# Dwarf Gourami + Cherry Shrimp?



## garfieldnfish

I would say no on the RCS with the fish you already have in the tank with them.


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## Betta132

Dwarf gourami + cherry shrimp = nomnomnom.

A shedding shrimp gives off a scent that basically says "food" to all the fish around it. You're probably losing them now and then. Also, the fish are eating the baby shrimp, without a doubt.


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## Nestle_

I agree that the gourami will eat the shrimp, but if the tank is planted heavily enough, with lots of hiding places for the shrimp, they'll survive.
for several months I kept a male betta in an 8 gallon with RCS and the betta certainly ate plenty of shrimp but they kept on trucking through it. They were even pretty bold about things knowing he was there.

As for only 1 dwarf gourami, I would not suggest that. It will certainly pick on the other fish. Even dwarf gourami do best in 3+ keeping in odd numbers is best. Pairs is not advisable except when singling out to spawn them. Simply because one will get bigger and pick on the other constantly and most likely kill it. (I have had experience with this myself)


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## Chiefston

I had a dwarf gourami and cherry shrimp and after two weeks I no longer had shrimp. The dwarf gourami hunted them down. Not saying it's impossible to keep them together, but if the gourami can find them, he will eat them


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## hollo

Thank you everyone for your replies! I really appreciate it. I think I'm going to skip the gourami idea, I enjoy having shrimp too much. I'm sure the tetras are picking some off, but there is a good population of cherries in the tank, and I'd like it to stay that way.


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## zerodameaon

Look into pearl gourami, two weeks in and mine has yet to touch a shrimp. Even at feeding time when they are all coming out of their moss ball he just ignores them. Does this mean he does not go on a midnight hunt, no, but so far during lights on he could care less about them.


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## Diana

Gouramis are not social fish. Singles are best.


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## Josiah

Diana said:


> Gouramis are not social fish. Singles are best.


While true for Dwarf Gouramis, Pearl and Honey Gouramis are very social.

My Pearl 4 Gouramis swim together in a pretty tight group most of time, outside of breeding time, or the male seeing if any female is ready to breed, there is no aggression, he won't even chance them halfway around the tank and you know the females are fine because they turn around and swim right back to the group.

The majority of the time they stick together in a tight nit group.


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## kman

^^ Of course, Dwarf Gourami is specifically what the OP was speaking of. 

With dwarf gouramis, definitely only one, or else 3+ (and the more the better). Two is a bad combo.


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## Josiah

kman said:


> ^^ Of course, Dwarf Gourami is specifically what the OP was speaking of.
> 
> With dwarf gouramis, definitely only one, or else 3+ (and the more the better). Two is a bad combo.


You never know, turns out the dwarf gourami I bought from Petco was actually a Honey Gourami.


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## Diana

Better to watch each fish. Gouramis are individuals. 
I have kept Pearls and Honeys that were OK with others, but have also had a Honey that was really bad. 
Moonlights can go either way. I had 2 that were OK together, but when one died the other did not want to share the tank with any replacements. 
3 spot (any color morph) and dwarfs are usually more aggressive. But I had a pretty mellow gold Gourami (a 3 spot). The most aggressive one was the Cosby coloration of a 3 spot. Tried to claim all of a 6' long tank. Only Cichlids (Angels and Jewels) stood up to him.


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