PugsAndKitties

I have a 38 gallon community aquarium. How many dwarf gouramis can I get with my current fish (2 pearl gouramis, 5 rummy nose tetra, 8 neon tetra, 5 cories, and 2 otos) if I want to get about 6 platies too?

Amanda

I wouldn't add any more gouramis. I'm surprised you aren't having aggression problems with your 2 pearls.

Shawnie

welcome to fishlore!!! id say as far as gourami's, I wouldnt add anymore as they are very territorial and with all the fish babies there now, there wouldnt be enough space for each to claim as their own..you would have major fighting IMO ....

PugsAndKitties

Thanks, I was surprised too, when my gouramis ignored everyone in the tank. The only other gourami I've ever owned was very aggresive and nearly killed my gold barbs. They do rub each other with their feelers. Is that a good thing? They also seem to bite at each other, but never do any damage at all. Its not domanace beacause they both do it. What on Earth are they doing?

GouramiGirl1221

I'm not surprised that you're not seeing aggression from your pearls...they're by far the least aggressive gourami toward their own species. I haven't done much research, but in watching my "gourami tank" as I like to call it, it seems to me like it's they're way of staying peaceful. My dominant male dwarf and my pearl do it a lot, but my dwarf has never gone after him as he often does. That's a personal observation as I said. You may be able to try a dwarf gourami in your tank, but I'd ONLY suggest that if you have plenty of plants and a back up tank to transfer the dwarf to if there is an aggression issue.

If you want an example of what would normally be a bad situation, check out the stocking on my 55 gallon. It's not a common occurrence to have 7 gouramis in a tank that get along, but my guys/girls have established their pecking order, and I don't have any gouramis in my 29 gallon, so I could move any one of them to that tank if aggression ever becomes an issue (that's what I mean by having a "back up" tank).

Gamer

I have 8 gouramis in my planted 55 gallon. 5 powdered blue dwarfs and 3 honey sunsets (the flame dwarf died ) all male I believe and they live together just fine. There was aggression at first, some light nips and slow chases but no real damage was done. I read the more the better like in pet stores that get away with having 20 males together. If you get 2, they could surely fight to the death but if you get more than 3 they will spread out their aggression which they have and they established an order by now. In my experience with dwarfs, the more the better. I haven't kept pearls yet but always read they're the most peaceful of the species.