Are these compatible?

Question

My daughter has a 39 gallon tank and she is considering what to types of fish to buy. Here's a list of what she wants :

1 male betta
4 lyretail swordtails( 1 male, 3 females )
4 gold barbs
2 dwarf gouramis

Any advise would be appreciated! Thanks!

she was also thinking of getting a gold algae eater. Would this be okay?

Answer 1

Aly hit the only issue I see here. Barbs are known as fin nippers and it's very likely the Betta would get harassed. I had seen a pack of four tiger barbs I had months ago for cycling my tank, (which will lead me to ask you later..) and they tried to pick on my Gourami. The Gourami held his own, but I was going to get an arowana once my tank had cycled, so either they would have been outright eaten or stressed the Arowana, so I found them a new home.

As indicated though, I'd like to know how old this tank is that your daughter has, and has it been properly cycled? Most all of those fish listed are fairly hardy enough to last through a full cycle, but it's always good to have an established tank already. Please consider also, even if the tank has been running with no population for months, that is not ready to go. The bacteria that oxidizes the compounds produced by fish populationg the tank will be long dead and will be starting over from day 1. That's also a good mass of fish to populate all at once even for an established tank. If tank is established, I'd populate that Betta first, then a week later the Gourami, then the swords, and provided all getting along fine, which they should, then the barbs. I still feel the barbs are going to nip at that Betta, and a replacement I'd like to offer in place of those would be some gold Mollies.

For the poster that mentioned Betta's attacking other fish, please note Bettas can be excellent community fish, compatibility issues reside in other Betta's being present. They do not tolerate thier own very well. Outside of that they are fairly peaceful fish. I'm watching my male Betta here from work with a couple glo zebras and white clouds existing very peacefully here on my desk :)

JV

Answer 2

Those fish would be a nice little community in a 39 gallon tank. The gold algae eater should be fine too probably. I had a normal colored chinese alagae eater in my 29 gallon and it was fine, it out grew the tank though. I would recommend adding the swordtails first, then the male betta. Next add the barbs and gouramis.
Hope this helps!!!

Answer 3

Sounds like a great set up to me. I have kept gold barbs in community tanks for decades and never had problems with them. The only barbs I have every found to be really nippy are tiger barbs and the other barbs of similar size and color. As Jon said, male bettas are excellent community fish, as are all your other choices.

MM

Answer 4

Ok barbs are nippy they will nip th emale betta, So thats a no, the swordtails will be fine, Your 3 females will have (babies) fry, The gourmais should be fine, Id say you leave the barbs out tho, Or you could get them all and leave the male betta, You cant have barbs and a betta, One or the other : An extraction from a book i have :: "Unfortunately they have acquired a reputation as aggressive because they will nip fins of slow moving fish such as guppies or neons"

Answer 5

theyre all fine even the barbs, golden barbs are one of the more placid of the genre and seldom display the social pecking order or rough play say of the Tiger barbs.

Some bottom fish would probably not go amiss, maybe Cory's

Answer 6

Get something else other then a betta. They will kill or hurt all the other fishes. Guppies are also nice fish along with gouriamis. Also since you have such a large tank think about getting a freshwater shrimp. They will keep the bottom and other places clean, also snials work too but shrimp are more fun to watch! Good luck!

Answer 7

Yes that will be a good combination, especially in a 39 gallon tank, you even have room for more fish.

Answer 8

do not put the barbs in they will eat Betta's fins rest should be fine

Answer 9

I am not sure about the Betta because they tend to fight with other fish, but the other fish are good.

Answer 10

Those fish are compatible.


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