thinking about adding a dwarf gourami

[forrestcook]

I've got a 29gallon planted tank with two juvie angels, 8 silvertip tetras and 3 yoyo loaches (and a rubber lip pleco that hides in my driftwood all day). I'm thinking one of two things currently... to finish my tank I would like to either add 2 more yoyos to make a total of 5, or add a dwarf flame gourami to finish off the tank...if I were to do one of the two, whch do you think would be best? I know gouramis can be testy, but I have a LFS that will let me return it if it's a jerk.

I keep a clean tank, with at least a 20% water change each week and the plants help out with nitrate, etc...

[squirt_12]

well i would go with the gouramis cause i think that 5 yoyo loaches is a little much for a 29g because i had 1 in my old 20g and it got really big and i though that a 20g was just enough for 1. So i would go with the gouramis and not the yoyos.

P.S.
If you want them to be less aggressive then get 2 females or a pair. DO NOT get 2 males as they will harass the other fish and the other male.

[spudbuds]

I'd go with the gouramis. I have dwarf gouramis in my community tank and they are doing just fine. They've never bothered the other fish. The only thing I'd be concerned about with your setup is mixing the gouramis with the angels. You might be ok since the angels are juvies, but I don't have any experience with angels, so hopefully someone else can address that.

[squirt_12]

Well my Nanny has a giant angel fish and she has 2 gouramis in with it and they all do fine together. And they have never fought. The gouramis were in there first though. If that changes anything.

[spudbuds]

Dwarf gouramis are peaceful I believe (more so then the regular size gouramis), so I don't think they will be a problem. I just didn't know how angles would interact with them.

Sounds like you are in a good position to try it out and see if they get along. If they don't you can take them back like you said. So, my vote is for the gouramis.

[squirt_12]

well...from some people i heard that the dwarfs were aggressive and others said they were peaceful. SO it would all just depend on whats in the tank with them.

Good luck though.

[mitcore]

i would go the gourami, 3 yoyo would be enough for me

[lasm]

My gouramis are only aggressive with their own. I have three spot and dwarf together with tetras and they don't bother each other at all.

Since I love so much gouramis, my best advice is... GET A GOURAMI...

[CAF]

I have 3 pearl and 2 opalescent Gouramis in with my angels. The Gouramis act as the peacemakers in the tank making sure the angels dont fight each other or try to pair off. They will get between the two fighting and beat them back with their antennas.... Once they are at antenna length of each other the gourami calmly swims away leaving the angels looking at each other wondering "What just happened?"