Pearl gourami?

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TWynnB

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Greetings! I am planning out my 40 g breeder (36x18x15). My pH is 8.2 and with 20 dGH, 14 dKH. The tank is cycled, the water has been very stable. I put in 6 cherry barbs and 2 mystery snails last week that are doing very well.

I plan to add another medium fish, such as the Celebes rainbowfish or false penguin tetra that work with my parameters. I have found that according to seriouslyfish and other sources, pearl gouramis would be another good choice.

Most of my research says that getting a single male is fine, although they enjoy being in groups (1M/2-3F). I get a bit concerned on how aggressive they'd be during mating season and how they'd do with the smaller cherry barb. When put into aqadvisor, I originally had red eye tetras as my other fish choice (instead of celebes, etc) and it said the gouramis would be too aggressive while mating for the tetras.

I love watching my cherry barbs race around the tank interacting, so I prefer doing what's best for the fish to be happy. Would this be having a group of pearls, vs. a single male? Is 2 or 3 females a better ratio? How long/frequent is mating season for them?

Thanks for your help!
 
I would not advise Pearl Gourami here. While a group of 3-5 (2 female per male, or 3 per 2 males) could work in this tank, not with the other upper fish. Gourami are sedate fish, and they do not appreciate activity around them. Barbs and gourami never mix, though some find cherry barb to be much quieter than the other species, but that doesn't seem to b your experience.

Red Eye Tetra are similarly not compatible. Depending what species this actually is (common names are so misleading) they might be slightly fin nipping. Some tetras are especially when confined in small spaces with quiet fish. And a 40g is small to the fish in it, as indeed most tanks are, so this is almost always something to keep in mind. Small spaces can increase aggression even in peaceful fish, as can insufficient numbers of the species when it is a shoaling one..
 
I have a single male PG in my 40B, along with cherry barbs, many other tetras, otos, a single 3 spot gourami, and a single angel fish, and have absolutely no issues with compatibility.
 
I have a single male PG in my 40B, along with cherry barbs, many other tetras, otos, a single 3 spot gourami, and a single angel fish, and have absolutely no issues with compatibility.

None that you can "see." :fish:But what about how the fish perceives things?
 
thanks for both opinions, it is appreciated.

I realize that the activity of my barbs will probably decrease when there are other fish in the tank and they're like a bunch of 8 yr old boys right now, since no one else is in their space.

I'll consider opinions and discuss with my LFS owner as well. Might be better to get last so other fish more established and see how they behave before getting a pearl, if I do.
 
Understood....beware of what LFS shop employees' advice, many of them aren't experienced in fishkeeping...they are there first and foremost to make $

In the meantime, you could easily add more CB's to that tank...I have 12 in mine
 
I love the cherry barbs! My friend asked why not have just those since I enjoy them, but I want variety!

I only talk to the owner, he's been in business 30 years now. I've talked to his teenage employees a couple of times and just left frustrated. He also said the red eye tetra was a bad choice due to nipping. I do take the owner's advice with a grain of salt and do my own research as well.

Thanks!
 
I love the cherry barbs! My friend asked why not have just those since I enjoy them, but I want variety!

I only talk to the owner, he's been in business 30 years now. I've talked to his teenage employees a couple of times and just left frustrated. He also said the red eye tetra was a bad choice due to nipping. I do take the owner's advice with a grain of salt and do my own research as well.

Thanks!
Very good...and, you're lucky to have an LFS with at least one person who knows what they are talking about ;)
 
The GH (20dGH/ 360ppm) is too high for labyrinth fishes (Gouramis & Bettas).
 
I have one female pearl Gourami in my 55G. She lives in peace with cories and neon tetras. Cory, bottom level, neon mid-level, gourami top level.
 
Seriouslyfish says up to 30 dGH, fishtankadvisor says up to 25 dGH, spruce pets up to 30dGH for the pearl. I did research and it was only the pearl and (I believe) the blue that tolerate the higher values, most of the others were lower.

If close, my LFS is on the same water system as I am and some - but not all - of his fish are bred there.
 
Seriouslyfish says up to 30 dGH, fishtankadvisor says up to 25 dGH, spruce pets up to 30dGH for the pearl. I did research and it was only the pearl and (I believe) the blue that tolerate the higher values, most of the others were lower.

If close, my LFS is on the same water system as I am and some - but not all - of his fish are bred there.
"If close, my LFS is on the same water system as I am and some - but not all - of his fish are bred there."

Then it would be just fine.
 

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