Fish Compatibility

[Crossfire]

I currently have a 5 gallon GloFish tank with 2 GloFish and one very tiny Algae Eater. I am buying a 20 gal daylight/moonlight aquarium soon, and I want ot have these fish:

5 GloFish
1 Algae Eater
1 Borneo Sucker (or pleco or catfish)
4-10 Neon Tetras
1 Red Flame Dwarf Gourami
2-3 Sparkling Gourami
1-3 Ghost Shrimp

I really want these fish, but I've had different stories. On other forums, I've been told that the Dwarf Gourami and Sparkling Gourami could not coexist peacefully, except when I researched and went to PetSmart and asked a specialist, I was told that if there is sufficent plant cover they can peacefully coexist....Please help!

 

[fishguy2727]

Ditch the algae eater. I would go with a small bristlenose pleco when you get algae.

The Borneo sucker is best in room temp (not tropical like the other fish) so I wouldn't do that species.

The compatibility shouldn't be an issue (except maybe the gouramis, don't go by Petsmart alone). Water quality is always important though. As long as you can keep the water quality high (nitrate as low as possible, under 20ppm before a water change) you should be fine.

 

[Crossfire]

Well, I already have the algae eater, i'm not gonna get rid of the little guy. Might get a regular pleco or some cory catfish. But I want to make sure the Gouramis won't eat each others faces off....

 

[Caprichoso]

Well, I already have the algae eater, i'm not gonna get rid of the little guy. Might get a regular pleco or some cory catfish. But I want to make sure the Gouramis won't eat each others faces off....

You're going to have more trouble with that algae eater than you can imagine. As soon as they mature they become extremely territorial. It will harass anything in it's territory(which I'm afraid to say in a 20g will be the entire bottom and middle of the tank). If you want to start mixing gourami just be aware that some will get along with each other and some will not. This is why you are reading conflicting info. Some people have luck, some don't. I have mixed the following gourami: Pearls & Honey's. Honey's & Croaking. Kissing & Honey's. I had luck and they got along. The problem is that there are several factors which may or may not give you success. Tank size, plant scape, sex of fish, number of fish, other tank mates. Roll the dice and you might come up the winner. But you might not. Its a gamble and you have to be ready to re-home fish if it doesn't work out. I second getting rid of the algae eater. I really don't know why they sell these fish as they don't really eat algae and they are more of a nuisance than anything IMO.

Good luck with your decision.

 

[AmazonFTW]

Well, I already have the algae eater, i'm not gonna get rid of the little guy. Might get a regular pleco or some cory catfish. But I want to make sure the Gouramis won't eat each others faces off....

Regular plecos can can very big and require a lot of space. Cories don't eat algae, they're scavengers and eat catfish pellets and left over food. I doubt the Gouramis will have a problem but I wouldn't recommend a Dwarf Gourami as they are prone to disease and strains can be very weak due to inbreeding. You say 'Algae Eater', can you be more specific about what it actually is?

AmazonFTW

 

[fishguy2727]

I would only do a bristlenose pleco. They will eat almost any type of algae, don't bother any type of fish, won't bother live plants, and do not outgrow most tanks.

 

[Crossfire]

I'm pretty sure this is the algae eater I have:
My link
And, well, I can't really get rid of it now....Don't know who wants it or were to sell it...
What if I had one male dwarf gourami and 2-3 female sparkling gouramis?

 

[AmazonFTW]

I'm pretty sure this is the algae eater I have:
My link
And, well, I can't really get rid of it now....Don't know who wants it or were to sell it...
What if I had one male dwarf gourami and 2-3 female sparkling gouramis?

Take it back to your LFS and fast - these things get to 11" and terrorise everything when they reach maturity. It will dominate your whole tank.

On a happier note I would say the gouramis will be fine together, given they have lots of cover. Although, from my own experience, dwarf gouramis don't last.

AmazonFTW

 

[Crossfire]

Thank you so much for the advice! There's a specialty fish store near my house, so when I go there to get plants and stuff I'll ask if they'll take the little butt....stange though, it mayy be because he's so tiny and not mature yet, but he hides all day and rarely ever moves and never goes after my 2 Glofish

Upon closer inspection, my algae eater doesn't exactly look the one I thought it was...maybe its this? I dunno...I'll take a picture and put it up

 

[Caprichoso]

Thank you so much for the advice! There's a specialty fish store near my house, so when I go there to get plants and stuff I'll ask if they'll take the little butt....stange though, it mayy be because he's so tiny and not mature yet, but he hides all day and rarely ever moves and never goes after my 2 Glofish

Upon closer inspection, my algae eater doesn't exactly look the one I thought it was...maybe its this? I dunno...I'll take a picture and put it up

If that's what you have, keep it and get some more. They need to be in groups or they get timid and don't do very well. They do eat algae. They are very peaceful fish and cute too!

 

[AmazonFTW]

Yeah, if it's an otocinclus then you're fine (sorry for scaring you) they're lovely little things, as said, add more and it'll feel better .