Re-home Pearl Gouramis or get two females?

[WiccaFish]

Happy Mother's Day to all the mom's out there?
I need your advice..
I have a 75 gallon tank with a Bristlenose pleco, 2 rainbows, 8 Rosaline sharks (just added the 6 babies to the two adults last night) and 2 Pearl Gouramis. My issue is I have two male pearls (they were to young to sex when I got them). One is rather shy hiding all the time and being bullied by the other. Should I rehome them or get three females to calm them down? I'm just not sure with the size tank I have, how many more I can add without overcrowding ?‍

 

[Slaphppy7]

You have plenty of room, but I'm more concerned about the sharks and gouramis being together, especially when the juvies reach adult size

 

[WiccaFish]

So far the sharks have been very docile. I know this changes as they get older that's why I increased their shoal. I was told that by giving them a larger shoal they tend to stay within their own group and leave others alone. They occupy the bottom and mid tank while the Gouramis are up top. I also ordered some Frogbit to give the Gouramis refuge if the sharks start to pester them. I hope I wasn't misinformed ?

 

[Slaphppy7]

So far the sharks have been very docile. I know this changes as they get older that's why I increased their shoal. I was told that by giving them a larger shoal they tend to stay within their own group and leave others alone. They occupy the bottom and mid tank while the Gouramis are up top. I also ordered some Frogbit to give the Gouramis refuge if the sharks start to pester them. I hope I wasn't misinformed ?

If you were informed by people at your LFS, then you probably were mislead, yes...they are there to make $, not give good advice, a majority of the time

 

[Byron]

The combo of species is a problem, agree. The advice to increase the group is spot on, but unfortunately gouramis are not suitable tankmates and rather than get more and increase the problem, remove the two Pearls. Roseline Sharks are actually a species of barb, and the following info from a profile of this species I posted elsewhere may help in sorting this out. You will note that the barbs need specific environmental features (flowing water, and cooler temperatures) which also do not work with gourami.

Sahyadria denisonii

Family: Cyprinidae, Subfamily Barbinae

Common Names: Denison's Barb, Roseline Shark, Red-line Torpedo Barb

Origin and Habitat: Endemic to southwestern India. Inhabits fast-flowing hill streams and rivers, occurring in shoals in rocky pools with thick marginal vegetation. Water temperature averages 15-25C/59-77F.

Compatibility/Temperament: Generally peaceful, but should not be kept with smaller fish that will likely be seen as food. It's water flow and cooler temperatures limit suitable tankmates to medium-sized barbs and danios, loaches, Garra and Devario species. Must be kept in a group, minimum 8; reports of aggressive behaviour may be due to the fish not being maintained in a sizeable group.

Water parameters: Soft to medium hard (5-25 dGH), slightly acidic to basic (pH 6.8 to 7.8) water, temperature 15-25C/59-77F. The species has a high oxygen requirement derived from fast-flowing water.

 

[raylove]

Denisoni barbs are my favourite fish, I've had them in my tank for 20 years. They seem to live 6-10 years though I still have one very ropy looking one from my original batch!
My group has generally been between 4-6 and I have never seen any aggression. Over the 20 years they have seen many tankmates including small tetras (such as cardinals) at times and angel fish at others. Currently they live with Africa Long Finned and Congo tetras, Pygmy Chain Loaches hatchets etc..
I have never been concerned about adding small fish as they have very small mouths. I once had to put some Mollies in their tank temporarily, even though the water conditions weren't ideal. The Mollies bred and the barbs didn't even eat the fry!
Anyway, I would hold fire on getting rid of them for now and see how things go. I have seen those reports of aggressive behaviour so there must be something in it, but honestly, based on my experience with them I have found them to be the perfect community fish!

 

[WiccaFish]

I guess I should clarify that the bully gourami isn't so much of a bully but more of a opportunist. He doesn't necessarily go after the the other male but during feeding time he kind of lurks around the other one. It's kinda creepy lol
I've on occasion seen him chase the other gourami but very rarely and I have never seen him nip at him. The timid one just seems to be super shy and skittish. I'm hoping the Frogbit will help him. Unfortunately, I'm getting mixed messages on adding some females. Some say it may cause more aggression, some say my tank is too small. I trust you guys the most and take what you say to heart. And I really do appreciate all the feedback

 

[Slaphppy7]

75G, too small? Not at all.

 

[Byron]

I guess I should clarify that the bully gourami isn't so much of a bully but more of a opportunist. He doesn't necessarily go after the the other male but during feeding time he kind of lurks around the other one. It's kinda creepy lol
I've on occasion seen him chase the other gourami but very rarely and I have never seen him nip at him. The timid one just seems to be super shy and skittish. I'm hoping the Frogbit will help him. Unfortunately, I'm getting mixed messages on adding some females. Some say it may cause more aggression, some say my tank is too small. I trust you guys the most and take what you say to heart. And I really do appreciate all the feedback

You should not have gourami in with the barbs. First, they have different requirements respecting water flow and temperature. Aside from the fact that gourami being sedate fish should never be in with active fish like barbs. Given the barb group, and the tank space, this seems the better species to stay with, so remove the two gourami. The interaction between them is another distinct issue, but one that is going to lead to trouble nonetheless.

I don't know what the two rainbows are, but that might be another issue. Rainbows are shoaling fish, but some species would work well with the barbs, and be upper level compared to the barbs mid-lower level.

 

[WiccaFish]

Denisoni barbs are my favourite fish, I've had them in my tank for 20 years. They seem to live 6-10 years though I still have one very ropy looking one from my original batch!
My group has generally been between 4-6 and I have never seen any aggression. Over the 20 years they have seen many tankmates including small tetras (such as cardinals) at times and angel fish at others. Currently they live with Africa Long Finned and Congo tetras, Pygmy Chain Loaches hatchets etc..
I have never been concerned about adding small fish as they have very small mouths. I once had to put some Mollies in their tank temporarily, even though the water conditions weren't ideal. The Mollies bred and the barbs didn't even eat the fry!
Anyway, I would hold fire on getting rid of them for now and see how things go. I have seen those reports of aggressive behaviour so there must be something in it, but honestly, based on my experience with them I have found them to be the perfect community fish!

I'm definitely holding off until I get the floating plants to see if that helps. My one gourami has been shy since day one but I'm hoping having some hiding spots will help ?

 

[raylove]

Byron makes a good point about flow rates. The barbs won't mind a more gentle flow providing the water is clean and well oxygenated, but the gouramis won't like a fast flow. With floating plants you will want to moderate this in any case.
Other water parameters do overlap though, so I wouldn't worry about that.
Although mine are active and constantly on the prowl, they don't dash around disturbing their tankmates (as I type this I see that my African Long Finned Tetras are spawning. As usual the Denisoni Barbs are following them eating the eggs, but even when do that they swim very in s very leisurely manner!). Also they tend to stay in the lower half of the tank whereas gouramis stick to nearer the surface, so in a large enough tank I believe they will live together happily.
As I said earlier I have certainly kept mine with angels and I have also kept them in with blue gouramis without issue.

 

[Essjay]

Even with a reduced water flow, pearl gouramis and the barbs need different temperatures - either the gouramis would be too cold or the barbs too hot.

And the barbs will stress the gouramis just with their swimming behaviour.



These species should not be kept in the same tank.