# Gouramis with Congo Tetras?



## meglet (Oct 12, 2005)

I have 4 Congo Tetras that survived a recent tank disaster, and will be moving into a 46 bow front tank in a few weeks, along with enough new Congos to create a small school (6-8 total.) I would like to add 1-3 Gouramis to the tank, partly just to have another species that will calm the Congos down, and partly because they seem like a cool fish. However, I'm not sure if any of the Gouramis are docile enough to do this. I particularly like the 3-spot Gouramis, but I recall reading that they are mildly aggressive, which probably won't work well with my skittish Congos. I have never kept any kind of Gourami before, so I'd appreciate some advice on whether this will work, and if one type of Gourami would be better than another. 

Thanks. 

Meghan.


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## Mud Pie Mama (Jul 30, 2006)

Right now I've been keeping a school of Congo Tetra in with some pygmy sparkling gouramis. The gouramis are teeny-tiny but with unbridled bravery. They seem to be getting along just fine. In my densely planted tank there's lots of hiding spots. However at feeding time the sparklers are out with the neon tetras grabbing for flakes; not at all scared off when occasionally getting jostled by the congos charging for the food pellets.

I have read reports of some folks having smaller fish end up as dinner snacks for congos. Either mine are more well fed or more tame. 

Congos are skittish, and so I think while dither fish are helpful, it's still best if the congos are the largest size fish in the tank. Especially in a 46 gallon tank, 6-8 congos are a good bio-load already. Add in a group of smaller 1" or 2" fish as dither, maybe some corydoras or Apistogramma cichlids as bottom dwellers.


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## JanS (Apr 14, 2004)

I agree that if you do go with a Gourami, it should be a smaller one. It's possible that one or 2 of the Dwarf Gourami's might work for you, but there is always a risk of problems with any individual fish and it's temperament.


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## dogdoc (Feb 3, 2006)

I have two large male pearl gourami along with a school of congos and a few rainbowfish in my 75.

Everyone seems to get along fine. My congos do not appear skittish at all. In fact, most of the time they can be found loosely schooling with the rainbow fish.


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## Script404 (Jun 30, 2006)

I think it depends on the type of gourami (although personality of the gourmai counts, some gourami are more aggresive than others), pearls I've found tend to be less aggressive than a lot of gouramis, the three spots are pretty tough and can also be quite aggressive. Dwarf gouramis can be really aggressive as well, but honey gouramis should be ok.


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## meglet (Oct 12, 2005)

Thank you for all the advice. I will definetly be going with a gourami or two along with the Congos, when mine had an Angelfish and SAEs sharing a tank they were as calm as any other tetra I've seen, except when the tank was darker than the room, so this particular school apparently likes larger fish. I will also be adding some type of Cory for a bottom dweller, perhaps my Skunk Cories will move over as they seem to be spawning and that tank can't handle a population increase. Might have to accelerate the house-buying schedule so I will have more space and everybody can move up a tank size or two. 

As for the Gouramis, I had a chat with one of the LFS owners today, and he suggested Pearl, Moonlight, or Banded (Colisa fasciata) Gouramis. After seeing the picture on http://www.aqua-fish.net/show.php?what=fish&cur_lang=2&id=351, I'll be going with the Banded Gourami, I think they will contrast much more nicely with the Congo tetras than the paler Pearl or Moonlights would.

Thanks again.

Meghan (who is very proud of herself for walking out of the LFS with only the lightbulb she needed, and NOT ordering the new tank yet.)


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## JanS (Apr 14, 2004)

meglet said:


> Meghan (who is very proud of herself for walking out of the LFS with only the lightbulb she needed, and NOT ordering the new tank yet.)


LOL! You're much stronger than I am then....

The Banded Gourami's look pretty cool. Let us know how it goes with them.


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