Dwarf Gourami And Neon Tetras?

[PortWash]

Dwarf Gourami and Neon Tetras, is this a compatible situation? I currently have two male dwarf blue gourami's in a well planted tank and am looking into adding a school of neon tetras. I have read that the dwarf's aren't compatible yet some other variations of gouramis are compatible and also that neon's aren't compatible but other larger tetras are compatible. I am reading truth or fiction?

 

[sylvia]

Neons are fine with dwarfs - but what size tank, is it cycled and how long has it been set up? Both dwarfs and neons are fragile fish and cannot usually survive a cycle (read the links in my signature if you are confused at this point). Also, two dwarfs may well prove incompatible as they are territorial and will need to be able to establish distinct territories to live peacefuly together. If your tank is well-planted and large enough, this won't be a problem.

 

[PortWash]

Neons are fine with dwarfs - but what size tank, is it cycled and how long has it been set up? Both dwarfs and neons are fragile fish and cannot usually survive a cycle (read the links in my signature if you are confused at this point). Also, two dwarfs may well prove incompatible as they are territorial and will need to be able to establish distinct territories to live peacefuly together. If your tank is well-planted and large enough, this won't be a problem.

My tank has been established for a little over six months. The tank is 29g. The tank is well planted in the back and on either side. I recently planted some plants on my driftwood to add more coverage near the surface. I am just as much enthralled in adding and configuring the plants as I am with fish care. When I purchased the Gourami's they were my first fish after the danios. (newbie and that is what the guy said at the fish store) This was a little over 4 months ago. They were doing well and staying to their opposing corners. However, recently (over the last week)one of them has begun asserting himself and almost seems to be trying to take over the whole tank rather than mainly staying to the right side of the tank. My other gourami is now for the most part in hiding within my coliseum that has a large area within it. I was/am hoping that this will pass and he will go back to his side. Will this pass?

 

[Orbit887]

Dwarf Gouramis and tetra's are all fine. I've got a male/female pair of dwarfs in my 29gal, and in there I've also got neon tetras and xray tetras. The gouramis literally ignore them all and leave them to their own business.

The only real main problem I can see with your set up is having 2 dwarf males in the tank together. There's not an awful lot of room in there for both of them, as they'll both be quite territorial. If possible you should try and swap one of the males for a female. They'll still bicker a bit, but with enough cover and plants in there the female will be ok, she'll just run and hide away, but if you leave the 2 males in there together, I think one will get bullied to death.

 

[PortWash]

Thanks for the input. I am heading to my LFS tonight for plants so I will inquir into thier policy on that especially since they are the ones that recommended two in the first place.

 

[sylvia]

Even a male/female pair isn't ideal. Really, you want to have a trio (1 male, 2 females). Otherwise, males who feel like spawning will chase their female around and stress her out just as much as any rival male. If you can, replace one male with 2 females. Otherwise, you can always just add 3 new females to the tank - that's over-doing it slightly but it should be better for all the fish concerned. (I normaly suggest 10 gallons per male, 5 per female - but females are quite social anyway)