can i house one or two drawf gouramis in a 16 gallon with one pair of paradise fish? i will deffaintly have the paradise fish. just looking for tanks mates from the same geographical location. if they will fight because they look too much alike or something feel free to make suggestions.
Paradise Fish
- Thread starter fishbguy
- Start date
Absolutely not. Even the pair of paradisefish is a bad idea. Paradisefish are extremely aggressive. If oyu want a paradise, keep only a single male. If you want more, get a larger tank and get yourself a male and a large group (3-4 or more) of females to spread out the aggression.
Also, dwarfs don't do well in pairs either. Though less aggressive, one will almost always bully the other and this can lead to disease and death. They are particularly prone to disease as well.
With a mature paradisefish, a dwarf gourami might last a week tops
.
If you decide to buy a single paradisefish for your 16 gallons, avoid other fish besides maybe a bristlenose plec. Almost anything else will probably be caught and killed by the territorial male. Females are less aggressive (and less colorful) but they are also tricky to keep in a small tank with other fish. Maybe a few rosy barbs would work (but 16 gallons is a little small for rosies).
Think of paradisefish as large bettas (Siamese Fighting fish) that are that bit more capeable when it comes to chasing and killing other fish. At least, with bettas, fast fish can get away - not even danios can out-swim a paradisefish though.
Shrimp or a snail can also co-exist with some paradisefish but it does depend on the individual.
My suggestion would be to skip the paradise idea and maybe try a trio of honey or croaking gouramies instead. These would do well alongside a small school of 5-6 harlequin rasboras and maybe a small group of 4 or so cories or a trio of platies.
Also, dwarfs don't do well in pairs either. Though less aggressive, one will almost always bully the other and this can lead to disease and death. They are particularly prone to disease as well.
With a mature paradisefish, a dwarf gourami might last a week tops
.If you decide to buy a single paradisefish for your 16 gallons, avoid other fish besides maybe a bristlenose plec. Almost anything else will probably be caught and killed by the territorial male. Females are less aggressive (and less colorful) but they are also tricky to keep in a small tank with other fish. Maybe a few rosy barbs would work (but 16 gallons is a little small for rosies).
Think of paradisefish as large bettas (Siamese Fighting fish) that are that bit more capeable when it comes to chasing and killing other fish. At least, with bettas, fast fish can get away - not even danios can out-swim a paradisefish though.
Shrimp or a snail can also co-exist with some paradisefish but it does depend on the individual.
My suggestion would be to skip the paradise idea and maybe try a trio of honey or croaking gouramies instead. These would do well alongside a small school of 5-6 harlequin rasboras and maybe a small group of 4 or so cories or a trio of platies.
wow. I had no idea that paradise fish were so aggresive. 
all of my books say that they are very peacfull fish. and to think that i was going to get one for my moms tank. what about a pair of pearl gouramis with some harlequin rasboras? or a trio (one male, two females) of dwarf gouramis?
all of my books say that they are very peacfull fish. and to think that i was going to get one for my moms tank. what about a pair of pearl gouramis with some harlequin rasboras? or a trio (one male, two females) of dwarf gouramis?Pearls won't work because the tank's too small and they don't do well in pairs anyway (they should eb in trios or single).
A trio of dwarfs would work but they are fragile. Try honey gouramies instead (Colisa chuna/sota). They don't look great at the LFS but they soon color up and, males especialy, are beautiful. These would be fine with a school of harlequins (say 6). You could also just about fit a trio (or 4 males) of guppies or platies if you like.
A trio of dwarfs would work but they are fragile. Try honey gouramies instead (Colisa chuna/sota). They don't look great at the LFS but they soon color up and, males especialy, are beautiful. These would be fine with a school of harlequins (say 6). You could also just about fit a trio (or 4 males) of guppies or platies if you like.
i have never seen honey gouramis at my lfs put i will ask if they can order them for me. should they be in a trio like the others or a pair? i am also looking for fish from the same geographical location so guppies or platys won't work. what about some cherry or gold barbs instead? will they be a bad mix because they can be fin nippers? glass catfish perhaps instead of the barbs? i like the cats better so you can forget about the barbs. thanks for all your help. i appreciate it.
Andrew
Andrew
Yes - either a trio or single male.
A trio of cherry barbs would be a good option for tankmates. Note that these (unlike the gold) are NOT schooling fish.
I woouldn't reccomend glass cats. Read up on them a bit and you'll find that they are pretty much all wild caught and therefore sensitive to water conditions. They need quite soft water and to be in a school of at least 6. A school of at least 6 would overstock your tank consdiering they grow to 3". Also, they cannot deal with territorial fish like goouramies that might pick on them and don't like lights. They can be tricky to feed sometimes as well.
A trio of cherry barbs would be a good option for tankmates. Note that these (unlike the gold) are NOT schooling fish.
I woouldn't reccomend glass cats. Read up on them a bit and you'll find that they are pretty much all wild caught and therefore sensitive to water conditions. They need quite soft water and to be in a school of at least 6. A school of at least 6 would overstock your tank consdiering they grow to 3". Also, they cannot deal with territorial fish like goouramies that might pick on them and don't like lights. They can be tricky to feed sometimes as well.
thanks for the info. i all ready have some cherry barbs and gold barbs in my mom's tank. i lke schooling fish so i think i will add cold barbs. already red in the gouramis also. if there is anything else you think i should know, do tell. i think i am out of questions for now. talk to you later and thanks again for al the help.
Andrew
Andrew
Well, actually, gold barbs grow too big for your tank - they get to 4". If you want a small schooling fish, go for a group of 5 or so harlequin rasboras or something similarly small and non-nippy. I strongly reccomend you go to your LFS, take note of what you think looks good and then come back and ask about it.
i have already been to my lfs and my favorites are the harlequin rasboras. these fish have always been one of my favorite fish. so i will deffaintly be adding them. so, here is my final stock list for a 16 gallon tank with a filter fo a twenty gallon tank with a bio-wheel.
3-honey gouramis
6-harlaquin rasboras
does this sound about right? do i have any room for other fish or is the tank at it's limit?
Andrew
3-honey gouramis
6-harlaquin rasboras
does this sound about right? do i have any room for other fish or is the tank at it's limit?
Andrew
i almost forgot, could i put two three spot gouramis in the tank instead of anything else? i did not want to start another post for this. i think that the tank will be too small but i wanted a professional opinion. i know that three will be too many for sure so i will just have two femals so there will be no fighting between the male and female. thanks.
Andrew
Andrew
That stocking sounds fine... but you will be at your limmit then really. If you absolutely must have more P) you could fit maybe a trio of guppies or something else very small like that but absolutely nothing more.
But NOT the three-spots. These grow larger and they are a LOT more aggressive. Two in that size tank would certainly kill each other even if both are female.
P) you could fit maybe a trio of guppies or something else very small like that but absolutely nothing more. But NOT the three-spots. These grow larger and they are a LOT more aggressive. Two in that size tank would certainly kill each other even if both are female.
i think i will pass on the guppies until the tank is all set up and all the fish are in it. and i got it, NO THREE SPOT GOURAMIS!!! 
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