Is it possible to keep gouramies with a school of tiger barbs in a 29 gallon tank?

Question

This is the first time I've tried this combination and I'm wondering if any of you have had any success with it. I just bought 4 g♠ourami's which are 1 opaline, 1 gold, 1 3spot, and 1 dwarf. I had planned on buying 7 harlequin rasboras but the shop didn't have them. I ended up buying 6 tiger barbs instead, knowing that they are fin nippers, but also remembering that if you buy 6 or more they tend to just keep to themselves. So far the tiger barbs and the gourami's are doing well with each other, but the tiger barbs are still small. When I got home I did some research specifically on keeping gouramis and tiger barbs together and although I've read some mixed views on the subject, the negative views were enough to have me concerned. I am afraid that sooner or later my tiger barbs will begin to nip on my gourami's, and I am especially afraid for the feelers of the gouramis as they are the most vulnerable and I've read that they do not grow back. I really love my set up right now. The barbs constantly school and they constantly swim around and the gouramis are just gorgeous. Does anyone have any experience with this combination? Should I be worried? I really like all of these fish, but I do not want stress and injury in my tank.♠

Answer 1

It is possible, but keep an extremely close eye on the barbs fin nipping, I've had barbs even with guppies and they've started to nip and agitate the guppies. If you have six barbs, everything should end up okay, but once again keep a very close eye on those fins, and if something happens separate them as soon as possible because if all the barbs decide to nip, the gourami will surely have no chance at all to keep their long beautiful fins.

Answer 2

I wuold say have a spare tank set up and if you see nipping, remove the gouramis, even if it is just a litle bit.