I was still thinking about a shoal of cardinal tetras but their small size makes me a bit nervous, The rosy barbs arent really aggressive to any tankmates but they are quite active and very fun to watch. Plus I feel I may not have enough room in the tank to support adding like 10 cardinals to it, I was wondering if there was a single non-shoaling fish I could add instead?
LFS suggested a
Trichogaster Lalius and in my research they seem to fit well with the rosys and dwarf cichlids like my Bolivian Ram. Or I was wondering about adding another Bolivian Ram? Ive been getting mixed info about that, I know keeping more than one cichlid is a bit iffy but Ive read that you can keep 2 males as long as there isnt a female for them to fight over, and ive heard keeping a mixed sex pair is usually ok too.
Any feedback on those 2 ideas or possibly another species I havent thought of?
Barbs in general are active fish, to somewhat varying degrees, but they do like to swim more than say cardinal tetra as an example. Active fish annoy sedate fish like gourami. I believe I mentioned this earlier in this thread, in relation to the Bolivian Ram, but as the Ram is close to the substrate and the barbs upper water, this might not bee problematic. But upper water fish like gourami would be stressed. Gourami need sedate tankmates.
On the Bolivian Ram, some of what you have been told is way off the mark. Except in very large (long) tanks, you cannot have two males. It has absolutely nothing to do with a female being present. Each male will consider the tank his territory, and the stronger of the two will prevail. I've even seen this in a 5-foot tank. Now, I will acknowledge that individual fish have slightly differing temperaments--sometimes--so one might luck out. But it is not fair or humane to risk fish just to satisfy what we might want; it may more likely not work out, and initial bullying can suddenly cause overnight death. Even among male/female pairs that have not bonded of their own accord. Mine did this. We cannot expect to change behaviours programmed into the species' DNA.
As for a male/female pair, only if they select each other from a group and appear to bond. This usually lasts, but sometimes not. The chances of any male and female tossed in together forming a bond is possible but again in the minority.
And with a male ram, that is it for cichlids in this tank given the size.
As for the cardinals, I would not put these with barbs. But more relevant, cardinals are lower level fish, and I think you want more upper level. Hatchetfish maybe, but depending upon the activeness of the barbs. There is one species of pencilfish that could work,
Nannostomus beckfordi. This is the most commonly available species, and it is rather active and feisty especially for a pencilfish. I have had this species for years and years, and my current group of a dozen or more were moved twice before they were in a suitable tank. They are surface level fish, and males are territorial and will nip many other surface fish like hatchets, mercilessly. And this causes me to caution you...they can take annoyance at otos when the latter enter the pencilfish's space. Male interaction is beautiful to observe.