can i put a gourami in a 20 gal tank?

Question

i have 1 red tailed shark 5 tiger barbs pleco and 1 gosht shrimp

Answer 1

I have kept a Redtail Shark with a Dwarf Gourami and they were fine together. The Gourami will probably remain too large for the Shark to bother it much. You might want to add more shrimp though.

Answer 2

As some of your other posters have said, you can do it but it really depends on what kind of gourami you have. I happen to have the 3 spot or Lavendar as they are sometimes called. My biggest so far is a male, and I have 2 females and 1 other male a little bit smaller. I happen to have three tanks though so one of my lavendars resides in the 20 the other three are in my 75 gallon tank. The issue is can you put on there? Yes actually you can. But you need to do some thinking before just doing it.

Ask yourself, if the species you want is going to outgrow it, are you really going to give it a bigger home so he doesn't stop growing, but his internal organs do and die? If you are then you get whatever Gourami you want. If not, then I think you're going to want to settle for the dwarf Gourami or maybe the pearl gourami.

Now there is a secondary issue here that I don't think anyone's touched on except in reverse. The ladies above I noticed mentioning concerns about the Gourami going after the other fish. You can pretty much rule that out. From having Gourami, they just really aren't that type of fish, and two, if you've had them and looked at thier mouth, they certainly are not going to be eating up any of your population. If there is a concern about your population then its going to be the tiger barbs harassing the gourami. Gouramis have long trailing fins which might look like something nice for those nippy tiger barbs to go after. That's your compatibility issue with your tank, and I think a dwarf will well fend for itself should the barbs feel like getting frisky.

JV

Answer 3

Your tank is a bit small for the RTBS who needs a 55 gallon. A dwarf gourami would be fine in the 20 gallon and you could probably get away with the 3 spot (opaline, blue, gold, lavender, platinum variants) or a pearl as long as the RTBS is rehomed. Stay away from kissing or moonlight gourami as they will get too big.

Answer 4

Good article portion of which I am pasting after this paragraph. Gouramis are easy going and peaceful, but it is best to put them with other fishes their same size.
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Scientific Name: Trichogaster trichopterus
Other Names: Three Spot Gourami, Opaline Gourami, Cosby Gourami, Golden Gourami, Silver Gourami
Family: Belontiidae
Origin: Malaysia, Thailand, Burma, Vietnam
Adult Size: 4 inches (10 cm)
Social: Peaceful
Lifespan: 4 years
Tank Level: Top, Mid dweller
Minimum Tank Size: 20 gallon
Diet: Omnivore, eats most foods
Breeding: Egglayer - bubblenest builder
Care: Easy
pH: 6.0 - 8.8
Hardness: 5-35 dGH
Temperature: 72-82 F (22-28 C)
Description: Blue Gourami is but one of the names given to the extremely popular Three Spot Gourami. Although traditionally silvery blue in color, their colors can change considerably with their moods. During spawning they acquire a much deeper blue hue. The Opaline or Cosby Hybrid variation lacks spots, and has a darker blue marbling. The three spot Gourami sports but two spots; one in the center of the body, and a second at the caudal pentacle (beginning of the tail). The third spot is actually the eye.

Adults reach up to five inches in length, and females are slightly larger. The scientific name trichopterus, is derived from the Greek words trichias (hairy) and pteron (wing) - referring to their long hair-like pelvic fins.

Blue Gouramis are among those fish who possess a labryinth organ, which allows them to breath air directly. Other popular labyrinth fish include the Siamese Fighting fish (Betta).
Habitat/Care: Hailing from the tropical waters of the Far East, Blue Gouramis are one of the most hardy of the Gourami family. Their preference is for thickly vegetated waters of any type. They can be found in ditches, canals, ponds, swamps, rivers, and lakes. Blue Gouramis tolerate a wide range of temperatures and are not demanding in terms of water conditions. However, they prefer soft, slightly acidic water when in breeding season.
In the home aquarium they may be housed with a variety of fish, although it's usually best to keep them with fish of similar size. Generally only one male should be kept per tank, as males are highly territorial. However if the tank is large enough, or there are enough other fish present, this natural tendency will be diminished.
http://freshaquarium.about.com/od/gourami/p/bluegourami.htm

Answer 5

Gouramis are peaceful, but red tailed sharks are not. They will most likely bully the gourami, so I wouldn't recommend it. Also, the other fish might find your ghost shrimp a delicious dinner.

~ZTM

Answer 6

i could say use the tank and something clean out you have gotten, even however if eliminate the executed factor in it and clean it terrific w/ sizzling water. additionally, on the same time as you place it up for the FW fish, enable it run for greater suitable or much less a week and look at out the water stages on a each and every day commencing up interior the previous than you upload fish.

Answer 7

I think adding a gourami to your tank would make it a little overpopulated. Additionally, my boyfriend has gouramis and they pick incessantly on the other fish in the tank, even catfish.

Answer 8

it depends on the gourami -- pearl, honey, thick lipped, dwarf, croakers, and sparkling are all fine for a 20 gallon. any of the larger ones would be happier in a bigger tank.

Answer 9

just hope they are not lunch.