Pearl gourami and shrimp

[Elephant nose 4]

Hi i have a male pearl gourami in with my congo tetra, I've been noticing the congo nipping my pearl and its pectoral fins are torn, the only other tank I have is my 30 gallon with 4 guppies, 3 chilli rasbora, African shrimp, amano and red cherry shrimp which I'm thinking my pearl might munch on!
Has anyone successfully kept pearls with small shrimp? I feel i really need to move him but don't want to upset my other tank.
Any advice would be appreciated

 

[GaryE]

A congo tetra should never be alone. It's a social species for larger tanks where it should swim in fast water. A pearl gourami is a slower water resident. You mentioned the Congo in the singular, so I expect you have a case of a bored and isolated nimble fish trying to get a slow fish to act like a member of its shoal. The pearl and the Congo speak different social languages.

I don't know how pearls would be with shrimp, but part of their popularity comes from their having broad bodies but quite small mouths. I've had them in tanks with smaller fish, and they didn't eat them. Maybe they wanted to, but the big fish with the tiny mouth is limited.

Do you have planting and cover for the shrimp? That would be a big part of it.

As an addition to the Congo numbers questions, chilis are also social shoalers and they'd probably be happier in a group of ten, rather than a group of three.

 

[Elephant nose 4]

Hi, sorry I have 10 congo tetra, 3 chilli rasbora as this is what I have left from 15, I had for 7 year's not planning to buy anymore.
I have live plants, wood and caves.
Sorry I wasn't very clear

 

[Elephant nose 4]

Here's a pic

 

[Elephant nose 4]

This is my tank i want to move him into