Gourami Group Dynamic

[LauraFrog]

Hi all!

I currently have a young blue gourami (unsure of sex) in a 40 gal long, well furnished and overfiltered, with 9 neons and 10 silvertips. I would really like to add a lace gourami to this tank, and maybe a gold gourami as well (although I've read that they can be aggressive to smaller fish.) Would this work?

 

[sylvia]

Blue, gold, opaline, lavender, three-spot etc are the same species (Trichogaster trichopterus). The males are rather more aggressive than the females - what sex is yours? If male, don't add any more. If female, a couple more females would work of that same species (colour is irrelevant). Best not to add just one as the larger more established one will just bully the other. Also best to avoid lace gouramies (Trichogaster leeri) in this case though they are most suited to your combination of fish generally, being as they are very lovely peaceful fish most of the time. Both the neons and silvertips ought to be capable of staying out of the way
Sexing is easy - males have a pointed dorsal, females have a rounded one.