How would neon tetras and dwarf gouramis be in a 29 gallon tank?

[aqdpanda22]

I have been having a lot of trouble deciding how I want to stock my 29 gallon tank. It currently has 8 neon tetras in it and I want to add 1 or 2 centerpiece fish to it and call it done. How would dwarf gouramis get along with neon tetras? And how many in my 29 gallon with 8 neons? I will attach a picture of the tank if that helps. If you don't think dwarf gouramis are a good fit for my tank, is there another fish I could use as a centerpiece in my tank? Or even just another schooling fish that would do well. I just really want to get this tank done. Thanks in advance for any feedback or suggestions!

 

[connorjs1004]

You could easily add a trio of honey gourami as well as add some more tetras to the school.

 

[Freshfishguy]

I have been having a lot of trouble deciding how I want to stock my 29 gallon tank. It currently has 8 neon tetras in it and I want to add 1 or 2 centerpiece fish to it and call it done. How would dwarf gouramis get along with neon tetras? And how many in my 29 gallon with 8 neons? I will attach a picture of the tank if that helps. If you don't think dwarf gouramis are a good fit for my tank, is there another fish I could use as a centerpiece in my tank? Or even just another schooling fish that would do well. I just really want to get this tank done. Thanks in advance for any feedback or suggestions!

Nice tank! I wouldn’t suggest dwarf gouramis for a couple reasons—there’s a virus specific to them for which there is no cure and which kills most of them. Also, they are really unpredictable in terms of temperament—the best way to keep them in a community tank would be to have them as a singular fish or with multiple females but females are hard to come by.

For centerpiece fish, I would highly suggest either:
-2-3 honey gourami like connorjs1004 suggested
-a killifish such as a Golden wonder or a golden panchax
-one male Bolivian ram
-one male begginer apisto like a cockatoo or a borelli

If you go with a bottom dweller centerpiece, you could get a top dwelling fish school of 8 like forktail rainbowfish, hatchetfish, pencilfish, or orange hatchet danios. Also, if you go with the bottom dwelling centerpiece, I would only have that fish as a bottom dweller (no Corys and such).

Just some ideas! Lots of options though.

 

[Magua]

That’s what I have! But if you do dwarf, just get one. They’re just too aggressive to their own. I’ve read that honey gourami do ok in groups (with just one male - but around here, females are hard to find). I have a neon blue dwarf gourami that’s gorgeous, 10 neons, 11 cory cats, 6 otos, one mystery snail, 1 MTS in my 29 and I looooooove it!

 

[aqdpanda22]

You could easily add a trio of honey gourami as well as add some more tetras to the school.

Does the sex of the gourami matter? If I happened to get a male and female, would they breed by themselves (sorry if that's a dumb question. I have only been in this hobby for a short time and have only ever had Bettas and neon tetras)? Is either sex better or can I just get whatever is available?

 

[Hellfishguy]

Does the sex of the gourami matter? If I happened to get a male and female, would they breed by themselves (sorry if that's a dumb question. I have only been in this hobby for a short time and have only ever had Bettas and neon tetras)? Is either sex better or can I just get whatever is available?

Dwarf gouramis are beautiful & hard to resist, but they're not worth all the aggravation they cause. The chances of finding a female are almost non-existent - 99% of the fish sold are males. Honey gouramis are a wonderful alternative, but why not go for another school of tetras? Black neons or head and tail lights inhabit the top third of the water column, plus they're practically bullet-proof.

 

[aqdpanda22]

Dwarf gouramis are beautiful & hard to resist, but they're not worth all the aggravation they cause. The chances of finding a female are almost non-existent - 99% of the fish sold are males. Honey gouramis are a wonderful alternative, but why not go for another school of tetras? Black neons or head and tail lights inhabit the top third of the water column, plus they're practically bullet-proof.

I want to try something new. I've had tetras before and I currently have them so I'd like something else in my tank as well. Also, I'm not considering dwarf gouramis anymore. I was asking about honey gouramis. I will definitely consider the black neon tetras but will likely go with some honey gouramis instead.