Does my Dwarf Gourami need a buddy?

[fishboi2000]

Hey yall,
I have had a dwarf gourami for the past 6-ish months. When I first purchased him, I also got a Columbian tetra. After a few days of them chasing each other, and learning that the tetra was a schooling fish, I returned him to the fish store, and now I have my gourami alone in a 10-gallon tank with a few snails. He spends his days slowly moving around the tank, hiding under rocks and in his structures, and sometimes he will get bursts of energy and quickly zip around the tank so fast that he makes dents in the gravel. He also is extremely skiddish and seems to be very nervous, he is sometimes hesitant to go and eat his food at the top of the tank. This behavior has slowly intensified within the past few weeks, and I'm curious if I should look into getting him a buddy. I will say, that when I first had him in the tank with the tetra, he was fairly aggressive, but these days, he seems super nervous, and I'm wondering if another fish would help him come out of his shell. I am not sure if this is the right idea, because I think the fish could either help him be less lonely and nervous, or it could only make him more territorial. I'm open to any advice and let me know if you want any pictures/ have any questions!
Thanks so much!!

 

[CassCats]

I would look into smaller nano fish, perhaps a school of ember tetras with him or some pygmy corydoras... both schooling fish. Pygmy corydoras you need 10 minimum.

A dwarf gourami should be in a 20 gallon they get too big and are too active for a 10 gallon to be really happy in.

Personally if you are unable to upgrade, I would ONLY add the pygmy cories with him in that sized tank.


Plant it very densely for him too as DG like lots of plants to skulk around in

 

[fishboi2000]

Awesome, thanks for the advice! I'm not sure I have room for a 20g, but I could definitely fit a 15 gallon, what would you recommend I put with him in the 15 gallon, considering he is pretty territorial and sometimes aggressive?

 

[CassCats]

In a 15:

1 dwarf gourami
6-8 ember tetras
10-15 pygmy corydoras

Unfortunately a 15 is still a little small for most schooling fish, but with the 15 I think an upper school of small nano schoolers could be a better fit than in the 10.

But first... what is your GH for your water? If too hard, you may not be able to do pygmy cories

 

[Essjay]

what is your GH for your water?

Look on your water provider's website for hardness.

 

[Stefan3289]

If he was territorial to the prior tetra in the 10 gallon, I would be hesitant to add anything similar unless you upgrade. Even if he seems nervous and hiding, he is most likely just being cautious and territorial. Never the less, I have kept DG with tetras and had no issues, so if you upgrade the tank you should be fine! Maybe just try to avoid long finned tetras and go for more like nano ones (just makes sure you GH and KH go along..)

 

[CassCats]

DG are also weird with who they like or don't like.

My male DG hates skirt tetras but is fine with black neon tetras lol back before we knew better with GH and compatible stocking, we had him with a molly and he HATED HER WITH A PASSION. But hes fine with platies.

 

[Stefan3289]

DG are also weird with who they like or don't like.

My male DG hates skirt tetras but is fine with black neon tetras lol back before we knew better with GH and compatible stocking, we had him with a molly and he HATED HER WITH A PASSION. But hes fine with platies.

Mollies are a little more aggressive than platies so that could be why if they were having disputes.

 

[squidneh]

Adding floating plants would probably make a big difference in his shyness/nervousness. Gourami do not like intense lighting and feel much safer if they have some cover over them versus open water. I had a gourami would frantically swim around any time I entered the room, to the point she would splash water out of the tank. I added floating plants and she became much more docile and willing to swim around the tank rather than hide and only dart around the tank. That's probably an extreme case but gives you an idea of the difference it can make, which I've witnessed first hand.

As others had said, depending on the hardness of your water, in a 15 gallon you have some options for small schooling fish. The trick will probably be to make sure whatever you choose does not have long fins as those seem to make DG feel threatened.

Ultimately though, I think the addition of plants, especially floating plants, might make the biggest difference for you. There was a thread posted here yesterday with a great option for fake floating plants, if you're really against live plants. But live plants offer the advantage of keeping the water cleaner in addition to added security for the fish.

 

[CassCats]

Mollies are a little more aggressive than platies so that could be why if they were having disputes.

It was the DG starting it, but that molly was nuts mean anyways haha but my DG boy is an instigator