Gourami Compatibility With Other Species

[SKhan]

What other species do you recommend in an aquarium with three spot gouramis? I only have a 20 gallons aquarium and I'm really fond of Cosby gouramis. I have a 2 year old female and would like to add another 3 spot (maybe orange).
I know it's recommended to have fish of the same size. Until so far I had a pearl gourami joining up that sadly passed away, but my question is if I could add some smaller species to the aquarium (like Ancistrus or Plecostomus).

The target is having as many species as I can (and considering the tight space I can't afford having them the same size as the gourami).

I've also read that floating plants are recommended for gouramis. Could you point out some names/screens of plants that are recommended for them?

 

[crazychris]

Your gourami may not tolerate another gourami in her tank. My male blue won't but females seem to be less aggressive so you could try.

 

[SKhan]

I said before, I had a blue female and a pearl male and they got along fine.
The problem is not the other gourami but other species that I can add to the tank.

What do you recommend?
I know for a fact that long finned fish will not last very much since the gouramis will chew their fins. But what other species will be tolerated/ignored by them (that aren't of the same size)?

 

[Biulu]

For a 20 gallon tank you can add another three spot provided that youhave enough hiding places (plants, rocks etc.). For other species; almost anything will go with them, apart from mollies, as they are territorial fish for their own kind, but not agressive towards others.

You can think about a shoaling fish (tetras, rasboras) and for the bottom some cories or as you say a small ancistrus.

 

[fuzzynicki]

I have a mixed selection of gouramis in a tank with plecos and mollies. They all get on great,- athough it is a 260l. My two femal gold gouramis spend quite a lot of time swimming around with the male and female mollies!

 

[Gunngee]

I have about 7 mollies, 3 neons, 1 blue gourami, 1 plecostimus, 1 male betta. I don't have any problems. I have 1 mollie who is a bit of a bully and will try to push the gourami around sometimes. The Betta only chases the gourami away when he gets to close. Other than that it's one big happy family. At one point I had a beautiful gold gourami but he got REALLY aggresive and sadly I had to get rid of him.

 

[jnw1981]

I've 2 male neon blue Gourami's in a 90ltr tank. they get on fine with each other and I doubt they even notice the other inhabitants. (Mollies / Tetras)
If you really want to fit as much as possible, consider the levels they swim at. Gourami's tend to stay near the middle and top, so adding some Cory's or Loaches would make good use of the space, just watch out for increased pollution from a heavily stocked tank.

If you want to add livebearers bear in mind gourami's are good at spotting fry to munch on, albeit a little slow at catching them. so if it doesnt upset you too much, molly fry can make a nice dietary supplement for the gourami.

and yes - my gourami's like to bury themselves inside the floating plants and seem very happy in the shaded light.

 

[Dazzlearoobob]

I have neon tetras and cory in with my gourami and they seem to get along fine. good luck with the fish shopping.
D

 

[tankedagain]

What other species do you recommend in an aquarium with three spot gouramis? I only have a 20 gallons aquarium and I'm really fond of Cosby gouramis. I have a 2 year old female and would like to add another 3 spot (maybe orange).
I know it's recommended to have fish of the same size. Until so far I had a pearl gourami joining up that sadly passed away, but my question is if I could add some smaller species to the aquarium (like Ancistrus or Plecostomus).

The target is having as many species as I can (and considering the tight space I can't afford having them the same size as the gourami).

I've also read that floating plants are recommended for gouramis. Could you point out some names/screens of plants that are recommended for them?

I have 2 male gouramis( 1 blue 1 red) 3 corries a pleco and 1 mollie no problems except at feeding time, the pleco likes his brine shrimp, the mollie does too so the pleco chases the mollie(I think it's more playtime than something serious no one ever gets hurt)Also have 20 gal tank like you, the only thing I do is do a 20% water change every two weeks and the tank looks good ,so does the fish...good luck.....John