Three Spot Gourami Shredded Zebra Danio

So I recently posted asking if I could mix Tiger Barbs with Gouramis and you guys strongly suggested that I don't try it. You guys suggested a "Dither" Fish as it would bring out the shyness in my Gourami. I added 7 Zebra Danio to my tank on Wednesday and everything was good. I had to leave the light on for more than their normal time because I was gone for 18 hours yesterday. (Which I'm sure was part of the issue) I woke up this morning to see pieces of a Zebra Danio inside the tank. The danio is in 3 pieces and I can't seem to find the head just looking around, but his torso is shredded violently, the only fish big enough in my tank to to this are my Three spots. It turns out they are a tad more aggressive than I thought they might be. In my research on Gourami I know that they have varying personalities and some will become less shy with dither fish and some won't. Ive read that the fast movement of Zebra danios is sometimes an issue and aggravates other fish. I already have 10 neon tetra that live peacefully with the Gourami as they have for the past months. The only thing that I can think of is to take the Danios back and get a male Three spot and maybe it would help the two females become a little less shy. I know its risky, and its pushing the limits of my tank. But I can't think of anything else other than to give one of the Females away. And the only friend who would happily except any fish from me is the one who got rid of the Gourami in the first place XD. So please help me out. I really can't get another tank all I have is a 10 and I didn't really want to run it permanently. I understand its risky, but Ive seen people house many gourami in a 29 and they all swim around peacefully. And the recommended Male to Female ratio is 1:3 2:5. So maybe what they need is a male. Idk. If you don't think its a good idea other recommendations would be greatly appreciated!

29 gallon
Aqueon quietflow 30 filter
Aquatech 20-40 Gallon filter
Tetra HT 30 100 Watt heater
Led desk lamp (I did the math and covered lumens to watts and Its just slightly over 3 watts and gallon)
Daily dose of API CO2 booster
Bi-Weekly dose of Flourish (Just picked up and started yesterday)
API root tabs
Play Sand
Weekly dose of Stress Zyme
Weekly 25% water change with gravel vac
2x Three Spot Gourami
10x Neon Tetra
3x KuhlI Loach
1x Ghost Shrimp
Premature field of Staurogyne Repens
2 bundles of Bacopa
1x Temple Plant
1x El Nino Fern
1x
1x Anubias
2x Small Java Fern
2x Floating Umbrella Plant
A few fake plants

Ph = 7.5
Ammonia = 1ppm
Nitrites = 0ppm
Nitrates = 20ppm
Hardness = 8dKH

P.S. Ive been dosing flourish for more than yesterday, I got it last weekend. But I'm pretty sure its irrelevant

 

I don't think that you need to get another gourami. These gouramis get up to 6 inches. Your tank would be over stock with these 3 fish. Do you have a pucture of your tank. I think that after awhile the 2 females will be less timid. Do you have a lot of driftwood and plants to provide cover and hiding places. Tanks that have hiding places for fish usually have less timid fish.

 

The tank has hiding places. Both Gourami are already fully grown. 1 is 6 inches and 1 is 4. They have been in the tank for almost 2 months and they have been hiding every day and only come out with all the lights in my room out. Its not heavily planted but I hope for it to be once all my small plants grow. And yes it would be overstocked but I don't understand how people can have like 6 Gourami in a 29 and them all be happy and healthy. But people do it. So although one more Gourami is pushing it. I feel like it would be ok since I have so many plants and 2 filters. I'm more worried about the male trying to mate and the females not having it and ganging up on the male and killing him while I sleep.

 

Another possibility is that the danio got sick and died in which case the other fish would have shredded it. Alison

 

Another possibility is that the danio got sick and died in which case the other fish would have shredded it. Alison

Good point. But the purpose of the Danios was an attempt to make the Gouramis less timid. And they aren't phased by them. Do you have any recommendations?

 

I stead of more fish ,I would try getting some water sprite plants and or stems of Elodia aka Anacharis to put in the tank as floating plants I think in nature they would not be the type of fish that would be swimming around in bright open water but more along the edges and shadows of floating plants and branches. They might be happier if you could duplicate the conditions that they like. The anacharis is a stem plant that is sold in an elastic bunch. Just remove the elastic and drop them in the water. Alison

 

True. Gouramis are usually swim at the top thus there should be plants or cover at the top. Usually in the wild along the sides of the rivers there are plants and wood.