 12-15 cories factored in too. My 70g, which when "empty" is only 15 gallons more than your 55g, has over a hundred fish at present, including 50 cories, 10 diamond tetra, 15 rummys, 15 red phantoms, 7 platinum hatchets, 3 whiptails, and a few odds and ends "left over."

There are many factors that determine stocking levels/limits. Most aquarists consider the numbers in terms of body mass/water volume, but while certainly important that is not the most critical aspect. The aquascape, live plants, numbers of shoaling species and compatibility of species are the main factors. Within reason, more fish of a shoaling species will be less impact than too few. Peaceful species combined will have significantly less impact than one aggressive species tossed into the mix. Even one permanently aggressive fish can significantly overload the biology because of its impact on all the other fish.

This is why online calculators are not always accurate. They cannot factor in all of the essential factors because some of these simply take human thought.

A simple example: a group of 20 Zebra danio will have more impact on the biological system of a 20 gallon tank than will a group of 20 glowlights, all else being equal.

Byron.

 

[BeckyCats]

Even 36 glowlight tetras will not come even close to overstocking, and with the two pearl gourami and a group of 12-15 cories factored in too. My 70g, which when "empty" is only 15 gallons more than your 55g, has over a hundred fish at present, including 50 cories, 10 diamond tetra, 15 rummys, 15 red phantoms, 7 platinum hatchets, 3 whiptails, and a few odds and ends "left over."

There are many factors that determine stocking levels/limits. Most aquarists consider the numbers in terms of body mass/water volume, but while certainly important that is not the most critical aspect. The aquascape, live plants, numbers of shoaling species and compatibility of species are the main factors. Within reason, more fish of a shoaling species will be less impact than too few. Peaceful species combined will have significantly less impact than one aggressive species tossed into the mix. Even one permanently aggressive fish can significantly overload the biology because of its impact on all the other fish.

This is why online calculators are not always accurate. They cannot factor in all of the essential factors because some of these simply take human thought.

A simple example: a group of 20 Zebra danio will have more impact on the biological system of a 20 gallon tank than will a group of 20 glowlights, all else being equal.

Byron.

Oh, wow! Thank you. I will start with upping the glowlights to 12-15, give the tank time to adjust, and me time to figure out if I want more of the same or perhaps 20 or so cardinals (or something else peaceful and about the same size).

I also considered rummy nose tetras because they are so pretty, but I watched some videos of them and they seem to constantly race back and forth across the tank. I think that would stress out the pearls, wouldn't you think? I wonder if they do that all the time or just once a day or something? I know it is supposed to look cool, but it makes me wonder if they are trying to get out (which would make me sad, not relaxed).