Black Skirts And Gouramis

I've got a nice planted 36 gallon community tank going with 10 peppered corys and 8 black skirt tetras. Everyone seems to be getting along well so far - the corys graze seemingly without rest, and the black skirts barely pay them any mind.

However, the black skirts seem to be pretty ornery with one another. They don't seem to actually nip or make contact, but they do chase each other around quite a bit. It's been very interesting to watch them establish their hierarchy, but my plan had been to complete my stock with a male dwarf gourami.

Considering how active and feisty my black skirts are, would this be a bad idea? Like I said, they generally ignore the corys, but I figured this might be because they essentially occupy separate levels of the tank. I like my black skirts, and I don't want to add a gourami if he won't be able to stand being picked on.

Thoughts? Is there an alternative colorful fish that could better defend itself against the tetras? I'd be fine with my tank as it is, but my wife would love some color and we both like the dwarf gourami's coloration.

 

I think a DG could work..
But it depends on the individual fish.

I have seen poeple here with shy gouramis.
And others who had terrors who bullied everyone.
Mine is the middle.. he is peacefull but he is far from shy. He got nipped by another fish but dint show a care.

Dwarf gouramis can defend themselves.

 

Your stocking is about 90 percent. A Dwarf Gourami would put you at just under 95 percent.

 

Your stocking is about 90 percent. A Dwarf Gourami would put you at just under 95 percent.

Yeah, that's the result I got from aqadvisor... is that okay? The dwarf gourami would be the last addition. I just figured I needed to stay under 100%.

I think a DG could work..
But it depends on the individual fish.

I have seen poeple here with shy gouramis.
And others who had terrors who bullied everyone.
Mine is the middle.. he is peacefull but he is far from shy. He got nipped by another fish but dint show a care.

Dwarf gouramis can defend themselves.

Is there anything I can look for while they're at the store to indicate their temperament? I figure they aren't showing their full personalities in pet store display tanks, but any tips for finding a good fish personality-wise would be greatly appreciated.

 

I will steer anyone and everyone away from the DG. Murderous, bullying fish. Pretty, but it's a terror. I'd suggest a honey gourami or two.

 

A good stocking recommendation is 80-85 percent. I tend to go over as I find it okay with good care. You just have to keep up with water changes as well as vacuum the gravel every week or two. I wouldn't go over. I only plan to stock one of mine over. I'm not finished stocking it just yet. It contains Melanochromis Auratus, so it needs to be overstocked to control aggression. Don't go over 100 percent and you should be perfectly fine with regular upkeep.

Thanks, that makes sense.

When / if I go ahead and get them I'll be purchasing them as young fish so is there a way to sex them? Would two males be more likely to fight rather than two females?

Two males with fight. Females can generally be kept together.

I will steer anyone and everyone away from the DG. Murderous, bullying fish. Pretty, but it's a terror. I'd suggest a honey gourami or two.

I do not agree with this. It depends solely on the individual fish. Females tend to be less aggressive.

 

Is there anything I can look for while they're at the store to indicate their temperament? I figure they aren't showing their full personalities in pet store display tanks, but any tips for finding a good fish personality-wise would be greatly appreciated.

In the store just look at how they are behaving.
Personally I picked one at random.
But I made sure he was not banged up and looked healthy.

 

Females are less aggressive, but a lot harder to find. And I don't think that you can disagree with my personal experiences with them. I have a few horror stories.

 

I will steer anyone and everyone away from the DG. Murderous, bullying fish. Pretty, but it's a terror. I'd suggest a honey gourami or two.

I have a dwarf gourami pair (a male and female) and they are great community fish. The one thing they care about is food.
Maybe I got lucky... but I love these two

 

A good stocking recommendation is 80-85 percent. I tend to go over as I find it okay with good care. You just have to keep up with water changes as well as vacuum the gravel every week or two. I wouldn't go over. I only plan to stock one of mine over. I'm not finished stocking it just yet. It contains Melanochromis Auratus, so it needs to be overstocked to control aggression. Don't go over 100 percent and you should be perfectly fine with regular upkeep.

This is why I love this forum. Thank you! I'll have to decide if the DG is a good idea after all. Water quality with the current inhabitants has been very stable so far, probably because of the plants, but I don't want to mess up a good thing.

 

You could always get a few more skirts. The more they have of themselves to chase around and nip, the more likely they'll leave the gourami alone. In any event, I think the gourami could hold its own.