Similiar sized tank mate for blue gouramis?

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LiveMermaid07

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Jul 7, 2009
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Hello,

My blue (three spot) gouramis female, Marley, first lived with a betta sorority and 2 dwarf gouramis.

All of those other fish (over the years) have died.

She is has become rather skittish now. (Hanging plants on the surface doesn't seem to help.)

The bronze cory (the older one) is the closest to her size so she tries to sit on her/him sometimes lol.

I would like to find her a tank mate that is (will be) nearly her size (she is 4.5") but not quite as large as her (under 4"), and has similiar swimming habits so she won't feel alone.
NOT another gouramis. (I would love that but she won't.)

I have tried (earlier this year or late last year) introducing another gouramis, but that didn't go so well.
The first was an opaline (I think, petsmart is just great with their labels), the first 2(?) weeks Marley chased her around, then got used to her. But then the new fish decided that Marley's spots were food and kept trying to eat them and she ended up going to a home.
Next I tried a dwarf gouramis (she had lived with them before peacefully, so I thought that should work...), that did not work. She wanted to eat it. Even after a few weeks had gone by, she didn't try as hard to catch him, but she still wanted to eat him lol. He's gone now too.

She did really great when I had a school of both female bettas and platys in with her, but I'd like to try something else. (and they don't sell female bettas here anymore. :( also most of the first sorority I had were longer/bigger than all the females I've had since.)

She seems to like the fish nearly her size, or at least half, the best. I think something bigger than her would scare her, and I don't really want to put another fish as big as her in the same 29g, I don't think they'd have enough room to swim.

I haven't found much (books and web) so far, so was wondering what other fish aroundish 3inches ish y'all have with your gouramis that do well.
Or some other fish that they seem to really enjoy the company of.

Thanks.


Other fish that are / might be in same tank (doing some rearranging and reaquiring):
black khulies - maybe
2 bronze cories (+ 1-2 more, bronze or other, not sure yet)
1 or more platys - maybe (have 1 right now)
2 otos (I just found a piece of tail from the one I couldn't find! :*( )
1 neon tetra (all that's left)
1 white cloud minnow (all that's left. the neon and minnow are getting along swimmingly ;) )
1 betta - maybe

It is planted, just redid it with dirt and pfs recently, some of plants are starting to come back some are still melting...
Has AC 70 & 50 + medium sponge filter

pH about 6.8 - 7.2
hardness: about 150
alkalinity (color doesn't match those listed, ever, so unsure)​
 

Fishfriend1

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Dec 11, 2009
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Hmms.... Mollies would be around that size, and mine tend to like the surface. Only issue is that they are very active fish, they may do more harm then good. Maybe you could manage to get your female to pair up by getting a few (3-4) males her size and letting her pick one then returning the rest?
 

LiveMermaid07

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Jul 7, 2009
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I tried mollys, after 3 days they attacked her and she just winced and tried to get away. Otherwise they would be a good size... and make snacks... ;)


Would a male be less likely to attack her? (Once she's finished attacking anway, lol.)


The store only has a 14 day policy, I wouldn't be able to take any back...
 

dani_starr

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Aug 6, 2011
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Hi there, in a 29 gallon you are kinda limited when it comes to larger fish. One thing for sure though, you should up your school of cories to at least 4, more is even better! They do best in a school of the same species, but even a school of mixed species is better then a lone or a couple cories.

Also, you should get more neons, and more white clouds, at least 4-5 of each. :)

I would consider some of the "larger" tetras, sounds like you need some dithers, and they make good dithers. Here are some "larger" tetras, that could do good in your water.
-Black skirt/widow tetras (2.5")
-Penguin tetra (3")
-Red eye tetra (3")

Some other fish that you could consider
-Celebs rainbow (3")
 

LiveMermaid07

Bloody Mary. As in, hand me one.
Jul 7, 2009
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Hi there, in a 29 gallon you are kinda limited when it comes to larger fish. True. One thing for sure though, you should up your school of cories to at least 4, more is even better! I'm just doing it slowly so I can find healthy looking ones and not add them to the tank to fast. :) They do best in a school of the same species, but even a school of mixed species is better then a lone or a couple cories.

Also, you should get more neons, and more white clouds, at least 4-5 of each. :) These are the last from their respective schools, I'm not sure if I'm going to get more. (Though since adding the white cloud, it had been in a different tank, it's color has really picked up. I might get some more of those later...

I would consider some of the "larger" tetras, sounds like you need some dithers, and they make good dithers. Here are some "larger" tetras, that could do good in your water.
-Black skirt/widow tetras (2.5")
-Penguin tetra (3")
-Red eye tetra (3")

Some other fish that you could consider
-Celebs rainbow (3")
Will look those up!
 

LiveMermaid07

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Jul 7, 2009
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kinda thinking of some cherry barbs...
those only get 2" right?

Don'tknow if that will work for her companion though...

(will have to go to library to run numbers at aqadvisor, it's not working here.)
 

Fishfriend1

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Dec 11, 2009
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I tried mollys, after 3 days they attacked her and she just winced and tried to get away. Otherwise they would be a good size... and make snacks... ;)


Would a male be less likely to attack her? (Once she's finished attacking anway, lol.)


The store only has a 14 day policy, I wouldn't be able to take any back...
Yea, I thought mollies would be too aggressive, it depends on the fish involved. I don't know if the male would attack her or not, but if they are mated I wouldn't think so? Maybe give them both plenty of hiding spaces.

Also, I would be careful with black skirts, they can be nippy if kept in too small of a school.
 
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