Can I?

[normd]

I have a 29gal that is well cycled! It now has 1-marble angel, 2-pearl gourami's, 6-neons, 2-Otocinclus, 1-dojo loach, 1-swartzie cory. I am getting rid of the angel. Can I add a Blue darwf Gourami?

 

[OrionGirl]

I wouldn't--the 3 of them might fight. I'd add a few more cories instead--they like being a in a group much better.

 

[normd]

I wouldn't--the 3 of them might fight. I'd add a few more cories instead--they like being a in a group much better.

Duely noted! I just want some more color in my tank!

 

[Midnite1971]

Not to sound derogatory, but how do we actually know that certain types of fish like to be in groups? Is it because they group together in the wild? Maybe that's only a defense tactic.

Could it be that fish actually like to be alone or with a mate instead of hanging in groups if they feel comfortable with their surroundings?

Sorry for the intrusion on the post...
Thx

 

[Lauren]

I would get rid of the loach, add a couple more tetras and a few more cories.

Its best not to push it with gouramis. They can be violent.

Midnite: I assume it is because people have been keeping fish for decades now, and there has been a lot of trial and error to discover how they react with eachother. A lot of fish we keep doing see each other in the wild at all, for instance: angels and tetras are Amazon fish, while gouramis are found in South Asia.

If you put two fish together who don't get along, they will show you that they don't get along.

 

[OrionGirl]

Midnite--for animals that are capable of a bit more thought, it's possible that given the choice they will go solo rather than in a group. For fish, instinct pretty well rules the day. Fish that live in groups of schools in the wild are hardwired for this behavior, and are stressed when solo. Some fish, like neons, that are extensively bred in captivity tend to lose the tight schooling behavior of their wild kin, but still show reduced stress and better color and behavior when kept in groups.

 

[Emg]

You can generally tell by a fish's behavior when they are unhappy....a lone schooling fish may swim around quickly and hide alot. They feel insecure which causes stress and will probably shorten thier life.

When you add these fish to a group of thier own kind, they feel more secure and safe and so are less stressed and tend to be healthier and more fun to watch.

I had a cory that I temporarily switched to another tank because I needed some gravel cleaning done in there and also wanted to see how the rams got along with it. This cory was very unhappy, all it did was swim up and down the side of the tank...constantly.....when I put it back in the 10 gallon....he swam right over to his/her buddy and the two of them just snuggled next to each other on the bottom of the tank for awhile before they both began swimming around the tank together. A much happier fella/gal. These are emerald green corys. These fish really like to be in groups of 5 or more...but even one more is better than being alone....as I found out with these two little cuties.

 

[WinterWind]

You can generally tell by a fish's behavior when they are unhappy....a lone schooling fish may swim around quickly and hide alot. They feel insecure which causes stress and will probably shorten thier life.

When you add these fish to a group of thier own kind, they feel more secure and safe and so are less stressed and tend to be healthier and more fun to watch.

I had a cory that I temporarily switched to another tank because I needed some gravel cleaning done in there and also wanted to see how the rams got along with it. This cory was very unhappy, all it did was swim up and down the side of the tank...constantly.....when I put it back in the 10 gallon....he swam right over to his/her buddy and the two of them just snuggled next to each other on the bottom of the tank for awhile before they both began swimming around the tank together. A much happier fella/gal. These are emerald green corys. These fish really like to be in groups of 5 or more...but even one more is better than being alone....as I found out with these two little cuties.

My skunk cory keeps on swimming against the glass and for long periods of time as well. I did add a leopard and albino cory (since the LFS didn't have any other type of cory), but it still swims against the glass a lot. The albino does this as well. The leopard cory usually follows the skunk around, but the skunk cory isn't so interested in the leopard it seems.

 

[Emg]

Do you only have the one skunk cory ? The 2 emerald green corys I have spend most of thier time sifting through the gravel looking for goodies the others might have missed. The only time that one cory spent swimming up and down the glass was when I put him in a 29 by himself...without his buddy....I take that to mean he was not happy there because as soon as I put him back in the other tank with the other cory.....he started to behave more normally.

I just watched that fish go up and down the side over and over and over again and again and felt it was not happy behavior....and when he stopped as soon as I put him back where he WAS happy...it just confirmed it for me.