Dwarf Gouramis and shrimp?

M

Mark Miller

AC Members
May 15, 2007
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I have just gotten back into aquarium keeping after a long absence, starting with an 11 gallon aquarium. I began with plants and four red eyed tetras. After three weeks, I have added two male dwarf gouramis (one red, one blue), and six neon tetras. I'd like to eventually add one more species for algae control. (I know dwarf gouramis eat algae). The blue gourami, by the way, shows mild territorial behavior toward the red gourami, sometimes keeping it corralled into a corner. It also seems to lose interest in this behavior, and lets the red guy run free for long periods, as well, so I'm not too concerned about it...
Anyway, can anyone advise if bumble bee, glass, or another kind of shrimp would be OK?
Am I risking over crowding?
Thanks! This is my first posting...great site!
Mark Miller
 
Grr I just typed an answer and my computer froze. I wouldn't add any more fish w/ the two dwarf gouramis. If you wanted to add some ghost shrimp you might try a handful and just replenish them as needed- but I think your best bet is controlling your algae manually. Has it been a problem for you?

Welcome to AC!
 
Welcome AC! :)

I think you already have plenty of fish, but shrimp are a very light bioload. I'm just not certain that the gouramis wouldn't just pick them off TBH.

As for the algae, it's best to resolve the cause rather than combat the algae itself.
 
You're actually kind of overstocked right now... and just so you know, it's usually not good to keep 2 dwarf gouramis in the same tank, because of the territorial issues. They can be just like bettas somtimes. And often, the only dwarf gouramis stores will sell are the males.. so if you can, I would take one of the back to the store you got them from, and I'd take the 4 red eye tetras back too, because there isn't enough room for 2 schools of tetra, and they need to have at least 6 of each, since you already have 6 neons, I'd take the red eyes back.. unless you would rather have them, then take back the neons and get 2 more red eyes... and then I'd get about a dozen cherry shrimp, that you might have to replenish... but, have you had a problem with algae?
 
No, algae hasn't been a problem...I've just had the aquarium a month, and it sits in a book case away from sunlight.
Do you think even one small algae eater would be stressful?

11 gal.
4 red eyed tetras
six neons
two dwarf gouramis
 
I think you don't need an algae eater... what sort of algae eater are you talking about now? With your current stocking, anything would be stressfull, you should only have one school of 6 tetras, and 1 gourami.
 
Okay, so the one inch of fish per gallon guideline is a good rule of thumb....I looked at several sites online, and there seemed to be a consensus that dwarf gouramis should be kept in groups of two or three. As I said, the blue one is only mildly territorial, and seems to lose interest in controlling the space for long periods of time. I'm not certain if I can return fish to my local aquarium store...I guess I should have asked their policy on that.
People here seem to agree that shrimp are not a great idea with two gouramis, so I won't risk it.
I asked somebody else if they thought adding one small algae eater would be OK...
thanks so much for your insight...just getting back into this, and I want a peaceful environment for the little critters, of course.
 
the one inch per gallon guidline is actually a very bad one. There are so many factors to consider BESIDES the size of the fish, that the guidline is very obsolete. I'm not sure what website you looked at, but is was very wrong, gouramis will often kill each other, just like bettas if kept together. Maybe having one male and 2 females would be ok, but you have 2 males, and it's not good. You should ask your lfs about return policies. What specific kind of small 'algae eater' are you considering? You really don't need one, and don't have the space for one right now.
 
Got it. Since algae is not a problem, per se, sounds like adding any more fish will just be stressful to the environment. I will check with my local store about their return policy regarding the tetras.
Of course, maybe it is too early to tell (?) but, the territorial issues with the gouramis don't seem to be constant. I'm surprised so many websites indicated that they should be kept in groups of two or three....
 
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