Juvenile Male Or Female?

[fishwatcher]

My mom just got this pearl yesterday, but she's not sure which sex it is. The store she bought it from doesn't really know either bc they are young, only about 2 inches long (plus the tail).
So I took a few photos, hoping someone can tell us. She was really wanting a male since it was going to be alone, if it's a fm though she wants to know if she can add another female. (It's a 20g tank, has 4 cories, 4 cardinals, 1 curvicep (juvenile) and 1 dwarf gourami.
Thanks!

 

[sylvia]

It's a little early to tell at 2" and it doesn't look like it has settled in yet - very pale. Maybe give it a week and take another pic?

If it turns out female, another would be fine but some hierarchial aggression should be expected (it's minnimal amongst most pearls but some are capeable of real aggression as well - usually the males though, not the social females).

 

[fishwatcher]

Do you think only another female pearl would be ok or another gourami all together? She's seen my Banded today and is in love with it! I'm not sure though if a pearl, dwarf and banded would get along, though, so I told her I'd ask. (I'm trying to talk her in to getting her own registration here! )

 

[sylvia]

In a 20 gallon it's best to stick with just the pearl(s) and dwarf as, idealy, there should be about 10 gallons per fish. I consider pearl gouramies the exveption because they are particularly social but even 2 pearls may as yet not work along with the dwarf so considering a banded, dwarf and pearl is probably pushing it (though, actually, it could work so if she really likes it, she can always give it a try as long as she is prepaired to return the fish if necessary). It's difficult to predict how individual gouramies will react to other gouramies of a different species. It's all well generalising and talking about 'typical' behaviour but, in reality, different fish react in different ways. And, obviously, sex, the amount of time they've been in the tank, decor, other tankmates, size etc also matters a lot.