# Suggestions for future companions for Denison Barbs, Neons, and Cories



## huckleberry77 (May 31, 2014)

I recently lost my dwarf gourami. I am really bummed about it because I only had her a week and despite doing everything for (floating plants, feeding her by hand when she surfaced, etc.) her she was never quite right and then passed away suddenly.

What remains in my tank are schools of denison barbs, cories, and neons. I am adding a new filter this weekend to turn over the water 10X per hour. There are live and fake plants. Temp is 75 degrees. Tank is fully cycled. 

I would love another dwarf gourami but I hear that they are frequently sick from dwarf gourami disease and I don't want to get another sickly, lethargic one that will die in a week. I am not getting any new fish right away... but want to think about what to add next.

The new fish has to like 75 degree water and be peaceful. I got rid of the blackskirts because they were too nippy and I hate watching fish bully and pick on each other. The current community is totally peaceful and the barbs and cories actually swim together all day. The neons are more reclusive and only come out to play at feeding time (however, the denison barbs NEVER bother them).


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## tankman12 (Nov 13, 2012)

What size tank?
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## huckleberry77 (May 31, 2014)

tankman12 said:


> What size tank?
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


The tank is 45 gallons. Please refrain from lecturing me that the denison barbs need at least 50 gallons. The LFS sold the 1st denison to my husband knowing we had a 45 gallon tank and never mentioned it was too small. The denisons are juveniles and I will get a bigger tank for them in the future if they actually grow to 5-6". In the meantime I upgraded my fiter to keep them happy and am looking into a powerhead for them to swim into.


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## tankman12 (Nov 13, 2012)

Okay, Im not going to lecture you about that. Im not one of those people. So what do you have as a filter now? Also is it planted (just curious)? What do you want in the tank, some more schooling fish, something rare, fast swimmimg, ect?
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## huckleberry77 (May 31, 2014)

tankman12 said:


> Okay, Im not going to lecture you about that. Im not one of those people. So what do you have as a filter now? Also is it planted (just curious)? What do you want in the tank, some more schooling fish, something rare, fast swimmimg, ect?
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


Thanks!:lol:

Current filter is biowheel 200 but I have a aquaclear 110 that I am installing tomorrow. I have several anubias, some baby java ferns, a tiny java moss, some salvinia minima, dwarf water lettuce, creeping charlie, and water wisteria. I am trying to find anachris but cannot get my hands on any around here.

I would like a single fish or pair of fish (don't want to add another whole school). Would prefer something than hangs out toward the top of the tank at least sometimes. Something with a rounder rather than long skinny body. Something that will pop out against the black background and plants, and something on the larger side (at least as big as a dwarf gourami?).


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## tankman12 (Nov 13, 2012)

Rams!!! A pair of them would be perfect. Electric or german blues are the best. Unless one can get some really nice golds. But they dont hang at the top :-(. Silver hatchets hang at the top and look different in a planted tank. But need to be in schools. You could do a nice group of pearl gouramis, 1m 2f. They hang at the top and not a schooling fish.
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## Flint (Oct 22, 2013)

Rams are bottom dwellers. I would suggest a blue or gold gourami seeing as they get larger than pearls and have flashier colors. You could do one of each if you wanted.


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## tankman12 (Nov 13, 2012)

I said they don't hang at the top, if you didn't see that. Also don't put a blue or gold gourami with neons. They will most likely eat or kill them. Unless you get a peaceful female. A male peal in breeding colors is so much better than a basic gold or blue gourami. Pearls are amazing. Buts its all your choice.
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## Flint (Oct 22, 2013)

I don't think they'll eat the neons given the tank size. A pearl could eat a neon if it wanted to.


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## tankman12 (Nov 13, 2012)

Not really, they couldn't eat a 1.5in fish. Especially a female neon. Even if they could, they Wouldnt, they are wicked peaceful.
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## Flint (Oct 22, 2013)

So are blue/gold gouramis.


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## tankman12 (Nov 13, 2012)

Definitely not a male one. You also said black skirts aren't aggressive, yet they had to get rid of them cuz they nipped the gourami so bad.
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## Flint (Oct 22, 2013)

Black skirts are not agressive and when was it said they got rid of them? Please link me.

A male blue or gold is the same as a female. There is no personality difference between the sexes.


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## tankman12 (Nov 13, 2012)

http://www.tropicalfishkeeping.com/...black-skirt-tetras-albany-422818/#post4745962 Also they said they rehomed them because they were to nippy, in the 1st post.
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## Flint (Oct 22, 2013)

That's not the same person but black skirts are not agressive.


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## tankman12 (Nov 13, 2012)

That is the same exact person, huckleberry77. Usually females gouramis are more chill.
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## Flint (Oct 22, 2013)

We spoke about their cories not their tetras. This is off-topic though. PM me if you wish to discuss this.


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## huckleberry77 (May 31, 2014)

Thank you both for the nice recommendations. I will keep your suggestions on my short list for consideration :-D


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## tankman12 (Nov 13, 2012)

No problem!
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