Dwarf Gourami harassing my Platys

Yeah. I'm definitely planning to leave the current stock alone for a while. I like the idea of adding a schooling type fish.

Based on my current stock, what are my options other than neons? And how many (also asking for a number on the neons)

 

You might try Serpae Tetras. They have the attitude to deal with a DG, even though they are of a size that the DG might find to be a threat.

I'd say like 15+ of a small school (1- 1 1/2 inches) and 8+ of a larger schooler (2 inches).

 

Once the tank is stable, would I introduce the entire school at once? Or in stages? Definitely don't want to overload my bio filter

 

No, not all at once. 4-6 at a time, depending on what size the fish you get are.

 

DG, Sol, not Three Spot lol

Wow I got mixed up there, I ment DG but I said 3spot. Normaly they are cool with neons. Serpae are a NO. Ive done that mix before, it just ends bad. The Dg gets nipped to pieces. Any nippy fish should never be kept with DG imo, their ventrals are the first to go.

 

Whenever I have had a Gourami, they have been seriously aggressive. I even had one hang out with Cichlids.

 

Wow I got mixed up there, I ment DG but I said 3spot. Normaly they are cool with neons. Serpae are a NO. Ive done that mix before, it just ends bad. The Dg gets nipped to pieces. Any nippy fish should never be kept with DG imo, their ventrals are the first to go.

I only suggest Serpaes because, even though they are nippy, the DG has the attitude enough to chase them off, and if the DG gets attitudey with them, they are attidutey enough to keep in at bay, as well. Kind of a double edged sword lol Might work, might not. Never know until you try!

 

I found that DG can't fight off serpae, not without taking damage.

 

Hello there!
Great looking setup you've got going now. With two female platies, you can bet your last dollar that soon you will have more fish! Sunsets are beautiful...I'm looking to get some for my soon-to-be-set-up 16 gallon bowfront.

If you want to add a midlevel schooling fish, consider harlequin rasboras. They're pretty laid back. A school of 6-8 could work nicely.

Enjoy your tank!

 

I've got harlequins and neons in a 29 gallon. If you are going for bright color go with the neons. The harlequins have a nice pattern on them though and are a tighter schooling fish (which in itself looks pretty neat) so I suppose it just depends on the look you want. Neons tend not to school too tightly, at least not as much as the rasboras.