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Tank Mates -Ideas and suggestions

2K views 14 replies 5 participants last post by  JDM 
#1 ·
I have had a 30 gallon tank for about seven months. I have two male and one female cherry barb. They don't bother any of the other tank mates (tetrs, female guppies, ottos) but my question pertains to Gourami's. Can Cherry Barbs and Gourmis be put in the same tank?
I have done some research and the data is contradictory. Ideas? Experiences?
 
#2 ·
I'd consider increasing the barb shoal before adding any more fish... they should be in a group of at least six. I have twelve and they are a blast watching them chase each other around the tank.

I didn't research Gourami other than the Paradise Fish, Pearl Gourami and the Betta Splendens. I have a betta in the tank now, sort of by default, and it is working out OK with the cherry barb, zero signs of aggression between the fish and zero fin nipping. The others were more due to my water parameters and tank size. The barbs are a better idea than the tetras so that will be more of a factor than the barbs but my barbs are not quiet, they are all over the tank constantly.

You will need to check out how to decide on your mix, group vs pair, group ratios and that sort of thing. Also watch your tank doesn't get too full particularly if you bump your barb shoal up then add the gourami. The gourami are a larger body fish so I suspect (but don't know) that they are larger loads on the tank than the typical "1 inch of fully grown fish per gallon" rule... which is only a starting guide but worth using when deciding on initial mixes).

Jeff.
 
#3 ·
My expierience with agressive feeder's like barb's and slower,more peaceful species like gourami,showed that the barb's will easily snatch food long before the gouarmi get their share.
Have also noted that nearly all barb's will nip fin's of slower fishes.
Recently noted that pectoral fin's of a pearl gourami I was keeping in warm tank,
(barb's are more comfortable in cooler water) were being nipped to shred's by fancy guppies.
I moved the gourami to warm tank with cardinal tetra's and cherry shrimp and after a week the fin's are healing nicely.
Point being that barb's may or may not, confine the nipping which is their nature,to themselves.
In any event, I would select Honey gourami ,or Pearl gourami before the other species of gourami which are often carrier's of Iridovirus,mycobacterium,which may or may not be transferred to otherwise healthy tank.
 
#4 · (Edited)
My expierience with agressive feeder's like barb's and slower,more peaceful species like gourami,showed that the barb's will easily snatch food long before the gouarmi get their share.
I do see that... twelve barbs and one betta (Oscar) isn't fair in a feeding frenzy but I now feed one or two pellets at a time and I use sinkers. The betta stands his ground and gets his share very near the top while the barbs tend to wait until it sinks a bit so I drop some in from a height to break the surface and sink and lightly drop others so they hang for a bit. I just make sure that Oscar gets enough then stop dropping when the barbs lose interest.

Of course this should get more fun once the catfish are introduced.

It is funny watching Oscar decide that he is going to get a sinking pellet and he motors down and snatches it from the barbs though. I don't know if a gourami wold do that so feeding might be more complicated but paying attention and adjusting how the feeding is handled should look after this potential problem and help to avoid the typical over feeding issues at the same time.

If I just toss in the food it doesn't work so well for Oscar and more ends up on the bottom.

Jeff.
 
#7 ·
I thought that I clarified that in one of my posts... betta and gourami are different... my bad.

I'll take that one step farther, I don't recommend betta (male particularly) to be added to any community tank... mine was by default as he pre-existed the tank and I knew the possible outcomes including re-tanking him if it were necessary. When you have the option of starting out fresh, never pick something that is already a potential problem fish.

Jeff.
 
#8 ·
Normally barbs and gouramis couldn't live together but the cherry barbs is a quieter and calmer barbs and can coexist with gouramis. Just take into affect the aggression levels on different gouramis because, from my experience, gouramis like the paradise fish are more aggressive than the honey gourami.

As said previously increase the shoal of the cherry barb to atleast 6.

Personally, I have three gouramis, a gold, opaline, and pearl gourami in my 75 gallon with 11 cherry barbs (other fish to like cories, kuhlis, and snails). My gouramis get more than there share of food
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#9 ·
Thanks Ya'll!

Normally barbs and gouramis couldn't live together but the cherry barbs is a quieter and calmer barbs and can coexist with gouramis. Just take into affect the aggression levels on different gouramis because, from my experience, gouramis like the paradise fish are more aggressive than the honey gourami.

As said previously increase the shoal of the cherry barb to atleast 6.

Personally, I have three gouramis, a gold, opaline, and pearl gourami in my 75 gallon with 11 cherry barbs (other fish to like cories, kuhlis, and snails). My gouramis get more than there share of food
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I will add to the cherry barbs.. however, I think I will be reaching the limits of my bio load. I will do some research on the Honey Gourami.. looks like a good addition. :)
 
#15 ·
GH 150
KH 120-180
PH 6.5
No2 0
No3 80
NH 0
I have a handful of plants. Tiger lilly. Amazon Sword, Flame moss, two different Luteas.
Filtration is just the stock (hangs on the side) filter that came with the aquarium. Brand new.
Is the Nitrate correct? 80ppm, that's awfully high. It should be kept below 20, or better, below 10ppm. The only way you will get that down is change the water.... 50% will get you down to 40, then again to get you down to 20ppm. How long has it been that high?

Your existing fish might be accommodating it as it was probably gradual, but still very harmful. The new fish had no acclimatization period and were probably killed by it. That's my guess.

Jeff.
 
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