Pearl Gourami A Good Match For The Tank?

[Ceramicbull]

Well, plans have changed for my tank mid-stocking, and I'm considering adding a gourami to my tank. Current stocking is 5x Brochis Splendens aka Emerald Green Cory, 8x Pacific Blue Eye aka Signifier Rainbow (Pseudomugil signifer), and 8x Harlequin Rasbora. Size is 29 USG, and water chemistry is fairly hard and 7.8 pH.

After a trip to the LFS, I was favoring 3 types: Dwarf, Pearl, and Opaline. The Opaline sounds like it may be too aggressive for this otherwise peaceful bunch. I noticed the pinned thread about how Dwarves are prone to sickness. The pearl is plenty beautiful, and seems both sturdy and peaceful. My only concern is that it is a fairly sizable fish, and I hope to still add a small Loricariid catfish. So, room for both? Might there be another species worth looking at?

 

[Squidward]

Well, plans have changed for my tank mid-stocking, and I'm considering adding a gourami to my tank. Current stocking is 5x Brochis Splendens aka Emerald Green Cory, 8x Pacific Blue Eye aka Signifier Rainbow (Pseudomugil signifer), and 8x Harlequin Rasbora. Size is 29 USG, and water chemistry is fairly hard and 7.8 pH.

After a trip to the LFS, I was favoring 3 types: Dwarf, Pearl, and Opaline. The Opaline sounds like it may be too aggressive for this otherwise peaceful bunch. I noticed the pinned thread about how Dwarves are prone to sickness. The pearl is plenty beautiful, and seems both sturdy and peaceful. My only concern is that it is a fairly sizable fish, and I hope to still add a small Loricariid catfish. So, room for both? Might there be another species worth looking at?

I have recently added Pearls to my tank for exactly the same reasons as you.
Only been a few days, but so far, so good.

 

[Carlovel1]

When they are kept singly, Pearl Gouramis tend to be much more peaceful and gently. They still tend to be bullies though. In your tank, a single Pearl Gourami is fine.
An more peaceful alternative to them is the beautiful and rarer Snakeskin Gourami. Snakeskins tend to be the most peaceful gourami in the gourami family. Most websites say that Snakeskins grow to 30CM and they do but in aquariums, they tend to reach the same size as a pearl gourami. Its a fab alternative.
Carl